defining an engineer?

[charan]

The creative application of scientific principles to design or develop structures, machines, apparatus, or manufacturing processes, or works utilizing them singly or in combination; or to construct or operate the same with full cognizance of their design; or to forecast their behavior under specific operating conditions; all as respects an intended function, economics of operation and safety to life and property. This is the book definition given to enginnering . How accurate is this definition? Any comments on the definition given???

[liza123]

what about the position called qa engineer? it is also engineering in QA dept. how do you differentiate that?

[anaklio]

I like the first definition. When we get into things like "sanitation engineer" it seems to be misleading.

[NickArsen]

I think following should be added:
 - Problem Solver
 - Concept builder
 - Calculation Expert
 - Quick Learner
 - Good Analyzer
 - Cheer Leader
QA engineers are the experts who evaluates the designed tasks and provides good suggestions and consultation services for bugs and disorders in core products.

[liza123]

I like your additions to the definition of engineer.   With regards to QA Engineers, your description basically summarizes for QC Engineers. QC/Quality Control is 'subset' or the core of QA/Quality Assurance. QA also covers the Quality Assurance system like process failures(other than product), procedures and other relevant documentation. QA Engineer also plays the role as you described in your additions . I suppose that the engineering part remains the same, the specific like chemical, civil, QA, QC differs

PS- Depending on the size of the company and their relevant departments, a QA Engineer 's function related to procedures and such documents might be very much limited

[NickArsen]

The role of an engineer may depend on the size of company but what if an engineer is more dynamic and works at more than one organization...not as an consultant?   Does the role of QA/QC  engineer remains same...i.e. for system failure?

I think besides the formal definitions of engineer, the most suitable can be, The portion of engineering that a certified engineer adopts and it will vary accordingly from person to person, type of work to nature of business and personal experience to organizational experience. Besides, Size of company cannot be restriction for growth and cannot limit the functional part. I suppose the engineering part remains different for all department and fields.

[liza123]

Putting aside the function of consultant, I was referring to the role of an engineer in a particular. Normally, you have to sign your LOA for your permanent position which does not allow you to work in another company without prior permission from the management. With regards to system failure, there is another function called ISO Engineer or ISO Dept. which refers to the Quality Managament System(hence, the system failures as I put it). No, the size of company does not limit growth or function, but, it plays a role in the number of departments, etc. that the management decides on. It has to do with workload, staffing and other factors. That is what I meant by my PS.

I agree you with you different portions-experience, skills, training, etc. The basic part of "engineering" remains the same if you leave out safety to life and property(unless it is civil engineering or such). It is not common for engineers to think of safety to life and property(unless the management has included this as well). Maybe safety to life but safety to property?

[NickArsen]

Thats more clear now about the specification. I do agree on your complementaries.. As far as safety is concerned its not only related to life and safety only but its all about humanity and sociality. Its not only limited to Civil engineering but its equally important to all disciplines of engineering, from software engineering to chemical engineering, from electronics engineering to aerospace engineering etc.
As far as I consider, The most important part in the engineering are  :
            - Proper Planning
            - Real Time Execution
       

[liza123]

Precisely. It is more about humanity and sociality, those are better words. That is why I said that it is not common for enginners to think in such a way. Yes, that part applies to all branches of engineering and some other jobs as well.

Proper Planning,
Real Time Execution,
PDCA, plan,do, check, action

-agreed, those 2 key points seem to suit "engineer"