Alternative Career Options

Occupational Health and Safety Specialist

People who work in this occupation look at workplaces to ensure they're run according to applicable rules and regulations, and in ways that are safe for people. They may take materials samples, evaluate workflow and processes, and look into workplace accidents. Occupational health and safety specialists may also develop workplace safety training programs for employees. The BLS reports that roughly one-third of occupational health and safety specialists worked for local, state or federal agencies in 2012.

Employment typically requires a bachelor's degree in occupational health or a field like engineering or chemistry, followed by on-the-job training; some employers give priority to candidates with voluntary professional certification. The BLS reports that jobs in this field are predicted to increase 7% from 2012-2022, a rate that's slower than average for all jobs during that same decade. The agency reported that occupational health and safety specialists earned median pay of $66,790 in 2012.

Quality Control Inspector

A quality control inspector looks at items to see if they've been manufactured according to the product blueprints, recommending changes to the manufacturing process to make corrections, if necessary. In addition to visual inspection, quality control inspectors may also conduct tests on items. Quality control inspectors may also keep records and prepare reports related to inspected products.

Forensic Engineer Job Information

Become a Forensic Engineer

Required Education

To become a forensic engineer, you'll need at least a 4-year degree in engineering. If you want to be a forensic engineer in a specific specialty, you'll want to major in the relevant sub-field of engineering; some engineering specialties include electrical engineering, mechanical engineering, civil engineering, chemical engineering and computer engineering. Common courses in engineering include introduction to engineering, systems, distributed systems and fields, advanced mathematics and control theory; there is more specialized coursework for each engineering specialty.

Licensure and Certification

In addition to the required education, to become a forensic engineer, you'll need first to become a licensed engineer in the state in which you hope to be employed; licensure requirements vary by state, but they typically require several years of experience and culminate in the successful completion of the Principles and Practice of Engineering exam. Once you're a licensed engineer, you can complete the process to certify your specialty in forensic engineering; according to the International Institute of Forensic Engineering Sciences, this is a year-long process, where you'll show your experience in forensic engineering, fitness in technical knowledge and ethics and complete an oral and written exam.

Skills Required

Forensic engineers need a firm understanding of the scientific method in order to apply those principles to their investigations. Their jobs require an attention to detail and critical thinking, as well as the ability to communicate clearly, both verbally and in writing, for the purposes of gathering information about incidents and reporting their findings.

Forensic Engineer Job Outlook

According to the last statistics provided by the Bureau of Labor Statistics in 2006, forensic engineers ranged in salary from $66,000-$90,000 per year. Growth in the occupation is expected to grow 11% by 2016, and due to findings from other sources, this number is accurate in 2010. Generally graduates who earn a Bachelor’s degree in engineering make some of the highest salaries in the occupational world.

To learn more about the career of a forensic engineer, including their educational route, please click on the title of the article below.

Forensic Engineer Education – Find out the educational requirements set forth by forensic engineering committees and departments in the forensic engineering world. Learn which classes you will be taking, as well as info related to taking the licensing examinations.

Forensic Engineer Salary – Engineers make some of the highest paychecks in the world, however, most of us are stuck wondering ‘what helps them earn that much?