Meter engineers are individuals who design meters, which are devices that measure quantities of water, time, or money. For producing models of these multifaceted devices, these professionals must have strong computer and drawing skills. A four-year bachelor’s degree in engineering with a focus on electrical engineering is required for those interested in becoming meter engineers. Engineering professionals with two-year master’s degrees are also more appealing to employers. Engineers in the field must be able to not only develop but also confirm the accuracy of meters, as well as train employees on engineering processes.
The primary responsibility of a meter engineer is to design and manufacture meter technologies using a combination of math and science principles. To do so, he or she must be able to create technical drafts of meter products using computer-aided drafting technologies. The goals of an engineer in this field should be to design meters that meet the needs of clients while staying within a company’s budget.
People who design meter products are also responsible for testing their functionality. Before meters are made available to customers, meter engineers must conduct quality audits and suggest improvements to meter prototypes. Engineers inspect the products after they are installed to ensure that they are set up according to established codes and specifications. They must also respond to customer complaints quickly and effectively with viable solutions.
An electrical engineer’s responsibilities also include keeping track of engineering processes and looking for ways to improve them. To put together written process instructions for future reference, meter engineers must have strong written communication skills. Furthermore, before presenting these recommendations to his or her company’s management team, a meter engineer must have strong research skills in order to identify alternative ways to meet overall design criteria and to address major meter design issues.
Engineers who work in the meter industry must also have strong leadership skills. A meter engineer, for example, must be able to determine how much staffing and money to devote to a meter project, as well as how much money to devote to meter maintenance programs. A requirement of the meter engineering role is to ensure that staff members are trained on engineering processes and remain current in the industry. As a result, a meter engineer must understand electrical theory principles as well as workplace safety.