Design and Engineering
Engineering jobs are in demand and a great long-term career choice.
Choosing to up your game and make a career as a Engineering and Design person is a great way to grow with the industry, and gain knowledge about Building Codes, Fire Codes and related material from NFPA. You can have a thriving career working for some of the premier companies thanks to the constant and steady growth of required Life Safety systems within buildings.
What Does a Design and Engineering Person Do?
Playing a Design and Engineering role can take two paths: You can be the person who assists and recommends to the client what their options are for creating the best value for the Life Safety system design, or you can be the person who does the technical CAD layout once all the larger design considerations are made. In the beginning the majority of the work performed by Design and Engineering include CAD designs and calculations to insure the Life Safety systems conform to manufactures recommendations and comply with local, state and national building, fire and electrical codes. Additionally, you would most likely be the person interacting with the jurisdiction to justify and support your design during the construction process.
Employers and clients benefit greatly by having qualified and Design and Engineering people.
What Are the Responsibilities of a Design and Engineering Person?
We complete a wide range of specific tasks to ensure that all aspects of the client’s Life Safety systems are designed per manufactures instructions and comply with local, state and federal regulations.
- Doing CAD, and submittal packages is the bulk of what we do.
- And of course, do documentation and billing of our work.
Are there Education Requirements for Tech Support Jobs?
You must at least a GED or a high school diploma to be considered. Most likely you will have a Balachors of Engineering, or have taken classes in these areas. You must be familiar with AutoCAD or equivalent applications. You must have a valid driver’s license. In addition, you should to have a good fundamental knowledge of Networking, and be familiar with reading and understanding rules, laws and codes. Being a good and quick and constant learner is a must for this position.
If you want to stand out and accelerate your advancement in this field, additional certifications can help to land the most valuable clients. Additional qualifications include:
- Bachelor’s or associate degrees in Electrical Engineering, IT, or Computer Networking.
- Joining and studying under organizations like NICET, NFPA, and other manufacture offerings.
What Skills Do I Need?
You should have a good foundational knowledge of the engineering principals and AutoCAD, and should have a basic understanding of how building and fire codes apply to design.
You also need to have strong written and verbal communication skills, as you will need to interact with team members, clients, and management. As you progress, it is vital to have strong analytical and problem-solving skills.
What Salary Can I Expect?
The average annual compensation in Oregon and SW Washington is $55,000.
Working for a company in Oregon who has project-ready clients will be able to earn you $26 to $50 per hour, depending on experience, licenses and certifications held.
The value of experience cannot be emphasized enough, which is working for a OBFAA member company like this can get you in the door and on projects much quicker to gain that experience. As you gain experience and develop leadership skills, anyone starting out as a Tech Support role can progress to roles like Sales and engineering, Project Manager, or even Principal.
By working as a Tech Support Person for an OBFAA member company you will be continuously introduced to new technologies and improving your opportunities in the field.