Career Overview
Assist engineers in determining the practicality of proposed product design changes and plan and carry out tests on experimental test devices or equipment for performance, durability, or efficiency.
Also Known As
- Laboratory Technician (Lab Technician)
- Research Technician
Alternate Job Titles
- Automotive Design Checker (Auto Design Checker)
- Automotive Engineering Technician
- Automotive Technician (Auto Technician)
- Automotive Test Technician (Auto Test Technician)
- Durability Technician
- Laboratory Technician (Lab Technician)
- Performance Technician
- Research Technician
- Transportation Engineering Technician
What You'll Do
In this role, your typical responsibilities include:
- Document test results, using cameras, spreadsheets, documents, or other tools.
- Set up mechanical, hydraulic, or electric test equipment in accordance with engineering specifications, standards, or test procedures.
- Read and interpret blueprints, schematics, work specifications, drawings, or charts.
- Inspect or test parts to determine nature or cause of defects or malfunctions.
- Monitor computer-controlled test equipment, according to written or verbal instructions.
- Analyze test data for automotive systems, subsystems, or component parts.
- Install equipment, such as instrumentation, test equipment, engines, or aftermarket products, to ensure proper interfaces.
Knowledge You'll Use
You'll need solid knowledge in these areas:
- Engineering and Technology
- Mechanical
- Computers and Electronics
- Mathematics
- English Language
- Physics
Essential Skills
Success in this career requires strong skills in:
- Reading Comprehension
Key Abilities
This career requires key abilities in:
- Written Comprehension
- Deductive Reasoning
- Near Vision
- Problem Sensitivity
- Inductive Reasoning
- Oral Comprehension
- Oral Expression
- Information Ordering
- Finger Dexterity
- Speech Recognition
Work Style
People who excel in this career typically demonstrate:
- Attention to Detail
- Dependability
- Cautiousness
- Intellectual Curiosity
- Innovation
What Matters in This Career
This career tends to satisfy these work values:
- Achievement
- Working Conditions
- Support
- Independence
- Recognition
Education & Preparation
Typical Education: Associate's Degree (or other 2-year degree)
Related Work Experience Needed: Over 1 year, up to and including 2 years
On-the-Job Training: Over 6 months, up to and including 1 year
Education Details: Most occupations in this zone require training in vocational schools, related on-the-job experience, or an associate's degree.
Experience Required: Previous work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is required for these occupations. For example, an electrician must have completed three or four years of apprenticeship or several years of vocational training, and often must have passed a licensing exam, in order to perform the job.
Technology You'll Use
Popular Technologies & Software
- Microsoft Excel
- Microsoft Office software
- Microsoft Word
- SAP software
Tools & Equipment
- Calipers
- Chassis dynamometers
- Compression testers
- Computer numerical controlled CNC milling machines
- Computerized numerical control CNC turning centers
- Crack detection equipment
- Electronic engine analyzers
- Engine lathes
- Environmental chambers
- Exhaust gas analyzers
- Flow benches
- Force gauges
- Frequency counters
- Function generators
- High-vacuum tensile testing chambers
Work Environment
- Face-to-Face Discussions with Individuals and Within Teams
- Indoors, Environmentally Controlled
- Wear Common Protective or Safety Equipment such as Safety Shoes, Glasses, Gloves, Hearing Protection, Hard Hats, or Life Jackets
- Importance of Being Exact or Accurate
Salary & Job Market
Wages reported for the broader Mechanical Engineering Technologists and Technicians occupational group (BLS 2024), which includes Automotive Engineering Technicians.
| Salary Percentile | Annual Wage |
|---|---|
| Entry-Level (10th percentile) | $46,940 |
| Median | $68,730 |
| Top Earners (90th percentile) | $100,890 |
Workers Employed Nationally: 37,450
Related Careers
If you're interested in this career, you might also consider:
Calibration Technologists and Technicians
Education: Not specified
Median Salary: $65,040
Aerospace Engineering and Operations Technologists and Technicians
Education: Post-Secondary Certificate - awarded for training completed after high school (for example, in agriculture or natural resources, computer services, personal or culinary services, engineering technologies, healthcare, construction trades, mechanic and repair technologies, or precision production)
Median Salary: $79,830
Mechanical Engineering Technologists and Technicians
Education: Bachelor's Degree
Median Salary: $68,730
Electrical and Electronic Engineering Technologists and Technicians
Education: Not specified
Median Salary: $77,180
Robotics Technicians
Education: Associate's Degree (or other 2-year degree)
Median Salary: $70,760
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Occupational data sourced from the O*NET OnLine database, developed by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration. Wage data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), 2024.