Facilities Engineer - Career Profile |
Career OverviewThe role of a facilities engineer includes developing solutions to various technical problems that occur within the hospital or healthcare facility. The facilities engineer oversees all aspects of the facility and works with all departments to ensure that the physical and structural aspects of the hospital or healthcare facility are working optimally to make staff member’s jobs as easy as possible.
The facilities engineer will be responsible for staying within the budget as well so he or she must be creative when problem solving and troubleshooting engineering difficulties and issues.
The facilities engineer usually works a standard workweek but may be required to come in on weekends or weeknights when troubles occur. Some problematic situations may require some overtime but generally this is not common. A facilities engineer usually has a specialization area such as structural, computer, electrical or mechanical engineering and then works with other engineers on staff to provide a complete approach including all relative departments.
Engineers require hands-on experience to be able to troubleshoot and problem solve. They also must be able to communicate effectively with contractors, vendors, management and even staff regarding the changes that will be occurring or the methods that will be used to fix any issues. The facilities engineer usually acts as the team leader for engineering projects within the hospital or healthcare facility so is the liaison between the various groups involved in the project.
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Career RequirementsA facilities engineer is usually required to have at least a Bachelors level education in some aspect of engineering, usually one related to the various departments in the hospital. With the increase in computer use in hospitals or healthcare facilities there is an increase in the use of graduates from 2 or 4 year programs that combine the theory and science background of a Bachelors in Engineering with the technical skills of a computing program.
This program, know as engineering technology, has increased in demand as the two fields become blended. Some specialized fields of engineering offer Master’s and PhD education and these levels may be required for larger hospitals or facilities.
Ability to read plans, use computer assisted drafting (CAD) programs as well as use design, word processing and spreadsheet programs is essential for most facilities engineer positions. Management experience as project managers or team leaders is usually a requirement for a facilities engineer.
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Job OutlookThe job outlook for those facilities engineers entering the hospital or healthcare facility market looks very promising, especially if the facilities engineer has a technology background. The field is expected to have approximately average job vacancies until the year 2014.
The United States Department of Labor indicates that the number of facilities engineers will increase slightly due to increased opening and expansion of hospitals and healthcare facilities across the United States.
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Career TrackA facilities engineer may move into management positions within the various management committees or teams within the development or operation of the hospital or healthcare facility. In addition may facilities engineers move into private sector businesses providing consulting and training to engineers wishing to enter the healthcare industry.
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CompensationThe salaries of facilities engineers will vary greatly depending on years of experience, education and the size of the hospital or healthcare facility. The average salary for a Batchelor level engineer is $53,000 per year where a PhD level engineer is $73,000. In addition to the salary there is usually a bonus of 3 to 8 percent of the standard salary per year.
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