Electronics Engineering Technicians

Electronics engineering technicians work with electronics engineers to design, develop, and manufacture industrial and consumer electronic equipment, including sonar, radar, and navigational equipment, as well as computers, printers, radios, televisions, digital video disc players, and MP3 players. They fabricate, operate, test, troubleshoot, repair, and maintain equipment. Those involved in the development of new electronic equipment help to make changes or modifications in circuitry or other design elements.

Other electronics technicians inspect newly installed equipment or instruct and supervise lower-grade technicians' installation, assembly, or repair activities. 

As part of their normal duties, all electronics engineering technicians set up testing equipment, conduct tests, and analyze the results; they also prepare reports, sketches, graphs, and schematic drawings to describe electronics systems and their characteristics. Electronics engineering technicians use a variety of hand and machine tools, including bench lathes and drills.

Depending on their specialization, electronics technicians may be computer laboratory technicians, development instrumentation technicians, electronic communications technicians, nuclear reactor electronics technicians, electronics development technicians, electronics manufacturing and production technicians, electronics service technicians, engineering development technicians, or systems testing laboratory technicians. There are approximately 130,500 electrical and electronics engineering technicians employed in the United States.

Salary Range

$25,000 to $100,000

Minimum Education Level

High School Diploma

Certification/License

Recommended

Outlook

Little Change or More Slowly than the Average

Personality Traits

Hands On

Problem-Solving

Technical

Career Ladder

Electrical or Electronics Engineer

Electronics Technician Supervisor or Engineering Technologist

Experienced Electronics Engineering Technician

Entry-Level Electronics Engineering Technician