Types of Engineers
There are many different types of engineers. Mostly, the different specialisations fall under one of four categories. These categories are Chemical, Civil, Electrical and Mechanical. There are also a number of more specialised fields, which do not fall under any of the categories.
Engineering Specialisations.
Chemical Engineering
Materials Engineering
This field is focused on the study of matter, and the way in which different types of matter interact with each other. This field focuses on both the microscopic and macroscopic scale.
Process Engineering
This field of engineering is focused on the use and design of processes, be it of a chemical, physical or biological nature. This field is very broad, and ranges from the processes involved in creating food to those of mining and processing minerals.
Molecular Engineering
Molecular engineering is focused on both creating the means to manufacture molecules and creating the molecules themselves. This field is focused on very small scale manufacturing, and can be used to create new molecules that do not form naturally in nature.
Biomolecular Engineering
The field of Biomolecular engineering is concerned with the manipulation of biologically originated molecules. This type of engineering can help solve problems concerning agriculture, energy and medicine.
Civil Engineering
Geotechnical Engineering
Geotechnical engineers focus on the behaviour of natural, earth materials, such as stone and dirt. This field has many applications, and most engineering projects that are in or around the grounds employ at least one geotechnical engineer.
Structural Engineering
This branch of Civil engineering is focused on the construction, design and maintenance of large buildings, such as skyscrapers and bridges.
Transportation Engineering
Transportation engineering is a field of Civil engineering that is concerned with the construction, design, maintenance and management of large transportation networks, such as road networks, highways or rail ways. It is also concerned with transporting non-living things, such as pipelines for water.
Environmental Engineering
Environmental engineering is focused on the reduction or minimisation of polluting industry or services, as well as improving the state of the natural environment. It is also aimed at providing healthy environments for both humans and other species to live in.
Electrical Engineering
Electronic Engineering
The field of Electronic engineering is focused on the design and creation of various electronic items, such as circuit boards. It is concerned with the use of electrical elements such as transistors, diodes and integrated circuits.
Computer Engineering
Computer engineering is the field of engineering that is focused on the design and creation of computers.
Power Engineering
Power engineering is the engineering discipline that is focused on the generation, transmission and distribution of electrical power. It is also concerned with designing and developing new electrical generator technologies, as well as creating and maintaining electrical grids.
Optical Engineering
Optical engineering is focused on the study of optics, such as lenses, telescopes and microscopes. It is also concerned with other devices, such as lasers and fibre optic systems.
Mechanical Engineering
Vehicle Engineering
This field of engineering encompasses three sub disciplines; Automotive engineering, Aerospace engineering and Marine engineering. Automotive engineering is focused on building and designing things such as cars, trucks and buses. Aerospace engineering revolves around designing and building aircraft and spacecraft, and Marine engineering is focused on designing and building boats, ships and submarines.
Manufacturing Engineering
Manufacturing engineering is a field of Mechanical engineering that is focused on the design and construction of different types of manufacturing processes and equipment.
Thermal Engineering
Thermals engineering is concerned with heating and cooling processes. The field is also focused on designing and creating tools to work in high temperature or low temperature environments.
Acoustical Engineering
The field of Acoustical engineering is focused on creating and dealing with sound and vibration. It is used to design buildings such as opera halls. The main focus of acoustical engineers is noise control, though they can also be employed to help generate or analyse sounds.
Specialized Fields
Industrial Engineering
This field is specialised in optimising, creating or fixing complicated industrial processes or systems.
Applied Engineering
Applied engineering is focused on the application of design, skill and management in creating or integrating systems. It is also used to improve manufacturing processes, as well as managing similar systems.
Biological Engineering
Biological engineering is focused on the application of both concepts and theories encountered in the fields of Biology into real world situations, often in order to solve problems of a biological nature. It is also utilised to create medicines or fight biological problems.
Mechatronics
Mechatronics is a multidisciplinary field that is focused on the integration of multiple fields of engineering, such as Mechanical, Computer, Electrical, Software, System Design and Control engineering. It is focused on meshing these fields together in order to create or design a final product.
Nuclear Engineering
The field of Nuclear engineering is focused on the application of the theories and concepts of nuclear physics. It is concerned with the creating or advancement of nuclear elements in the creation of energy or weapons, as well as destroying or disposing of nuclear waste.
Agricultural Engineering
Agricultural engineering is focused on the field of Agricultural production or processing. It concerns the farming of both plants and animals.
Nano Engineering
Nano engineering is focused on the design and creation of machines, robots or technologies that measure in the nanometres.
Energy Engineering
Energy engineering is focused on the areas of energy efficiency, energy management an alternative energy technologies. It is commonly focused on reducing energy use.
Materials Engineering
This field is focused on the study of matter, and the way in which different types of matter interact with each other. This field focuses on both the microscopic and macroscopic scale.
Process Engineering
This field of engineering is focused on the use and design of processes, be it of a chemical, physical or biological nature. This field is very broad, and ranges from the processes involved in creating food to those of mining and processing minerals.
Molecular Engineering
Molecular engineering is focused on both creating the means to manufacture molecules and creating the molecules themselves. This field is focused on very small scale manufacturing, and can be used to create new molecules that do not form naturally in nature.
Biomolecular Engineering
The field of Biomolecular engineering is concerned with the manipulation of biologically originated molecules. This type of engineering can help solve problems concerning agriculture, energy and medicine.
Civil Engineering
Geotechnical Engineering
Geotechnical engineers focus on the behaviour of natural, earth materials, such as stone and dirt. This field has many applications, and most engineering projects that are in or around the grounds employ at least one geotechnical engineer.
Structural Engineering
This branch of Civil engineering is focused on the construction, design and maintenance of large buildings, such as skyscrapers and bridges.
Transportation Engineering
Transportation engineering is a field of Civil engineering that is concerned with the construction, design, maintenance and management of large transportation networks, such as road networks, highways or rail ways. It is also concerned with transporting non-living things, such as pipelines for water.
Environmental Engineering
Environmental engineering is focused on the reduction or minimisation of polluting industry or services, as well as improving the state of the natural environment. It is also aimed at providing healthy environments for both humans and other species to live in.
Electrical Engineering
Electronic Engineering
The field of Electronic engineering is focused on the design and creation of various electronic items, such as circuit boards. It is concerned with the use of electrical elements such as transistors, diodes and integrated circuits.
Computer Engineering
Computer engineering is the field of engineering that is focused on the design and creation of computers.
Power Engineering
Power engineering is the engineering discipline that is focused on the generation, transmission and distribution of electrical power. It is also concerned with designing and developing new electrical generator technologies, as well as creating and maintaining electrical grids.
Optical Engineering
Optical engineering is focused on the study of optics, such as lenses, telescopes and microscopes. It is also concerned with other devices, such as lasers and fibre optic systems.
Mechanical Engineering
Vehicle Engineering
This field of engineering encompasses three sub disciplines; Automotive engineering, Aerospace engineering and Marine engineering. Automotive engineering is focused on building and designing things such as cars, trucks and buses. Aerospace engineering revolves around designing and building aircraft and spacecraft, and Marine engineering is focused on designing and building boats, ships and submarines.
Manufacturing Engineering
Manufacturing engineering is a field of Mechanical engineering that is focused on the design and construction of different types of manufacturing processes and equipment.
Thermal Engineering
Thermals engineering is concerned with heating and cooling processes. The field is also focused on designing and creating tools to work in high temperature or low temperature environments.
Acoustical Engineering
The field of Acoustical engineering is focused on creating and dealing with sound and vibration. It is used to design buildings such as opera halls. The main focus of acoustical engineers is noise control, though they can also be employed to help generate or analyse sounds.
Specialized Fields
Industrial Engineering
This field is specialised in optimising, creating or fixing complicated industrial processes or systems.
Applied Engineering
Applied engineering is focused on the application of design, skill and management in creating or integrating systems. It is also used to improve manufacturing processes, as well as managing similar systems.
Biological Engineering
Biological engineering is focused on the application of both concepts and theories encountered in the fields of Biology into real world situations, often in order to solve problems of a biological nature. It is also utilised to create medicines or fight biological problems.
Mechatronics
Mechatronics is a multidisciplinary field that is focused on the integration of multiple fields of engineering, such as Mechanical, Computer, Electrical, Software, System Design and Control engineering. It is focused on meshing these fields together in order to create or design a final product.
Nuclear Engineering
The field of Nuclear engineering is focused on the application of the theories and concepts of nuclear physics. It is concerned with the creating or advancement of nuclear elements in the creation of energy or weapons, as well as destroying or disposing of nuclear waste.
Agricultural Engineering
Agricultural engineering is focused on the field of Agricultural production or processing. It concerns the farming of both plants and animals.
Nano Engineering
Nano engineering is focused on the design and creation of machines, robots or technologies that measure in the nanometres.
Energy Engineering
Energy engineering is focused on the areas of energy efficiency, energy management an alternative energy technologies. It is commonly focused on reducing energy use.