How do I Become an Instrumentation Design Engineer?

To become an instrumentation design engineer, you must be passionate about and skilled in the field of engineering. A design engineer is typically employed in the oil and manufacturing industries to provide design expertise and draw up schematics for a wide variety of machinery, from oil rigs to specialized mechanical equipment. One interesting new field wherein instrument engineering is highly sought is the clean energy industry. Clean energy companies hire a subset of instrumentation design engineers called solar design engineers who come up with better solar energy product ideas.

More often than not, an individual who wants to become an instrumentation design engineer needs to earn a bachelor's degree and an advanced degree in some engineering discipline, and follow with intern or entry-level experience in the instrumentation engineering field. These disciplines usually include: mechanical engineering, structural engineering, architecture, or electrical engineering. Taking classes in industrial design may also prove to be beneficial because these classes will teach you to approach engineering with a more artistic perspective. Enrolling in both engineering and design classes can help you gain the knowledge needed to succeed in this field.

While it is not required to attend a school that focuses on science and engineering, the aspiring instrumentation design engineer may want to pay particular attention to such subject-specific schools. Each country has prestigious technical institutes; in the United States, there is the California Institute of Technology in California and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in Massachusetts. In India, there is the Indian Institutes of India, which has schools located in major cities throughout the country. Attending a school that is known for its engineering education can greatly help you connect to professors and thought leaders in the field. These are professionals who often have contacts in companies that will hire you if you are qualified and want to become an instrumentation design engineer.

If you are not interested in working in the oil or heavy manufacturing industries but would still like to become an instrumentation design engineer, take a look at the burgeoning clean energy industry. The number of companies that manufacture clean energy products and machinery has grown by leaps and bounds in the past several years. These companies are searching for talented individuals with skill in designing renewable energy products that can be used in industry or in everyday life. Solar design is a bit different from the usual engineering of instrumentation and control systems in that it requires interacting with natural resources through onsite field research.