Skills it runs on
The capabilities O*NET rates most important for this occupation — the human ground the work is built on.
See all skills →Mechanical Engineering Technologists and Technicians
Occupation · SOC 17-3027.00
Apply theory and principles of mechanical engineering to modify, develop, test, or adjust machinery and equipment under direction of engineering staff or physical scientists.
Also called: Engineering Technician (Engineering Tech) · Mechanical Designer · Mechanical Technician (Mechanical Tech) · Research and Development Technician (R and D Tech) · Engineering Laboratory Technician (Engineering Lab Technician) · Engineering Technical Analyst · Engineering Technologist · Manufacturing Engineering Technician (Manufacturing Engineering Tech) · Process Engineering Technician (Process Engineering Tech) · Process Technician · Apparatus Engineering Technologist · Automation Design Checker
Job family: Architecture and Engineering Occupations
Take this to your AI
A source-stamped Markdown brief of this occupation — paste it into an agent, or fetch
/roles/role-17-3027-00/context.md directly.
AI work map
A fast read on where AI already shows up in this occupation, where it stays a copilot, where humans remain in the loop, and what the labor market is doing. Built from observed Claude.ai conversations mapped to O*NET tasks and from published research — measures of usage and exposure, not advice or predictions that the job is going away.
Market signal
Independent published positions, read together — not a forecast.
- About average employment outlook (0.0% by 2034)
- 3,200 openings/yr
- High AI exposure
- Median pay $68,730/yr
- Work is mostly on-site (not teleworkable)
- A reversal from 2013 — rated low automation risk then (43rd), high AI task-overlap now (61st)
61st-percentile task overlap — yet about 3,200 openings a year (+0% projected, BLS) . What exposure means →
AI & job outlook
What today's research says about this occupation's exposure to AI, how AI is actually being used in it, and where employment is headed. These are positions within published studies — measures of exposure and usage, not predictions that this job will disappear.
Exposure to current AI
Each study uses its own scale, so the raw scores are not comparable across rows — the percentile (this job's rank among all U.S. occupations with data) is the comparable figure, and sizes the bars.
| Measure | Rank vs all occupations | Percentile | Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall AI exposure (Felten et al.) Moderate | 46th | -0.1 | |
| LLM task exposure, γ (OpenAI / Eloundou) Moderate | 64th | 0.8 | |
| AI assistant applicability (Microsoft) High | 75th | 0.2 |
OpenAI's exposure study scores tasks three ways: with a language model alone (α 0.2), with simple added tooling (β 0.5), and including AI-powered software (γ 0.8). Higher means more of the job's tasks could be done at least twice as fast — not that they will be automated away.
This job mostly cannot be done remotely (Dingel–Neiman) — its hands-on tasks sit outside what software-based AI reaches.
Historical automation estimate (2013)
A pre-LLM (2013) estimate of how automatable this job is by computerization and robotics. Shown for historical context only — it is not part of any current AI ranking.
Frey–Osborne probability 0.4 · 43rd percentile among occupations · Moderate
How AI is actually used in this job
Among measured AI assistant conversations mapped to this occupation (Anthropic Economic Index, 2026-01-15), these task types came up most. These are shares of observed AI conversations — not shares of the job, of worker time, or of what could be automated.
| Test machines, components, materials, or products to determine characteristics such as performance, strength, or response to stress. | 21.1% | |
| Record test procedures and results, numerical and graphical data, and recommendations for changes in product or test methods. | 0.6% | |
| Calculate required capacities for equipment of proposed system to obtain specified performance and submit data to engineering personnel for approval. | 0.5% | |
| Provide technical support to other employees regarding mechanical design, fabrication, testing, or documentation. | 0.4% | |
| Design specialized or customized equipment, machines, or structures. | 0.3% | |
| Prepare specifications, designs, or sketches for machines, components, or systems related to the generation, transmission, or use of mechanical or fluid energy. | 0.3% |
Job outlook
Independent U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics employment projection for 2024–2034 — a labor-market forecast, not an AI-impact forecast.
| Outlook | About average · 0.0% by 2034 |
| Projected annual openings | 3,200 |
| Employment 2024 → 2034 | 38,300 → 38,300 |
“Annual openings” counts new jobs plus replacements for workers who leave the occupation, so it can be large even when growth is modest.
Where this work sits on the global GenAI gradient
The ILO's 2025 global study scores generative-AI exposure on the international ISCO-08 occupation system, not US SOC. Bridged through the published (and approximate, many-to-many) IBS O*NET-SOC ↔ ISCO-08 crosswalk, this US occupation corresponds to the international occupation below. Exposure here means how much of the work's tasks today's AI can attempt — task overlap, not automation, adoption, or jobs lost.
Mechanical Engineering Technologists and Technicians sits at the 48th percentile of 427
occupations on the global GenAI task-exposure gradient
— exposure eased from 2023 to 2025. Each dot is one occupation; the
ringed one is this work. Exposure is task overlap, not automation or jobs lost.
26% mean task exposure (2025)
48th percentile of 427 placed occupations
−7 pts shift 2023 → 2025
| International occupation (ISCO-08) | Task exposure (2025) | Most tasks fall in |
|---|---|---|
| Mechanical Engineering Technicians · 3115 | 26% | Not exposed |
Read the whole six-band gradient on the GenAI exposure gradient page. The crosswalk is approximate: a US occupation can map to several international ones, and the ILO scores describe the international occupation, not this exact US role.
Tasks
All 30 tasks O*NET lists for this occupation, ordered by importance. Each links to its own page with AI-exposure and observed-use detail.
- Assemble or disassemble complex mechanical systems. Core · importance 4.0
- Interpret engineering sketches, specifications, or drawings. Core · importance 4.0
- Calculate required capacities for equipment of proposed system to obtain specified performance and submit data to engineering personnel for approval. Core · importance 3.8
- Set up prototype and test apparatus and operate test controlling equipment to observe and record prototype test results. Supplemental · importance 3.8
- Review project instructions and blueprints to ascertain test specifications, procedures, and objectives, and test nature of technical problems such as redesign. Core · importance 3.7
- Provide technical support to other employees regarding mechanical design, fabrication, testing, or documentation. Core · importance 3.7
- Test machines, components, materials, or products to determine characteristics such as performance, strength, or response to stress. Core · importance 3.7
- Draft detail drawing or sketch for drafting room completion or to request parts fabrication by machine, sheet or wood shops. Core · importance 3.7
- Analyze test results in relation to design or rated specifications and test objectives, and modify or adjust equipment to meet specifications. Core · importance 3.6
- Record test procedures and results, numerical and graphical data, and recommendations for changes in product or test methods. Core · importance 3.5
- Evaluate tool drawing designs by measuring drawing dimensions and comparing with original specifications for form and function using engineering skills. Supplemental · importance 3.5
- Prepare specifications, designs, or sketches for machines, components, or systems related to the generation, transmission, or use of mechanical or fluid energy. Core · importance 3.5
- Read dials and meters to determine amperage, voltage, electrical output and input at specific operating temperature to analyze parts performance. Core · importance 3.5
- Analyze energy requirements and distribution systems to maximize the use of intermittent or inflexible renewable energy sources, such as wind or nuclear. Supplemental · importance 3.5
- Design molds, tools, dies, jigs, or fixtures for use in manufacturing processes. Core · importance 3.5
- Prepare parts sketches and write work orders and purchase requests to be furnished by outside contractors. Supplemental · importance 3.5
- Review project instructions and specifications to identify, modify and plan requirements fabrication, assembly and testing. Core · importance 3.4
- Design specialized or customized equipment, machines, or structures. Core · importance 3.4
- Conduct failure analyses, document results, and recommend corrective actions. Core · importance 3.4
- Set up and conduct tests of complete units and components under operational conditions to investigate proposals for improving equipment performance. Core · importance 3.4
- Assist engineers to design, develop, test, or manufacture industrial machinery, consumer products, or other equipment. Core · importance 3.3
- Estimate cost factors including labor and material for purchased and fabricated parts and costs for assembly, testing, or installing. Supplemental · importance 3.3
- Prepare layouts of machinery, tools, plants, or equipment. Core · importance 3.3
- Prepare equipment inspection schedules, reliability schedules, work plans, or other records. Core · importance 3.2
- Assist mechanical engineers in product testing through activities such as setting up instrumentation for automobile crash tests. Supplemental · importance 3.1
- Conduct statistical studies to analyze or compare production costs for sustainable and nonsustainable designs. Supplemental · importance 3.0
- Analyze or estimate production costs, such as labor, equipment, and plant space.
- Devise, fabricate, or assemble new or modified mechanical components for products such as industrial machinery or equipment, and measuring instruments.
- Discuss changes in design, method of manufacture and assembly, or drafting techniques and procedures with staff and coordinate corrections.
- Monitor, inspect, or test mechanical equipment.
Work activities
- Create graphical representations of mechanical equipment.
- Prepare contracts, disclosures, or applications.
- Review technical documents to plan work.
- Test performance of electrical, electronic, mechanical, or integrated systems or equipment.
- Analyze test or validation data.
- Evaluate designs or specifications to ensure quality.
- Estimate technical or resource requirements for development or production projects.
- Document design or operational test results.
- Monitor the productivity or efficiency of industrial operations.
- Estimate operational costs.
- Test products for functionality or quality.
- Analyze green technology design requirements.
- Assemble equipment or components.
- Design industrial equipment.
- Assist engineers or scientists with research.
- Conduct quantitative failure analyses of operational data.
- Recommend technical design or process changes to improve efficiency, quality, or performance.
- Analyze costs and benefits of proposed designs or projects.
- Assemble mechanical components or machine parts.
- Fabricate devices or components.
- Collaborate with others to develop or refine designs.
- Explain engineering drawings, specifications, or other technical information.
- Schedule operational activities.
- Create graphical representations of industrial production systems.
- Document technical design details.
- Provide technical guidance to other personnel.
- Test characteristics of materials or structures.
Knowledge, skills & abilities
O*NET importance rating, from 1 (not important) to 5 (extremely important).
Knowledge
| Engineering and Technology | 4.2 | |
| Mechanical | 4.1 | |
| Design | 4.0 | |
| Mathematics | 3.7 | |
| English Language | 3.5 | |
| Computers and Electronics | 3.4 | |
| Production and Processing | 3.3 | |
| Physics | 3.2 |
Abilities
| Oral Comprehension | 4.0 | |
| Written Comprehension | 4.0 | |
| Information Ordering | 3.9 | |
| Near Vision | 3.9 | |
| Oral Expression | 3.8 | |
| Problem Sensitivity | 3.8 | |
| Deductive Reasoning | 3.8 | |
| Inductive Reasoning | 3.8 | |
| Speech Recognition | 3.8 | |
| Category Flexibility | 3.5 | |
| Number Facility | 3.5 | |
| Selective Attention | 3.5 | |
| Written Expression | 3.4 | |
| Mathematical Reasoning | 3.4 | |
| Flexibility of Closure | 3.4 | |
| Visualization | 3.4 | |
| Perceptual Speed | 3.3 | |
| Speech Clarity | 3.3 |
Essential skills
| Reading Comprehension | 3.8 | |
| Active Listening | 3.8 | |
| Critical Thinking | 3.8 | |
| Speaking | 3.6 | |
| Writing | 3.5 | |
| Mathematics | 3.3 | |
| Active Learning | 3.1 | |
| Monitoring | 3.1 |
Transferable skills
| Complex Problem Solving | 3.6 | |
| Operations Monitoring | 3.5 | |
| Judgment and Decision Making | 3.4 | |
| Quality Control Analysis | 3.3 | |
| Systems Analysis | 3.3 | |
| Systems Evaluation | 3.1 |
Skills in demand
Skills employers ask for in job postings for this occupation (Lightcast), with whether each is a common or specialized skill.
Showing the top 40 of 46.
Tools & technology
Showing the top 40 of 44.
Work context
How characteristic each condition is of the job, on O*NET's 1–5 context scale (higher = more present in day-to-day work). Each condition links to how it varies across all occupations.
How to get in
- Job zone
- Zone 3 — Job Zone Three: Medium Preparation Needed
- Education
- Most occupations in this zone require training in vocational schools, related on-the-job experience, or an associate's degree.
- Typical entry-level education
- Associate's degree · BLS, the typical path — not a requirement
- Related experience
- Previous work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is required for these occupations. For example, an electrician must have completed three or four years of apprenticeship or several years of vocational training, and often must have passed a licensing exam, in order to perform the job.
- Preparation level
- SVP (6.0 to < 7.0) — total schooling plus on-the-job experience.
What to study: Engineering/Engineering-Related Technologies/Technicians . Fields of study crosswalked to this occupation (NCES CIP–SOC), not a requirement.
Education of current workers
Share of people in this occupation at each level of education.
| Bachelor's Degree | 36.5% | |
| Post-Secondary Certificate | 32.8% | |
| Associate's Degree (or other 2-year degree) | 14.1% | |
| Some College Courses | 8.8% | |
| High School Diploma | 7.8% |
Interests & work styles
The interests and personal qualities O*NET associates with people who do this work.
Interest areas
Career interests (Holland / RIASEC)
| Realistic | 6.3 | |
| Investigative | 5.4 | |
| Conventional | 4.8 | |
| Artistic | 2.2 |
Work styles
| Attention to Detail | 2.7 | |
| Dependability | 2.5 | |
| Cautiousness | 2.0 | |
| Innovation | 1.9 |
Wages & employment
U.S. · annual wages (BLS OEWS)
| 10th percentile | $46,940 |
| 25th percentile | $57,330 |
| Median (50th) | $68,730 |
| 75th percentile | $82,980 |
| 90th percentile | $100,890 |
| People employed | 37,450 |
Industries that employ this occupation
Where these workers are employed, by number of jobs (national, BLS OEWS). Pay shown is the occupation's national median, not industry-specific.
| Industry | Workers | National median pay |
|---|---|---|
| Manufacturing · Sector | 19,270 | $69,640 |
| Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services · Sector | 10,280 | $72,560 |
| Engineering Services · National industry | 4,410 | $74,340 |
| Wholesale Trade · Sector | 2,350 | $59,350 |
| Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services · Sector | 1,790 | $61,960 |
| Temporary Help Services · National industry | 1,290 | $58,240 |
| Testing Laboratories and Services · National industry | 1,020 | $64,670 |
| Management of Companies and Enterprises · Sector | 930 | $76,360 |
| Mining, Quarrying, and Oil and Gas Extraction · Sector | 590 | $78,390 |
| Educational Services · Sector | 430 | $54,750 |
| Utilities · Sector | 250 | $94,270 |
| Machine Shops · National industry | 210 | $58,250 |
Where this work is most concentrated
Industries where this occupation is far more common than in the economy as a whole. The location quotient is how many times more concentrated it is here (a value of 5 means five times its economy-wide share).
| Industry | Concentration | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Testing Laboratories and Services · National industry | 24.64× | 1,020 |
| Engineering Services · National industry | 15.7× | 4,410 |
| Manufacturing · Sector | 6.22× | 19,270 |
| Mining, Quarrying, and Oil and Gas Extraction · Sector | 4.24× | 590 |
| Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services · Sector | 3.93× | 10,280 |
| Machine Shops · National industry | 3.33× | 210 |
| Temporary Help Services · National industry | 2× | 1,290 |
| Utilities · Sector | 1.78× | 250 |
Related occupations
Part of the Advanced Manufacturing and Supply Chain & Transportation career clusters.
- Calibration Technologists and Technicians · 17-3028.00 Compare →
- Electrical and Electronic Engineering Technologists and Technicians · 17-3023.00 Compare →
- Aerospace Engineering and Operations Technologists and Technicians · 17-3021.00 Compare →
- Robotics Technicians · 17-3024.01 Compare →
- Industrial Engineering Technologists and Technicians · 17-3026.00 Compare →
- Mechanical Drafters · 17-3013.00 Compare →
- Automotive Engineering Technicians · 17-3027.01 Compare →
- Photonics Technicians · 17-3029.08 Compare →
- Civil Engineering Technologists and Technicians · 17-3022.00 Compare →
- Nanotechnology Engineering Technologists and Technicians · 17-3026.01 Compare →
- Mechanical Engineers · 17-2141.00 Compare →
- Mechatronics Engineers · 17-2199.05 Compare →
Side-by-side comparisons place two occupations’ pay, preparation, skills, and AI exposure on the same page — same data, same scale, no forecast.
What you can do with this
Options the data surfaces for Mechanical Engineering Technologists and Technicians — not advice or a forecast. Each is a real cross-link you can follow into the evidence.
Skills that travel
Capabilities this work builds that are used across many other occupations.
Adjacent roles
Occupations O*NET rates as related — the nearby moves on the map.
- Calibration Technologists and Technicians Compare →
- Electrical and Electronic Engineering Technologists and Technicians Compare →
- Aerospace Engineering and Operations Technologists and Technicians Compare →
- Robotics Technicians Compare →
- Industrial Engineering Technologists and Technicians Compare →
Paths in
How people typically prepare for this work.
- Associate's degree · typical entry level
- Job zone 3 — Job Zone Three: Medium Preparation Needed · preparation tier
- Engineering/Engineering-Related Technologies/Technicians · field of study
Zoom out
On the global GenAI exposure gradient this work sits around the 48th percentile of 427 international occupations.
Write a report on thisheadline · factoids · citation
Mechanical Engineering Technologists and Technicians show 61st-percentile AI task overlap — and about 3,200 annual U.S. openings
- Mechanical Engineering Technologists and Technicians rank in the 61st percentile (Moderate band) for AI task overlap across U.S. occupations — a measure of how much of the work today's AI can attempt, not how much is automated.Eloundou et al. (GPTs are GPTs) + Felten AIOE
- The occupation is projected to see about 3,200 U.S. job openings per year (2024–34), counting growth and replacement — a labor-demand projection made independently of AI.BLS Employment Projections 2024–34
- BLS projects employment to be about average (0%) from 2024 to 2034.BLS Employment Projections 2024–34
- Median annual pay is $68,730, across about 37,450 U.S. workers.BLS OEWS (May 2024)
Copy the whole kit
Mechanical Engineering Technologists and Technicians show 61st-percentile AI task overlap — and about 3,200 annual U.S. openings • Mechanical Engineering Technologists and Technicians rank in the 61st percentile (Moderate band) for AI task overlap across U.S. occupations — a measure of how much of the work today's AI can attempt, not how much is automated. (Eloundou et al. (GPTs are GPTs) + Felten AIOE) • The occupation is projected to see about 3,200 U.S. job openings per year (2024–34), counting growth and replacement — a labor-demand projection made independently of AI. (BLS Employment Projections 2024–34) • BLS projects employment to be about average (0%) from 2024 to 2034. (BLS Employment Projections 2024–34) • Median annual pay is $68,730, across about 37,450 U.S. workers. (BLS OEWS (May 2024)) Source: Singulariki — "Mechanical Engineering Technologists and Technicians". https://singulariki.com/roles/role-17-3027-00 Note: AI task overlap measures what today's AI can attempt, not automation, job loss, or a forecast.
AssetsShare imageMethodology & sourcesPress & newsroomThe newsroom
Every line is built only from figures this page already shows and cites. AI task overlap means what today's AI can attempt — not automation, job loss, or a forecast.
Sources for this page
Every figure above traces to a named public dataset and the exact release below — not hand-written opinion. See the full methodology for what each measure does and does not mean.
- O*NET 30.3 U.S. Department of Labor / National Center for O*NET Development
- BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) May 2024 U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
- BLS Employment Projections 2024–2034 U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
- Anthropic Economic Index v4 (2026-01-15) + v2 (2025-03-27) Anthropic
- Microsoft “Working with AI” working-with-ai Microsoft Research
- “GPTs are GPTs” (Eloundou et al.) arXiv 2303.10130 OpenAI / academic
- AI Occupational Exposure (AIOE) Felten, Raj & Seamans academic
- ILO / Gmyrek et al. GenAI exposure gradient 2025 International Labour Organization
- IBS O*NET-SOC ↔ ISCO-08 occupation crosswalk 2022 Institute for Structural Research (IBS)
- Frey & Osborne (2013) frey-osborne-automation academic
- Dingel & Neiman (2020) dingel-neiman-workathome academic
Data compiled June 2, 2026. Figures are estimates, not advice.
Cite this page
Plain
Singulariki. "Mechanical Engineering Technologists and Technicians." Singulariki: a source-backed encyclopedia of work. Built from O*NET 30.3; BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) May 2024; BLS Employment Projections 2024–2034; Anthropic Economic Index v4 (2026-01-15) + v2 (2025-03-27); Microsoft “Working with AI” working-with-ai; “GPTs are GPTs” (Eloundou et al.) arXiv 2303.10130; AI Occupational Exposure (AIOE) Felten, Raj & Seamans; ILO / Gmyrek et al. GenAI exposure gradient 2025; IBS O*NET-SOC ↔ ISCO-08 occupation crosswalk 2022; Frey & Osborne (2013) frey-osborne-automation; Dingel & Neiman (2020) dingel-neiman-workathome. Accessed June 7, 2026. https://singulariki.com/roles/role-17-3027-00
APA
Singulariki. (2026). Mechanical Engineering Technologists and Technicians. Singulariki: a source-backed encyclopedia of work. Retrieved June 7, 2026, from https://singulariki.com/roles/role-17-3027-00
BibTeX
@misc{singulariki-role-17-3027-00,
title = {Mechanical Engineering Technologists and Technicians},
author = {{Singulariki}},
year = {2026},
note = {O*NET 30.3; BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) May 2024; BLS Employment Projections 2024–2034; Anthropic Economic Index v4 (2026-01-15) + v2 (2025-03-27); Microsoft “Working with AI” working-with-ai; “GPTs are GPTs” (Eloundou et al.) arXiv 2303.10130; AI Occupational Exposure (AIOE) Felten, Raj & Seamans; ILO / Gmyrek et al. GenAI exposure gradient 2025; IBS O*NET-SOC ↔ ISCO-08 occupation crosswalk 2022; Frey & Osborne (2013) frey-osborne-automation; Dingel & Neiman (2020) dingel-neiman-workathome. Accessed June 7, 2026},
url = {https://singulariki.com/roles/role-17-3027-00}
} Citations name the underlying public dataset releases — they reflect what this page is built from, not just the URL.