Occupation Profile

Biomedical Engineers

(SOC Code : 17-2031)

in California

Apply knowledge of engineering, biology, and biomechanical principles to the design, development, and evaluation of biological and health systems and products, such as artificial organs, prostheses, instrumentation, medical information systems, and heath management and care delivery systems.

Employers are usually looking for candidates with a Bachelor's degree .

Occupational Wages

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Area	Year	Period	Hourly Mean	Hourly by Percentile
				25th	Median	75th
California	2012	1st Qtr	$48.53	$38.55	$47.05	$57.20

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Occupational Projections of Employment (also called "Outlook" or "Demand")

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Area	Estimated Year-Projected Year	Employment		Employment Change		Annual Avg Openings
		Estimated	Projected	Number	Percent
California	2010 - 2020	4,000	6,700	2,700	67.5	360

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Job Openings from JobCentral National Labor Exchange

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Enter a Zip Code Find a Zip code in California

Within miles of Zip Code.

Industries Employing This Occupation (click on Industry Title to View Employers List)

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Industry Title

Number of Employers in State of California

Percent of Total
Employment for Occupation in State of California

Medical Equipment and Supplies Mfg

3,367

32.9%

Pharmaceutical & Medicine Manufacturing

364

25.6%

Scientific Research and Development Svc

5,742

22.4%

Colleges and Universities

1,979

7.4%

Electronic Instrument Manufacturing

1,043

2.0%

General Medical and Surgical Hospitals

1,393

1.7%

About Staffing Patterns

Training Programs (click on title for more information)

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Program Title

Bioengineering and Biomedical Engineering

Biological/Biosystems Engineering

About Training & Apprenticeships

About This Occupation (from O*NET - The Occupation Information Network)

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Top Tasks (Specific duties and responsibilities of this job.)

Design and deliver technology to assist people with disabilities.

Design and develop medical diagnostic and clinical instrumentation, equipment, and procedures, using the principles of engineering and biobehavioral sciences.

Conduct research, along with life scientists, chemists, and medical scientists, on the engineering aspects of the biological systems of humans and animals.

Advise and assist in the application of instrumentation in clinical environments.

Develop new applications for energy sources, such as using nuclear power for biomedical implants.

Install, adjust, maintain, repair, or provide technical support for biomedical equipment.

Keep documentation of service histories on all biomedical equipment.

Evaluate the safety, efficiency, and effectiveness of biomedical equipment.

Analyze new medical procedures to forecast likely outcomes.

Conduct training or in-services to educate clinicians and other personnel on proper use of equipment.

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Top Skills used in this Job

Critical Thinking - Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.

Science - Using scientific rules and methods to solve problems.

Judgment and Decision Making - Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.

Complex Problem Solving - Identifying complex problems and reviewing related information to develop and evaluate options and implement solutions.

Reading Comprehension - Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.

Active Listening - Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.

Operations Analysis - Analyzing needs and product requirements to create a design.

Speaking - Talking to others to convey information effectively.

Mathematics - Using mathematics to solve problems.

Systems Analysis - Determining how a system should work and how changes in conditions, operations, and the environment will affect outcomes.

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Top Abilities (Attributes of the person that influence performance in this job.)

Deductive Reasoning - The ability to apply general rules to specific problems to produce answers that make sense.

Inductive Reasoning - The ability to combine pieces of information to form general rules or conclusions (includes finding a relationship among seemingly unrelated events).

Near Vision - The ability to see details at close range (within a few feet of the observer).

Written Comprehension - The ability to read and understand information and ideas presented in writing.

Problem Sensitivity - The ability to tell when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong. It does not involve solving the problem, only recognizing there is a problem.

Oral Comprehension - The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.

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Top Work Values (Aspects of this job that create satisfaction.)

Independence - Occupations that satisfy this work value allow employees to work on their own and make decisions.

Achievement - Occupations that satisfy this work value are results oriented and allow employees to use their strongest abilities, giving them a feeling of accomplishment.

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Top Interests (The types of activities someone in this job would like.)

Investigative - Investigative occupations frequently involve working with ideas, and require an extensive amount of thinking. These occupations can involve searching for facts and figuring out problems mentally.

Realistic - Realistic occupations frequently involve work activities that include practical, hands-on problems and solutions. They often deal with plants, animals, and real-world materials like wood, tools, and machinery. Many of the occupations require working outside, and do not involve a lot of paperwork or working closely with others.

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Alternate Titles

Biochemical Engineers; Bioengineers; Clinical Engineers; Medical Engineers