Architecture and Engineering · Holland code RIC

Mechanical Engineering Technologists and Technicians

Apply theory and principles of mechanical engineering to modify, develop, test, or adjust machinery and equipment under direction of engineering staff or physical scientists.

Also called: Engineering Technician (Engineering Tech), Mechanical Designer, Mechanical Technician (Mechanical Tech), Research and Development Technician (R and D Tech), Engineering Laboratory Technician (Engineering Lab Technician), Engineering Technical Analyst, Engineering Technologist, Manufacturing Engineering Technician (Manufacturing Engineering Tech).

O*NET 17-3027.00

At a glance

US median annual pay: $74,510; Middle half earn $59,510 to $88,110. BLS OEWS, May 2025.
Most common education: Bachelor's Degree; 37% of workers surveyed by O*NET report this level.
Preparation needed: Job Zone 3 of 5; Medium preparation. Zone 1 is little or none; zone 5 is graduate-level.
US employment outlook, 2024 to 2034: 0% · Little or no change; 38,300 jobs in 2024, projected 38,300. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook, which groups this with similar roles as "Mechanical engineering technologists and technicians".

What the work involves

The tasks workers in this occupation rate as most important, from the O*NET survey.

Assemble or disassemble complex mechanical systems.
Interpret engineering sketches, specifications, or drawings.
Calculate required capacities for equipment of proposed system to obtain specified performance and submit data to engineering personnel for approval.
Set up prototype and test apparatus and operate test controlling equipment to observe and record prototype test results.
Review project instructions and blueprints to ascertain test specifications, procedures, and objectives, and test nature of technical problems such as redesign.
Provide technical support to other employees regarding mechanical design, fabrication, testing, or documentation.
Test machines, components, materials, or products to determine characteristics such as performance, strength, or response to stress.
Draft detail drawing or sketch for drafting room completion or to request parts fabrication by machine, sheet or wood shops.

Skills and knowledge it leans on

Skills

Reading Comprehension3.8 / 5
Active Listening3.8 / 5
Critical Thinking3.8 / 5
Speaking3.6 / 5
Writing3.5 / 5
Mathematics3.3 / 5

Knowledge areas

Engineering and Technology4.2 / 5
Mechanical4.1 / 5
Design4.0 / 5
Mathematics3.7 / 5
English Language3.5 / 5
Computers and Electronics3.4 / 5

Importance ratings on O*NET’s 1 to 5 scale. Higher means the occupation depends on it more.

Who tends to enjoy it

How strongly this occupation draws on each of the six Holland interest types, which is the same profile the career interests test compares you against.

Realistic88
Investigative73
Artistic20
Social3
Enterprising1
Conventional63

The same work abroad

Other countries classify jobs differently, so these are the closest matches through the international ISCO-08 standard, not exact equivalents.

European occupation titles (ESCO)

mechanical engineer · DE Maschinenbauingenieur/Maschinenbauingenieurin · FR ingénieur mécanicien/ingénieure mécanicienne
mechanical engineering technician · DE Maschinenbautechniker/Maschinenbautechnikerin · FR technicien en ingénierie mécanique/technicienne en ingénierie mécanique
pneumatic engineering technician · DE Pneumatiktechniker/Pneumatiktechnikerin · FR technicien en génie pneumatique/technicienne en génie pneumatique
automotive engineering technician · DE Kraftfahrzeugbautechniker/Kraftfahrzeugbautechnikerin · FR technicien en ingénierie automobile/technicienne en ingénierie automobile

Closest UK occupation groups (SOC 2020)

Mechanical engineers (professional) (2122)94,400 employed
Engineering technicians (3113)74,200 employed
Aerospace engineers (2126)41,700 employed

Employment is the UK Annual Population Survey for April 2025 to March 2026, all workers in the group, which can be broader than this one occupation.

Pay across Europe, for the whole group

Median annual earnings of all employees in “Technicians and associate professionals”. This is the broad ISCO group this occupation falls in, not the occupation itself, so treat it as context for the wage level, not as a salary for this job.

Median annual earnings, Technicians and associate professionals, by country
Country	Median pay
Belgium	€50,992
Austria	€46,986
Germany	€44,473
Netherlands	€42,448
Ireland	€41,613
Sweden	€41,155
Italy	€34,882
France	€34,816
Spain	€29,757
Portugal	€18,080
Poland	€12,108

Eurostat Structure of Earnings Survey, businesses with ten or more employees outside public administration, in euro and not adjusted for the cost of living. Reference years differ between sources: the US, Japan and Europe figures on this page come from different survey years, so compare them as rough levels, not to the euro or yen.

Exposure to AI

This occupation sits in the middle third of the 774 occupations scored, with an exposure score of -0.12. The scores are standardized across those occupations, so 0 is the average and a score of 1 is about one standard deviation above it.

Our note on reading it: the dataset links AI applications to the abilities that occupations require, so the score reflects overlap between the two. It is a comparison between occupations, not a forecast about jobs. It does not say whether exposure means tasks are replaced or workers get more done with the tools, and it says little about one employer or one role.

Source: Felten, E., Raj, M., & Seamans, R. (2021). Occupational, industry, and geographic exposure to artificial intelligence: A novel dataset and its potential uses. Strategic Management Journal, 42(12), 2195-2217. Matched to this page by 6-digit SOC code (17-3027).

Is it a fit for you?

Interest is one input, alongside ability, pay and what is hiring near you. The career interests test takes about thirteen minutes and ranks occupations by how closely their profile matches yours.

Take the career interests test