Field Engineer

Education and Training: Bachelor degree in software engineering
Average Salary: $50,000
Job Outlook: Good

The demand for field engineers is gaining new heights since most companies are in constant search of a professional who can meet the on-site requirements of their organization. The growth prospects and career opportunities in field engineering are very bright with the rapid pace development of infrastructure so the demand for field engineering is sure to go high in the near future. The main function of a field engineer is to act as a mobile engineer who can collaborate with senior engineering staff, different response centers of the company, logistics departments, and also the customers for resolving on-site technical issues in a timely manner. The main goal of hiring an on field engineer is to attain the maximum customer satisfaction to strengthen the customer base.
Installing, troubleshooting, and maintaining the on-site extensive range of products is the main task of a field engineer. Moreover, they are required to provide training to the junior level employees, identify and analyze the failures and repair reports of the products, and also keep track of the replacement record which can be presented to the senior level management if needed.
An accomplished field engineer needs to be very much aware of the basic concepts of their field, procedures, and practices they need to undertake. Most of the decisions taken by the field manager for the betterment of the company should depend on their experiences and their ability to formulate a judgment plan so that they can accomplish their primary goals. They may also lead the work of their subordinates. Every company expects their field engineer to be very creative with amazing leadership qualities and high latitude for extraordinary performance. A field engineer is also expected to submit reports to the head of the department.

Education and Training Requirements

An aspiring professional field engineer needs to at least have a bachelor’s degree in the discipline of hardware/software engineering. Moreover, if an aspirant completes his/her master’s degree in the same field then their chances of getting a better job become even brighter. Minimum experience of 2 to 3 years in the industry has also become mandatory these days for the post of field engineer. Excellent communication skills, interpersonal skills, the ability to understand customer grievances, and understanding the nuances of different kinds of machinery/software, along with lots of patience are the few personal traits required for the field engineer job.

Getting the Job

Field engineers should be prepared to work under stressful conditions. Previous experience in offshore projects along with a master’s degree in engineering also brightens your chances in the field engineer career. One should also known how to read blueprints and also develop the same as their job profile requires them to design blue prints for various projects at different points of time. Sound computer skills also forms an important skill set for becoming an efficient field engineer.

Job Prospects, Employment Outlook and Career Development

Once you get into the career of field engineer this field opens many gates of professional growth for an individual. If a field engineer works with complete dedication and shows efficiency in their work, they improve their future growth prospects. From the position of field engineer you can rise up to the level of chief field engineer.

Working Conditions and Environment

As a field engineer you can easily get job in any company dealing with IT and the technology industry. So, there are plenty of job prospects for a field engineer in private companies, Multi National Corporations, the government sector, etc. However, their job requires them to visit sites, meet customers, and solve their issues. In short, they need to travel a lot and also need to keep themselves up to date about the latest advancements in the technology field.

Salary and Benefits

The average yearly compensation for a top rank field engineer can be anywhere around $50,000 to $55,000 depending on their position and size of the company. Once you settle your roots in the engineering department of the company no one can stop you from climbing the ladder of success and making it big in the flourishing domain of field engineering.

Where to Go for More Information

Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta
225 North Ave. NW
Atlanta, GA 30332
(404) 894-4154
http://berkeley.edu/

Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)
MIT School of Engineering
Room 1-206
77 Massachusetts Ave.
Cambridge, MA 02139
(617) 253-3291
http://web.mit.edu/

Stanford University
450 Serra Mall
Stanford, CA 94305
(650) 723-2300
http://www.stanford.edu/

University of California-Berkeley
College of Engineering, Dean’s Office
320 McLaughlin Hall #1700
University of California Berkeley, CA 94720
(510) 642-5771
http://berkeley.edu/