A plant engineer is a professional engineer with extensive knowledge of a variety of industrial processes. Plant engineer jobs require a great deal of knowledge because a plant engineer is usually a supervisory position. There are plant engineer jobs available in any number of different engineering specialties. Though duties may vary by industry, plant engineers typically are responsible for managing other engineers, planning projects, ordering supplies and overseeing construction, repair and maintenance.
Plant engineers may work in any industry. They plan, oversee and coordinate the efforts of other engineers from project design, through construction, modification and maintenance. Plant engineer jobs can include work with equipment, machinery or entire facilities. A plant engineer can specialize in a particular field, but more often they are generalist engineers or specialists with at least a few areas of expertise.
A plant engineer must be knowledgeable in all aspects of engineering. Plant engineer jobs include responsibilities and expertise in mechanical, electrical, environmental and civic engineering. In addition to expertise in engineering, a plant engineer must be knowledgeable in economics so he or she can organize a project’s financial plan, manage other engineers, supervise occupational safety and health codes and manage energy needs.
An outside plant engineer is a plant engineer that specializes in outdoor work. These engineers often work with underground lines, cables and conduits. The designs an outside plant engineer creates help make outdoor projects more economical and environmentally friendly. By paying attention to the layout of these outdoor components, the outside plant engineer makes sure outdoor systems run smoothly and efficiently.
In most places, plant engineers have at least the equivalent of a four-year bachelor’s degree from an accredited university as well as a number of years of experience as an engineer before they move into this position. The majority of these specialists hold an advanced degree or multiple four-year degrees. In Europe, however, a plant engineer can expect to attend a university for six or more years. There are some plant engineers who do not have a university degree, though this is rare.
Plant engineers can expect to make a high salary when compared with other engineers. The expertise and experience required for plant engineer jobs mean these engineers must be highly educated, have a number of years of experience, and have extensive knowledge in most fields of engineering. Due to the expertise required by this profession, there are relatively few highly-qualified plant engineers. Engineers certified as plant engineers can generally expect to find a position with good pay.