Employers
Approximately 189,100 electrical engineers are employed in the United States. Electrical and electronics engineering is one of the largest engineering specialties. The Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers reports that there are 10 key industry sectors in which engineers are employed: Aerospace, Bioengineering, Computers, Education and Research, Energy and Electric Power, Manufacturing, Semiconductors, Service Industry, Telecommunications, and Transportation and Automotive. Some electrical engineers work as private consultants.
Starting Out
Many students begin to research companies that they are interested in working for during their last year of college or even before. It is possible to research companies using many resources, such as company directories and annual reports, available at public libraries.
Employment opportunities can be found through a variety of sources. Many electrical engineers are recruited by companies while they are still in college. Other companies have internship, work-study, or cooperative education programs from which they hire students who are still in college. Students who have participated in these programs often receive permanent job offers from these companies, or they may obtain useful contacts that can lead to a job interview or offer. Some companies use employment agencies and state employment offices. Companies may also advertise positions through advertisements in newspapers and trade publications. In addition, many newsletters and associations post job listings on the Internet. Social networking sites such as LinkedIn can also be useful.
Interested applicants can also apply directly to a company they are interested in working for. A letter of interest and resume can be sent to the director of electrical engineering or the head of a specific department. One may also apply to the personnel or human resources departments.
- 3-D Printing Specialists
- Accountants
- Advanced Manufacturing Engineers
- Advanced Manufacturing Technicians
- Advertising Managers
- Aeronautical and Aerospace Technicians
- Aerospace Engineers
- Aerospace Medicine Physicians
- Agile Coaches or Trainers
- Air Quality Engineers
- Aircraft Mechanics
- Apparel Industry Workers
- Appliance Service Technicians
- Architects
- Artificial Intelligence Specialists
- Assessors and Appraisers
- Astrobiologists
- Astrogeologists
- Astronauts
- Astronomers
- Astrophysicists
- Audio Recording Engineers
- Auditors
- Augmented Reality Developers
- Automation Engineers
- Automotive Engineering Technicians
- Automotive Engineers
- Avionics Engineers
- Avionics Technicians
- Back-End Developers
- Beverage Industry Workers
- Big Data Developers
- Biochemical Engineers
- Biologists
- Biomedical Engineers
- Biomedical Equipment Technicians
- Biometrics Systems Specialists
- Biophysicists
- Biotechnology Patent Lawyers
- Biotechnology Production Workers
- Biotechnology Research Assistants
- Blockchain Developers
- Bookkeeping and Accounting Clerks
- Broadcast Engineers
- Building Automation Systems Engineers
- Building Performance Diagnosticians
- Business Managers
- Cable Television Technicians
- Canning and Preserving Industry Workers
- Ceramics Engineers
- Chemical Engineers
- Chemists
- Chief Information Officers
- Chief Information Security Officers
- Chief Robotics Officer
- Civil Engineering Technicians
- Civil Engineers
- Clinical Applications Specialists
- Clinical Data Managers
- Cloud Engineers
- Computer and Office Machine Service Technicians
- Computer Network Administrators
- Computer Programmers
- Computer Support Service Owners
- Computer Support Specialists
- Computer Systems Programmer/Analysts
- Computer Trainers
- Computer-Aided Design Drafters and Technicians
- Credit Analysts
- Cryptocurrency Specialists
- Customer Service Representatives
- Customer Success Managers
- Cybersecurity Architects
- Dairy Products Manufacturing Workers
- Data Processing Technicians
- Data Scientists
- Data Warehousing Specialists
- Database Specialists
- Deepfake Professionals
- Demographers
- Digital Agents
- Digital Workplace Experience Engineers
- Document Management Specialists
- Drafters
- Driverless Car Engineers
- Drone Engineers
- Drone Manufacturing Workers
- Drone Pilots
- Drone Repair Technicians
- Economists
- Electrical Engineering Technologists
- Electromechanical Engineering Technologists
- Electronics Engineering Technicians
- Electronics Engineers
- Electronics Service Technicians
- Embedded Systems Engineers
- Energy Efficiency Engineers
- Engineering Technicians
- Engineers
- Enterprise Architects
- Environmental Engineers
- Ergonomists
- Ethical Sourcing Officer
- ETL Developers
- Export-Import Specialists
- Farmers
- Fashion Designers
- Fiber Optics Technicians
- Financial Analysts
- Financial Planners
- Financial Quantitative Analysts
- Flight Instructors
- Forensic Accountants and Auditors
- Forensic Engineers
- Fuel Cell Engineers
- Full Stack Developers/Engineers
- Furniture Designers
- Furniture Manufacturing Workers
- Futurists
- Genetic Engineers
- Geodetic Surveyors
- Geographic Information Systems Specialists
- Geophysicists
- Geospatial Analytics Specialists
- Geotechnical Engineers
- Graphic Designers
- Graphics Programmers
- Green Marketers
- Green Products Manufacturers
- Greeting Card Designers and Writers
- Hardware Engineers
- Health Informaticists
- Help Desk Representatives
- Hydropower and Marine Energy Industry Workers
- Hypersonics Engineers
- Hypersonics Technicians
- Industrial Designers
- Industrial Engineering Technicians
- Industrial Engineers
- Information Assurance Analysts
- Information Security Analysts
- Information Technology Consultants
- Information Technology Infrastructure Engineers
- Information Technology Project Managers
- Instrumentation Technicians
- Internet Consultants
- Internet Developers
- Internet of Things Developers
- Internet Security Specialists
- JavaScript Developers
- Jewelers and Jewelry Repairers
- Job and Die Setters
- Laboratory Testing Technicians
- Laser Technicians
- Line Installers and Cable Splicers
- Machine Learning Engineers
- Manufacturing Engineering Technologists
- Manufacturing Engineers
- Manufacturing Production Technicians
- Manufacturing Supervisors
- Marine Engineers
- Market Research Analysts
- Marketing Managers
- Materials Engineers
- Mathematicians
- Mathematics Teachers
- Mechanical Engineering Technicians
- Mechanical Engineers
- Mechatronics Engineers
- Metallurgical Engineers
- Metallurgical Technicians
- Microelectronics Technicians
- Millwrights
- Mining Engineers
- Model View Controller Developers
- Molecular and Cellular Biologists
- Nanomaterials Scientists
- Nanosystems Engineers
- Network Operations Center Engineers
- Network Operations Center Technicians
- Non-Destructive Testing Specialists
- Nuclear Engineers
- Online Gambling Specialists
- Optical Engineers
- Packaging Engineers
- Packaging Machinery Technicians
- Personal Privacy Advisors
- Petroleum Engineers
- Petroleum Technicians
- Physicists
- Pilots
- Plasma Physicists
- Plastics Engineers
- Plastics Products Manufacturing Workers
- Plastics Technicians
- Product Development Directors
- Product Management Directors
- Product Managers
- Product Owners
- Project Managers
- Quality Control Engineers
- Quality Control Technicians
- Radiation Protection Technicians
- Radio Frequency Engineers
- Radio Frequency Identification Device Specialists
- Remote Health Care Engineers
- Renewable Energy Engineers
- Robotics Engineers
- Robotics Integrators
- Robotics Technicians
- Rubber Goods Production Workers
- Sales Managers
- Sales Representatives
- Salesforce Developers
- Scrum Masters
- Semiconductor Technicians
- Silverware Artisans and Workers
- Site Reliability Engineers
- Smart Building Systems Designers
- Software Application Developers
- Software Designers
- Software Engineers
- Software Quality Assurance Testers
- Solar Engineers
- Solutions Architects
- Space Lawyers
- Space Meteorologist
- Space Pilots
- Space Tourism Managers
- Spacecraft Test Technicians
- Sporting Goods Production Workers
- Stationary Engineers
- Statisticians
- Surveyors
- Systems Setup Specialists
- Tailors and Dressmakers
- Tax Preparers
- Technical Support Specialists
- Technical Writers and Editors
- Technology Ethicists
- Telecommunications Network Engineers
- Telephone and PBX Installers and Repairers
- Telephone Operators
- Tobacco Products Industry Workers
- Toy Industry Workers
- Traffic Engineers
- Transportation Engineers
- User Experience Designers
- Watch and Clock Repairers
- Welders and Welding Technicians
- Wind Energy Engineers
- Wireless Service Technicians