Engineering and manufacturing support technician

Engineering and manufacturing support technicians are found in the engineering and manufacturing sector. This includes the advanced manufacturing fields of aerospace, automotive, maritime, defence and nuclear. Engineering and manufacturing support technicians support the work of engineers by the provision of technical support and expertise for areas of the engineering and manufacturing function. This typically could include, engineering drawing, computer aided design (CAD), quality control, computerized numerical control programming (CNC), robotics, additive manufacturing, engineering or manufacturing software development and process engineering. The support provided is often complex in nature. They will be proactive in finding solutions to problems and identifying areas for improving the business. They organise and co-ordinate services for internal and external stakeholders. They contribute to the planning of work and resources to enable work to be carried out. Stakeholders are informed of progress of development work. They have good communication skills. They may contribute to problem solving. They support continuous improvements. Others may be involved in the implementation of such solutions. They will use technical software packages, typically computer aided design (CAD), or other specialist software, to produce design solutions for equipment or services. They inspect and test equipment or services and produce data from test results. They write technical reports and carry out audits for equipment or services.

The broad purpose of the engineering and manufacturing support technician is to provide the required level of technical assistance on areas of engineering or manufacturing. They report on processes and procedures using communications software, test analysis tools, measurement systems, offline programming, and quality control. They support production planning, scheduling, product technical applications and capability supporting continuous improvements. They support technical marketing sales and purchasing, product development and innovation. They investigate and review services, producing technical reports and documentation. They carry out inspections or tests to analyse products or services. Engineering and manufacturing support technicians typically work in engineering or manufacturing environments. They may also be required to work outdoors inspecting and testing products and processes.

In their daily work, an engineering and manufacturing support technician interacts with other engineers and technicians. They also interact with various stakeholders. They typically report to an engineering or manufacturing team leader. They may also interact with customers, suppliers, colleagues, quality auditors and regulators. They will be able to work with minimum supervision.

Engineering and manufacturing support technicians will be responsible for the quality, accuracy and timely completion of the work they undertake. They also must work efficiently. They must work both individually and as part of a larger team. They must work within the relevant health, safety, and environmental regulations and guidance. This includes the appropriate use of protective clothing and equipment.  All work must be completed in a safe and efficient manner as directed by supervisory staff.