How do I Become a Field Service Engineer?

In order to become a field service engineer, you must have at least a bachelor's degree in an engineering or scientific discipline from an accredited university. Some field service engineers choose to continue on to a graduate program in order to obtain their master's degree and be more eligible for senior level field service engineer positions. This type of engineer is usually in direct contact with customers, so you must also develop strong communication skills if you would like to become a field service engineer.

Getting a bachelor's degree and learning advanced engineering techniques are prerequisites to obtaining a field service engineer position. Many people who are thinking about field service engineer careers elect to matriculate at a technical university or a university known for its strong engineering program. Which type of engineering you study is your choice, and it very much depends on what sort of field service work you would like to do in the future. If you are more interested in working in the pharmaceutical field, a degree in biomedical engineering might be best for you. A degree in electrical or mechanical engineering may be best if you are fascinated by electronics and how things work.

Any engineering degree undergraduate program will prepare you well in your journey to become a field service engineer. You will learn the theory behind engineering principles, as well as the software needed to model complex structures and devices. As a field service engineer, your job will be to troubleshoot and repair machinery. A good undergraduate engineering program should teach you these skills through lectures, lab work, and team projects.

Master's degree programs are also available to the aspiring field service engineer. Entry-level positions do not always require such an advanced degree, but many senior level positions in field service engineering will expect candidates to have a graduate engineering degree. In a master's program, you will delve deeper into mechanical principles and you will have the opportunity to pursue independent work.

Strong communication skills are also necessary to become a field services engineer, and are just as important as the technical knowledge for the job. Field service engineer jobs are oftentimes client-facing, meaning that they involve frequent contact and communication with clients. As a field service professional for a corporate entity, it will be important for you to be able to establish a rapport with clients and to clearly communicate any issues that may arise on the job.