As @strantor says, there is a distinction between an engineer and a Professional Engineer (PE).

A person with a Bachelor's degree in a field of engineering can be called an engineer.

In order for an engineer to hold the PE title you must be a member in good standing with the governing body of Professional Engineers in your jurisdiction.

 

As @strantor says, there is a distinction between an engineer and a Professional Engineer (PE).

A person with a Bachelor's degree in a field of engineering can be called an engineer.

In order for an engineer to hold the PE title you must be a member in good standing with the governing body of Professional Engineers in your jurisdiction.

There may be some differences between here and there. I have edited your words to make them match what I know to be true around here.

"A person with a Bachelor's degree in a field of engineering working for an Engineering firm and interacting with clients in the capacity of an Engineer can be called an engineer only if they hold a PE license." (Otherwise, they are not allowed to hold the title or do the work of Engineering for clients, despite the degree).

-Also true here-

"A person with a Bachelor's degree in a field of engineering can be called an engineer, as can anyone with a Bachelor's degree in Economics, meteorology, or nothing at all, as long as they or the company they work for do not offer their work to client as a service called Engineering."

 

As @strantor says, there is a distinction between an engineer and a Professional Engineer (PE).

A person with a Bachelor's degree in a field of engineering can be called an engineer.

In order for an engineer to hold the PE title you must be a member in good standing with the governing body of Professional Engineers in your jurisdiction.

That's true but the use of the word, "engineer" is quite uniquely controlled in the state of Texas and, as Strantor confirms by his example, each company (each individual) seems to interpret the law as they wish. There is no way the team of Engineers that came to design a facility for us in Texas were all PE's but all had engineering titles - all graduated from schools accredited to offer engineering degrees (my company did background checks in all of them because of the liability/danger that a miscalculation could cause. In Texas, a principal at the engineering company has to be a PE but each individual "engineer" offering services does not have to be a PE, but they have to have some pedigree to prove their engineer title when doing work for another company or government.

 

Is this drifting off the topic? Off topic posts may be removed.

 

I was a mechanic for over 40 years. Most of my career was trucks and
equipment repair. When electronic fuel injection came out on
Diesel engines I took some electronics courses at the local college.
Sadly I was not able to complete the electronics program as the
instructors retired and the college decided to cancel the course.
I retired 2 1/2 years ago at 60 but went back to work part time until
I am eligible for my pensions.

 

An engineer can do almost anything. I do not know how to make that thing today. By tomorrow I will know how. An engineer knows how to find answers.

I worked as engineer & chief engineer in R&D and new product development for 42 years after university. Mostly I worked for and owned engineering companies that farmed me out to other companies. I worked as "chief engineer" for 6 years (building radio stations) during university. I built products for people for money during high school. Have a list of patents. Started 5 companies. Designed new products for Sony, (the big 4 of Keora), Sanyo, several time for the big company that Dick Cappels was in, Ball, AT&T, GE, HP/Agilent/Keysight, etc. Have belonged to several engineering societies. Taught engineering. Yet according to several posts back I am not an engineer. Whatever I am, in part, I teach engineers how to do their job.

 

Worked my way through college as a Machinist, Production Welder, Welder-Fitter, Fitter, Feed Store Manager, Engineering Field Technician, and lastly Analytical Chemist. After graduation I was a Project Engineer specializing in Process and Electrical Controls and before I was RIFed was in charge of all the plants Automation Systems, DCS, PLC, etc. After being RIFed taught High School Sciences for several years in a private academy before retiring. Now I am studying Electronics at the component level instead of using them at the system level. Also, along the way, I picked up my Amateur Radio (HAM) License. The Chemical Refinery I worked for went from 1700+ employees when I was hired to less than 400 employees when I was let go in my late 50s to Fortune 500 company (Hercules Incorporated) dissolved and plant sold shortly thereafter.

 

An engineer can do almost anything. I do not know how to make that thing today. By tomorrow I will know how. An engineer knows how to find answers.

I worked as engineer & chief engineer in R&D and new product development for 42 years after university. Mostly I worked for and owned engineering companies that farmed me out to other companies. I worked as "chief engineer" for 6 years (building radio stations) during university. I built products for people for money during high school. Have a list of patents. Started 5 companies. Designed new products for Sony, (the big 4 of Keora), Sanyo, several time for the big company that Dick Cappels was in, Ball, AT&T, GE, HP/Agilent/Keysight, etc. Have belonged to several engineering societies. Taught engineering. Yet according to several posts back I am not an engineer. Whatever I am, in part, I teach engineers how to do their job.

That is quite an impressive resume and you don't need my affirmation but you have it anyway; You're 100% an Engineer. I hope my comments weren't taken personally, as they weren't even my own thoughts or opinions, but rather my attempt to clarify TX law, which you can read for yourself if interested (Texas Engineering Practice Act, Section 1001.301).

MODS: Please don't delete this; at least not until @ronsimpson has seen it. I'm not trying to challenge the mandate to drop off-topic discussion, just to soothe any offense I may have caused.

 

After retiring from my "Engineering Life", I now manage multiple investment portfolios of equities, fixed income, derivatives, and futures.

 

weren't taken personally,

No problem, friend.
I enjoy learning about what 'you all' do and have done. It turns out that some of us know each other. Some are older than I thought. Some are really really old.
We should feel free to use 'job title' in a liberal way. Most "old engineers' are actually managers and not engineers. Most people do more than one job in a day and in a lifetime. Feel free to (job title + definition). Picasso = painter. Jimmie also paints houses, but not in the same way.
I hired some engineers in Ukraine (God save them). They have Russian quote(s). (bad translation) Some people are born (job title) and some have a paper from the university (job title). Some people get the job done, and some are manages.
Resume = 50% fiction, so...... say what you want.
8:00am ouch, stop typing and do some work!

 

It's been a business doing pleasure with y'all.

 

Looks like I am in the company of some sophisticated folk. As for myself, for the past 2 years I have operated a small construction business and in the 8 years prior, various trade applications primarily as a sole proprietor dating back to high school. Having mastered a few of the basic trade "arts", I am ready to begin a career in something more elegant and what is more elegant than physics? To this end I have chosen to study electronics academically as it is something I can see myself doing happily for the rest of my days (and easier on the body!). Whatever you title or qualifications, we all share a love for the world around us and want to know more about it. I look forward to reading more posts and to those who have already posted, feel free to share more of your endeavors or accomplishments.

 

Currently an electronics tech (20+ years and still feel like a high school student some days), but have spent time working in IT, at a meter shop doing on-site and shop tests of electric meters, and some non-technical jobs.

 

Acquired the very valuable knowledge in order to maintain all manner of Industrial Electronic equipment on the spot, without the end user or customer having to go to the manufacturer, where a Technician would be flown in, if and when at the customers expense with resultant time delay and loss of production.
Also custom design and retro-fit such equipment for unique application(s).
.

Wow, the very closest to my story. Starting in '76, now semiretired 6 years, but still take projects.
I also do custom / prototype uC development sometimes going to production. G. H. <<<)))

 

My qualifications are not documented on any paper apart from my paystubs and the stacks of invoices I keep. With much unsanctioned practice and after-hours self study (much of it taking place on this very website), I made myself proficient at things I wasn't qualified to do, and then I went into business for myself. I design/build/program/troubleshoot control systems for automated machinery. Currently I have a full-time employer, as one of my biggest customers offered me a job a while back amid a dry spell and I accepted because I was desperate, and then I got comfortable there. They title me "Controls Engineer" (as did my last full-time employer, who was also a customer prior to being an employer) but in my own business (which I still operate on the side) I can't call myself an Engineer because I don't have a PE license, because I don't have a degree, so I call myself a "Controls Specialist." In that endeavor I don't design or Engineer anything; rather I assemble and sell bespoke control system kits that typically come pre-programmed, documented, and with free installation. I sell products, not an Engineering service.

Hmmm, I doubt Michigan is as strict as TX. I do have an Eng degree, but never thought about filing for a PE license, and was never questioned about it. Here it's all about can you do it and how well. After 40 years of paying the bills, I must be still doing something right. A good enough hunter to not be starving... <<<)))

 

That is quite an impressive resume and you don't need my affirmation but you have it anyway; You're 100% an Engineer. I hope my comments weren't taken personally, as they weren't even my own thoughts or opinions, but rather my attempt to clarify TX law, which you can read for yourself if interested (Texas Engineering Practice Act, Section 1001.301).

MODS: Please don't delete this; at least not until @ronsimpson has seen it. I'm not trying to challenge the mandate to drop off-topic discussion, just to soothe any offense I may have caused.

Dang, If I didn't have such a stubborn rebellious streak, I'd be quite proud to have a similar resume - kudos to you.
Had opportunities, but the little voice said no. There are no single edged blades... <<<)))

 

I retired six years ago and started mining Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies. I run both ASICs and GPUs. I built all of my GPU rigs from scratch. Ethereum is my favorite coin.

 

I retired six years ago and started mining Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies. I run both ASICs and GPUs. I built all of my GPU rigs from scratch. Ethereum is my favorite coin.

Are you really "retired" if you are doing something to earn money? Or, did you just change careers? Or open your own business?

 

Are you really "retired" if you are doing something to earn money? Or, did you just change careers? Or open your own business?

I guess based on the definition of the word “retired”, I worded my reply poorly. I changed careers. What I am doing now is fun, before, it was not.

 

When someone asks... "what do you do for a living?" I feel as though my answer ends up pigeon holing myself. The real answer is that I have multiple hats that I wear and can wear depending on the situation. I have basically had a hobby in electronics since I was eight years old. I am 54 now and much of what I know is self taught. I worked for a prosthetic company in robotic research design and development for 10 years and other companies such as National Semiconductor designing Integrated circuits for nearly 15 years while doing PCB layout both for personal and work related projects in the mist of that. Currently I work for a company that I co-founded designing custom automation solutions. I am also a programmer and enjoy (old school) programming micro controllers in pure assembly language, but I can also program in Perl (Server development), Tc/Tcl, Python, HTML, Javascript, Arduino, etc, (+Many others) ... I don't claim to be an engineer, but I have worked my way up to where I am now to the point where I have engineers and designers working under me. I taught Georgia Tech students best practices and most efficient ways to do IC layout, while at the same time I was on a design team building Chip sets for cell phones for Motorola, Nokia, Ericson. I also put together Chip designs for Hewlett Packard, High Speed ADC's for Sony cameras, Noise cancellation chip sets and many more ... But yet I don't have a degree, What I do have is the ability, resources, and discipline to teach myself. Even if you have a degree you basically just have to earn it through experience. A degree shows you have discipline, but to be effective you must have the ability to mold yourself.