Job Titles for Engineers
 

I have a BS in Electrical Engineering as well as an MS in the same. I work as an Engineer for a small company. However, Texas has a law called the "Texas Engineering Practice Act" that says I cannot call myself an engineer or use engineer (or any derivative thereof) in my title until I am fully licensed. I cannot take the licensing examination until I have 3 full years of engineering experience.

What can I use as my job title in the meantime?

I posted a few in the pole, any other suggestions? Surely some other Texas engineer has encountered this.

Note: Some Texas engineers can call themselves engineers even if they are not licensed if they work for a company with a licensed engineer who can sign off on their work.

Chicks dig pulsed power scientists.

Okay, even if they don't, it makes a great first business card. Sounds senior to "Engineer."

Specialist and associate sound very entry-level. Researcher sounds empty.

I voted for pulsed power specialist, but pulsed power scientist is good as well. When you are not allowed to use a standard job title -- engineer -- a functional description of what you do is the best alternative.

And of course, when you qualify for the engineer title, keep the functional description in your job title as well: pulsed power engineer, or better yet: pulsed power research engineer.

I'd agree with that... specialist is the most overused title I've seen - but it's given to very entry level people...

Power Pulse Scientist sounded really cool...

but are you really a scientist - I picture a white lab coat...

Heh, that's pretty nuts. You work your butt off for a BS in EE and you can't even call yourself an engineer? :)

Put me down for Pulsed Power Scientist.

I'm going to do some hardcore bandwagon jumping and go with Pulsed Power Scientist also!

i personally think Research Scientist sounds excellent and entails more of what you do. And they won't let you use Engineer? :eek: that's a strange thing.

sweetpea

That is crazy. Here in Alberta, even technologists get to call themselves engineers, as long as there is a "T" after their title when they write it down. I don't even have my degree yet, but since I'm a student member of APEGGA (assosiation of professional engineers, geologists, and geophysicists of alberta), I'm already earning EIT hours; I have "Engineer In Training" on my resume.

That said, I'm sure the local P.Eng. types would prefer for a greater distiction in the public eye.


Also; "Pulsed Power Applied Scientist"?

That is odd...

Technically, my boyfriend is a "student test engineer"...even though he doesn't have a degree in engineering yet.

Personally I like pulsed power scientist.

And I'm a Software Test Engineer even though I have a major in Computer Science (not computer engineering)..

To me, an engineer is anyone who takes previous knowledge and uses it to solve a technical problem (usually in a novel fashion). Silly Texans!

I voted Pulsed Power Specialist, simply because scientist is pretty vague (wooey, someone who follows the scientific method!) :)

Have you looked at other people who work at the company and what their titles are? I figured out I was an Engineer simply by looking at my equal peers and seeing THEIR titles. :)

Is there any way you can use "Lord of Electricity"?

How about Electrical Designer. :rolleyes:
or better yet Electrical Design Professional. or some such thingy.

Hi, my names Bill, TR scientist, thats Telsa-reincarnate. I heard you had some problems :D

Pulsed power scientist sounds best.

It is kind of silly that I can't call myself an engineer, but at the same time I see its benefits.. technically since I am an EIT (Engineer in Training), I can call myself a "Graduate Engineer" but that just seems completely empty and undescriptive...

I would ask the others at work, but I'm kinda the first full time employee other than the boss... and he has himself as "Chief Scientist" and the other part time employees are all "Pulsed Power Researcher"..... I could just go with "Pulsed Power Researcher" but hes giving me the opportunity to choose my own title...

I really appreciate the votes I have already, thanks guys =)

Lol, you studied EE that far I'm sure you can figure this out easily..

"To Be Outsourced "

Near the end of my degree program in computer engineering (similar to electrical engineering except the advanced classes focus more on logic circuits than electrical ones)... I took a test called the Fundamentals of Engineering (or EIT). The rule goes something along the lines of this.. if you are responsible for the engineering of a particular product that has a certain amount of risk to the lives of people who use it.. then you must have a license. To get that license you have to pass the FE/EIT exam and the Professional Engineer (PE) exam. I've passed the FE/EIT, but currently have no need for the PE for my job title to include 'engineer'.

Research, and scientist, are really both very vague. One can be both without any sort of degree. But then again, like you said, specialist is sort of misused or has a bad conotation. How about Pulsed Power Adept :D

or more seriously, PP Consultant or PP professional.

I like specialist. Say, bossnass, did you graduate from the u of a? I'm there right now in my first year of eng.