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Overview
Test engineers plan and carry out quality tests during design, installation or production so systems, equipment and processes work correctly and safely.
In job descriptions, look for test procedures, engineering principles, technical drawings, analysis of test data, reports, safety checks and decisions about whether a design or system is ready.
Explore this occupation
Search jobsWork context
Test engineers work where engineering designs, installed systems or production equipment need proof that they perform as intended. They plan test procedures, prepare instruments, read technical drawings, collect test data and turn failures into clear reports for design or production teams.
Skills and specializations
Strong practice combines engineering principles, test procedures, technical drawings, instrumentation, data analysis and disciplined reporting. Some roles focus on electrical systems, in-circuit tests, machinery checks, safety validation or research environments where evidence and traceability matter.
Salary context
Salary context depends on the complexity of the tested system, responsibility for approving engineering design, safety impact, instrumentation knowledge, reporting depth and whether the engineer only runs tests or also defines methods and acceptance criteria.
Career paths
People may enter from engineering, quality, production, laboratory or instrumentation work. Development can lead toward senior test engineer, validation lead, quality engineering, reliability engineering, product verification, technical project work or design review responsibility.
Good to know
Check whether vacancies name the product, test environment, instruments, technical drawings and approval authority. A useful advert separates routine test execution from method development, safety sign-off, failure analysis and communication with design teams.
Editorial note
This guide gives editorial career context for test engineer work. It is not official labour-market statistics or salary data.
Where might this occupation occur?
This occupation may occur in several kinds of economic activity. Here are some examples and other occupations that may be found in the same areas.
Engineering activities and related technical consultancy
This is one example. Other occupations in this activity include biomedical engineer, optical engineer and photonics engineer.
Explore this activityTechnical testing and analysis
This occupation may also occur in this activity. Other occupations there include robotics engineer, compliance engineer and research engineer.
Explore this activityAll other professional, scientific and technical activities n.e.c.
Another possibility is this activity. Other occupations there include dependability engineer, quality engineer and commissioning engineer.
Explore this activityThese examples offer an overview but do not show every economic activity where the occupation may occur.
About this information
The selection is based on how occupations are connected to economic activities in ESCO and NACE. Only a few examples are shown to make the information easier to use. The occupations were selected because they are close in occupation area and important skills. The examples are not a ranking. They do not show where most people work, where demand is highest, or which occupation is best suited to a particular person.
Map overview
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O*NET relationships
See occupations connected to this ESCO occupation in the official O*NET–ESCO mapping. The relationship type comes from the source and is not a ranking or recommendation.
O*NET relationships: 1
Validation Engineers
17-2112.02
Close relationship
The occupations are closely related, but the official mapping does not treat them as exact equivalents.
Open in O*NETSource and method
These relationships come from the official European Commission O*NET–ESCO crosswalk.
Relationship direction: O*NET occupation to ESCO occupation.
Several O*NET occupations can point to the same ESCO occupation, and one O*NET occupation can point to several ESCO occupations.
AltoTrail preserves the source relationship type. The order is technical and does not show which occupation is best, most relevant or recommended.
AltoTrail validates and presents the source relationships without adding ranking or recommendation semantics.
NACE Rev. 2.1
Economic activities linked to this occupation.
CMANUFACTURING71.12Engineering activities and related technical consultancy71.2Technical testing and analysis74.99All other professional, scientific and technical activities n.e.c.
Alternative labels
Occupation group
Engineering professionals not elsewhere classified (2149)
Source facts
| ESCO URI | http://data.europa.eu/esco/occupation/c8fa93eb-7c2c-42c3-b135-c2e825a6615e |
|---|---|
| ESCO code | 2149.16 |
| ISCO group | 2149 |
| Concept type | Occupation |