Biomedical Engineer Job Description
We've put together a list of what will be expected from you as a biomedical engineer, including some of the task you may carry out on a day-to-day basis.
- Research, design, development and testing of medical devices and procedures
- Design using 3D modelling software
- Conduct safety and clinical tests for products before they go out for commercial use
- Draft technical documents, research reports and papers
- Carry out quality assurance checks
- Working on joint replacements, artificial limbs and organs, heart valves, surgical robots, tissue engineering, computer simulations, hearing implants, speech synthesisers, pacemakers, MRI machines, bionic contact lenses - and much more!
- Working with medical and surgical experts, healthcare professionals and sometimes face-to-face with patients to ensure products are designed correctly and up to consumer standards
How to Become a Biomedical Engineer
1. Have the Right Skills and Foundation Knowledge
Before you start looking for biomedical engineer jobs, it's important that you have the right mindset, skills and foundations needed for a role in biomedical engineering.
Usually, employers look for the following characteristics in desirable biomedical engineering candidates:
- Interests in human biology
- Suitable knowledge in biology, mathematics, computer programming, chemistry
If you do not have any of the above experience or knowledge just yet, you should try and build your experience wherever possible. This could be done through internships, volunteering and work experience opportunities. There are also many free and paid courses available online where you can learn more about biology, mathematics, computer programming or chemistry to strengthen your knowledge.
2. Get a Relevant Degree
A degree in biomedical engineering will open up a range of job opportunities. It really is the first big step towards getting a job as a biomedical engineer.
There are biomedical engineering degrees available, but you may also be able to get a job in the field with a related degree such as physics, mechanical engineering, electronic engineering or biomedical science.
3. Choose Your Career Pathway
The next steps in your career journey depend on where you'd like to end up as a biomedical engineer. For example, your biomedical engineer career path can differ depending on whether you want to work in the NHS, in industry, or in research.
Become a Biomedical Engineer in the NHS
If you want to become a biomedical engineer within the NHS, you will need to complete the Scientist Training Programme (STP) after you've finished your degree. This involves 3 years of paid work-based training while doing an accredited Master's degree in biomedical engineering.
Once you've completed this, you will need to get a certificate of attainment from the Academy of Healthcare Science, and then register with the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) to legally practice as a clinical scientist.
Become a Biomedical Engineer in Research
If you want to work as a biomedical engineer in a research-based role, you will have to complete a PhD in biomedical engineering, followed by a role in a university or academic institute to become a lecturer or a researcher.
Become a Biomedical Engineer in the Private Sector
To become a biomedical engineer in the private sector, you will need to work towards gaining a chartered status.
To do this, you will have to take an accredited MSc or EngD qualification before starting work. You will then have to take the Engineering Council's MSc in professional engineering alongside your work. After this, a formal assessment will be conducted by an institution that is licensed by the Engineering Council, such as the Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET) or the Institution of Mechanical Engineers (IMechE).
4. Find Jobs in Biomedical Engineering
Here's where the job hunting begins! When you search for biomedical engineering jobs, note that it can also be listed as clinical or medical engineering.
Science job boards are fantastic way to start. We frequently have biomedical engineer jobs available in many areas, such as in hospital trusts, medical equipment companies, university research departments, private sector research units and more.
Simply click the button below to go straight to our science job board which is updated daily!
Find Biomedical Engineering Jobs
Why Become a Biomedical Engineer?
When you become a biomedical engineer, you will be part of an extremely fast-moving and exciting profession. There's a lot of scope for progression and loads of opportunities to move between hospital-based roles and roles in the wider healthcare industry.
You will also get the opportunity to progress and upskill in a specialty area, such as:
- Orthopaedic bioengineering
The salary of a biomedical engineer is also extremely rewarding. It depends on who you work for and what your specialism is, but the national average salary of a biomedical engineer in the UK is £35,338 per year.
