Biomedical Engineer Job Description, Skills, and Salary
Get to know about the duties, responsibilities, qualifications, and skills requirements of a biomedical engineer. Feel free to use our job description template to produce your own. We also provide you with information about the salary you can earn as a biomedical engineer.
Who is a Biomedical Engineer?
A Biomedical Engineer, also known as a Biomedical Engineering Specialist, is in charge of developing biomedical equipment and medical technologies to improve the quality of life of patients. They are responsible for inventing equipment, technologies, or software programs that will help healthcare professionals and their patients, as well as assuring the safety and functionality of their ideas prior to mass production, and assisting healthcare professionals in learning how to use their inventions in their daily practices.
The application of engineering principles and problem-solving methodologies to biology and medicine is referred to as biomedical engineering. This is visible in all aspects of healthcare, from diagnosis and analysis to treatment and recovery, and it has gained public attention as a result of the growth of implantable medical devices like pacemakers and prosthetic hips, as are more futuristic technology like stem cell engineering and 3-D printing of biological organs.
Engineering is a creative discipline that has given birth to everything from vehicles to airplanes, skyscrapers to sonar. Biomedical engineering is concerned with technological advancements that improve human health and health care on a broad scale.
Biomedical engineers differ from other engineering disciplines that affect human health in that they incorporate and use a deep understanding of modern biological principles in their engineering design process. Whether it’s a cutting-edge prosthetic limb or a breakthrough in identifying proteins within cells, biomedical engineering incorporates components of mechanical engineering, electrical engineering, chemical engineering, materials science, chemistry, mathematics, and computer science and engineering.
The growing demand for Biomedical Engineers is related to society’s overall shift toward the use of equipment and technology in many parts of life. The application of engineering principles and biological knowledge to medical problems has resulted in the development of groundbreaking and life-saving solutions such as:
- Organs made of synthetic materials
- Robotic surgery
- More advanced prosthetics
- Pharmaceuticals that are brand new
- Dialysis of the kidneys
Biomedical Engineering is a vast discipline with several areas of specialization, and the kind of work you’ll be doing will vary depending on your role’s characteristics. Some of the sub-disciplines of Biomedical Engineering include the following:
- Biomedical Electronics
- Biomaterials
- Computational Biology
- Cellular, Tissue, and Genetic Engineering
- Medical Imaging
- Orthopedic Bioengineering
- Bionanotechnology
Types of Biomedical Engineers
- Biochemical engineers design solutions for bioremediation, biological waste treatment, and other applications by focusing on cell structures and microscopic systems.
- Bioinstrumentation engineers create instruments for identifying and treating medical problems by combining electronics, computer science, and measurement techniques.
- Biomaterials engineers research chemicals that are naturally occurring or created in the lab for application in medical devices or implants.
- Biomechanics Engineers: Thermodynamics and other systems are studied by biomechanics engineers in order to tackle biological or medical difficulties.
- Clinical Engineers: Clinical engineers use medical technology to help people get better treatment.
- Genetic Engineers: Recombinant deoxyribonucleic acid (rDNA) technology is used by genetic engineers to change the genetic composition of organisms, such as in the development of vitamin-fortified food crops to avoid sickness in humans.
- Rehabilitation engineers create technologies to help people recover from or adapt to physical or cognitive disabilities.
- Engineering tools are used by systems physiologists to better understand how biological systems work and adapt to changes in their environment.
Biomedical Engineer Job Description
Below are the biomedical engineer job description examples you can use to develop your resume or write a job description for your employee. Employers can use it to sieve out job seekers when choosing candidates for interviews.
The crucial duties and responsibilities of a Biomedical Engineer during the day includes maintaining equipment and collaborating with scientists to research and develop life-changing technologies. Their normal day-to-day responsibilities are as follows:
- Designing artificial organs, body replacement parts, and medical diagnostic machines, among other items and systems.
- Putting together and maintaining medical equipment.
- Providing biomedical equipment with technical support.
- Evaluating biomedical equipment for its safety, efficiency, and effectiveness.
- Researching the biological systems of humans and animals with the help of scientists.
- Educating other employees and professionals on how to utilize the devices properly.
- Publishing technical reports and research papers that are written by the Engineer.
Qualifications
- Professional engineering bachelor’s degree
- A degree is required to work as a biomedical engineer. The following topics are relevant:
- electrical or electronic engineering biomedical science or engineering
- Mechanical Engineering Physics
- Many businesses demand a minimum of a 2:1. If you want to pursue chartered status, ensure sure your degree is approved by the Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET) or the Institution of Mechanical Engineers (IME) (IMechE).
- An approved degree can also help you find a job or enroll in specific training programs.
- Language Proficiency.
Essential skills
It would be false to say that all successful biomedical engineers share a set of characteristics that distinguishes them from the competition. However, there are a few traits that will surely help someone who wishes to work as a biomedical engineer in the future.
Solving difficult problems: Biomedical engineers may be confronted with difficulties for which there are no easily available solutions, and they must be able to review the information at hand in order to develop and implement a suitable solution.
Critical thinking: Biomedical engineers should be able to use logic and reasoning to select which path to pursue when determining an approach to an issue, in addition to being able to tackle complicated problems.
Decision-making: When faced with a number of options, a smart biomedical engineer must be able to weigh the benefits and drawbacks of each to determine the best logical solution given the available resources.
Science knowledge: A good biomedical engineer should have a strong understanding of scientific laws and procedures, as well as how to apply them to this task. Biology, physics, and general engineering, and technology are among the fields of science in which biomedical engineers must be adept.
Curiosity: New technology development begins with a natural curiosity about how things work and how to improve them. Curiosity can be cultivated by asking a lot of questions and learning as much as possible about medical technology. Although curiosity is intrinsic in many people and does not need to be nurtured, it can be enhanced by learning to ask a lot of questions and knowing as much as possible about medical technologies.
Interpersonal Skill: Interpersonal skills are required to navigate the industry and operate well within it, whether you collaborate with other biomedical engineers and medical specialists in a lab setting, or in a more people-rich environment such as product testing or teaching others how to use new technology. The value of interpersonal skills cannot be overstated in today’s professional environments that are becoming increasingly collaborative. In many circumstances, effective interpersonal skills can mean the difference between landing a job and continuing to look for one.
Creativity: Hospitals, medical clinics, and at-home care providers currently use a variety of products and technologies. People will be able to employ improvements and new methods of doing things in order to improve their lives if they think creatively about existing technologies.
As students have a better understanding of medical terminology, current best practices, and demands, a college that emphasizes originality and creative thinking in biomedical engineering will stimulate the invention and construction of new devices and technology.
How to Become a Biomedical Engineer
Get your high school certificate or GED (four years): Anyone who wants to work as a biomedical engineer in the future should at the very least have a high school education or a GED. This is a criterion for admission to almost all four-year schools and universities in the United States. In addition, specific courses in chemistry and biochemistry, physics, biology, mathematics and statistics, and any other related disciplines should be completed during high school. This will assist the individual get more comfortable with these subjects while also putting his or her capacity to handle a large amount of work at the same time to the test.
Earn a four-year bachelor’s degree in biomedical engineering or a related field: Enroll in a four-year degree in biomedical engineering; otherwise, if the student does not intend to pursue a graduate degree in biomedical engineering, acquire a bachelor’s degree in any engineering discipline. As previously stated, engineering programs that have gained accreditation should be given serious attention.
Gain professional experience (one year or more): While it is not a prerequisite to becoming a biomedical engineer, students may desire to obtain a related job or volunteer experience in the field while completing their degree. This will provide students with a better understanding of what to expect after graduation.
Earn an advanced degree in Biomedical Engineering: A Master’s Degree in Biomedical Engineering is a great way to advance your career (Two Years or More, Optional) Once a person has earned a degree, he or she can immediately begin working as a biomedical engineer. Alternatively, he or she may decide to obtain a graduate degree in the profession in order to be eligible for further, and sometimes more lucrative, job opportunities.
An individual with a bachelor’s or master’s degree in biomedical engineering can immediately begin working in the field. As previously said, anyone interested in working as a biomedical engineer should consider obtaining professional licensing to increase their employability and authenticate their skills and talents.
The following are the stages that must be completed in order to obtain a Professional Engineer (PE) license:
- The candidate must get a four-year college diploma from an ABET-accredited university. ABET has established a database of approved programs across the country that may be searched on its website.
- Following graduation from a four-year college or university with a bachelor’s degree in engineering, under the supervision of another PE, the individual must work in the field for at least four years.
- The engineer must next pass two intense competency exams offered by the applicable state licensure board after completing a degree and working for four years in the field. The engineer should be issued a Professional Engineer (PE) license at this stage after successfully completing all of these processes.
- Finally, in order to keep his or her engineering license, the individual must consistently maintain and enhance his or her abilities throughout his or her career.
Where to work
Colleges or universities
Professors and faculty members, first and foremost, teach undergraduate and graduate courses in their disciplines. They assist students in understanding the core course material as well as teaching them the tools and procedures utilized by medical and biological engineers.
Research
Academic biomedical engineers do research, publish their findings in peer-reviewed journals, present their findings at meetings and conferences, and form research partnerships. Obtaining and sustaining funding to fund your research program is a common element of keeping an academic job. Some academic positions require external funding to cover a portion or all of the remuneration.
In the laboratory, one out of every five biomedical engineers works for a research institution. Engineers are needed to supervise lab activities and equipment as well as undertake research for these companies. Chemists, medical experts, biologists, and other scientists collaborate with biomedical engineers to share their expertise and efforts.
Industries
In industry, bioengineers work in cross-functional teams with all departments participating in the product launch. This necessitates a lot of “leadership without authority.” As a result, industrial bioengineers must be able to collaborate effectively both within and between teams.
While academic professors and faculty members may explore broad research issues, bioengineers in the industry concentrate on specific questions that are directly related to the project’s outcome. An industrial bioengineer will discontinue a line of research or development rather than continue to examine it if it does not appear to be financially viable.
In the industrial setting, project timelines are substantially more constrained. An academic scientist may devote a significant chunk of their career to a single line of research or project, whereas an industrial scientist will concentrate on a project until it is commercialized or terminated.
A research project’s end results in academia is new knowledge, which is communicated through journal publications and conference presentations. In industry, the ultimate result, such as a new pharmaceutical or medical equipment, is more concrete. Industrial bioengineers frequently publish their findings in peer-reviewed journals, but this is seen as a side effect of their work rather than the main result.
Pharmaceutical firms
Pharmaceutical businesses employ about one in every seven biomedical engineers. Pharmaceutical companies use biomedical engineers to create drug delivery equipment such as insulin pumps and other automatic medication injectors, as well as therapeutic therapy.
Companies that make software
Computers have become increasingly important in the delivery of health care, with applications spanning from hospital admissions to operating rooms. Biomedical engineers are employed by software companies to create computer systems for statistical modeling, run medical equipment, and follow patients and their data. Biomedical engineers work for computer companies on programs and systems that create medical images, assist patients in choosing seat cushions and other gadgets, and mimic human body systems like the neurological and digestive systems.
Clinics and hospitals
In clinical medicine, biomedical engineers act as physicians, diagnosing and caring for patients. They collect medical histories, conduct physical examinations, order diagnostic tests, prescribe and provide treatment, and counsel patients on their overall health and well-being. A physician’s ultimate purpose is to promote, maintain, and restore their patients’ health. In hospitals, clinics, and other healthcare settings, they routinely collaborate with other physicians, nurses, therapists, and technicians. Their background in biomedical engineering provides them with a unique viewpoint on the human body and patient care. Life-long learning is a crucial element of the job in order to stay current with the latest discoveries in clinical medicine.
Federal and state government
The scientific endeavor is governed and maintained by regulations such as the “Common Rule” or the guidelines governing the protection of human subjects in research.
Science financing goals remain an important aspect of science policy, from the budgets of government science bodies to the provision of grant cash to specific research initiatives.
The scientific peer-review process is an example of a mechanism that governs how science is conducted by mandating that scientific findings be extensively critiqued.
The scientific enterprise is impacted by judicial judgments, such as the Supreme Court’s decision in June 2013 that human genes cannot be trademarked. A biomedical Engineer can influence the scientific laws and policies in government.
Biomedical engineers can work for the federal government in a variety of capacities. Many government organizations rely on these experts to assess medical products and set safety standards. As patent examiners at the Patent and Trademark Office, biomedical engineers can help improve the practice of medicine by approving patent applications for innovative technologies or pharmaceuticals. Biomedical engineers are employed by the US Army, Navy, and Air Force to investigate the impact of diverse environments, such as underwater, on personnel’s health and performance.
Biomedical Engineer Salary Scale
As of October 29, 2021, the average Biomedical Engineer I salary in the United States is $59,373, while the range frequently falls between $49,435 and $66,929. Salary ranges are determined by a number of factors. including schooling, certifications, supplementary talents, and the number of years you’ve worked in your field.
A Biomedical Engineer in Nigeria earns roughly 285,000 NGN per month on average. Salaries range from 148,000 NGN to 436,000 NGN (lowest to highest) (highest).
This is the average monthly salary, which takes into account accommodation, transportation, and other perks. Salary for Biomedical Engineers varies greatly depending on experience, skills, gender, and region.