MECHANICAL ENGINEER TRAINEE
Mechanical Engineer Trainee is non-competitive, meaning the state checks your education and experience against the spec instead of ranking you on a test.
Eligibility comes down to a bachelor's degree. The FY 2027 range lands between $68,839 and $71,493.
How to apply
This title is not filled by examination — agencies appoint directly.
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See where to apply for this title →Where this title is used
Mechanical Engineer Trainee is a common title, so it is used in both State and local service. The local side is filled by the counties, municipalities, authorities and other employers that have adopted civil service under Title 11A, which set their own pay by ordinance or contract rather than from a State salary schedule.
Check whether an employer is a civil service jurisdiction · How local civil service works
Official job specification
The text below is the official specification published by the New Jersey Civil Service Commission. The plain-language summary and analysis above are derived from it by NJ Civil Service Navigator. Source: the official specification page at NJ CSC.
Definition
Under the close supervision of a Principal Engineer, Mechanical or other supervisory official in a State department or agency, or local government agency, as a trainee and productive worker, learns to perform basic field and/or office work in mechanical engineering, including preparing layouts and work plans, and performing computations involving plumbing and drainage, heating and boiler installation, ventilation, air-conditioning, refrigeration, noise and vibration control, and sprinkler and fire protection systems for various types of State buildings; and/or learns to perform basic work in mechanical engineering research, design, and development of equipment operations, methods, and preventative maintenance; and/or learns to perform basic work involving the engineering review of carnival and amusement ride designs for compliance with applicable standards; does other related duties as required.
Examples of work
- Under close supervision, as a trainee and productive worker:
- Learns to prepare preliminary layouts and perform computations required for plumbing and drainage, heating and boiler installation, ventilation, air-conditioning, refrigeration, noise and vibration control, equipment design and fabrication, and sprinkler and fire protection systems for various types of State buildings.
- Learns to prepare work plans for designated plumbing, heating, boiler operation, ventilation, air-conditioning, and fire protection and sprinkler systems; learns to check drawings and plans done by others.
- Learns to conduct mechanical engineering and related studies, surveys, inspections, and investigations.
- Learns to prepare as-built reports; learns to assemble and reduce field notes.
- Learns to gather field data concerning the physical features of the site of proposed mechanical projects; learns to make field inspections of the condition and functioning of mechanical installations.
- Learns to perform varied field and/or office engineering work involved in the measurement and determination of quantities and costs of structures and facilities, or study of utility services, rates, and safety.
- Learns to review submissions of equipment and machinery designs for compliance with applicable standards.
- Learns to perform field inspections of equipment and machinery for compliance with approved plans and specifications.
- Learns to perform physical and chemical tests in the field and laboratory of all types of materials and products used in the construction and maintenance of highways and public transportation facilities.
- Learns to prepare and interpret computer data related to individual engineering projects.
- Learns to utilize computer applications in engineering problem-solving.
- Prepares clear, technically sound, accurate, and informative mechanical engineering and other related reports containing findings, conclusions, and recommendations.
- Prepares detailed correspondences.
- Maintains essential records, reports, and files.
- Will be required to learn how to utilize various types of electronic and/or manual recording and information systems used by the agency, office, or related units.
- <u>For DCA use only:</u>
- Learns to prepare preliminary layouts and perform computations required for carnival and amusement ride equipment design and fabrication.
- Learns to review drawings, specifications, and calculations of carnival and amusement rides for compliance with applicable standards.
- Learns to performs field inspections of carnival and amusement rides for compliance with adopted standards and consistency with approved specifications, drawings, and calculations.
Education
Graduation from an accredited college or university with a Bachelor's degree in Mechanical, Civil, or Electrical Engineering.
License
Appointees will be required to possess a driver's license valid in New Jersey only if the operation of a vehicle, rather than employee mobility, is necessary to perform the essential duties of the position.
Knowledge, skills and abilities
- Knowledge of the principles, procedures, techniques, and applications of mechanical engineering.
- Knowledge of engineering mathematics, including applied trigonometry and calculus.
- Ability to learn the preparation and specifications of projects, plans, designs, and calculations for heating, ventilation, plumbing, air-conditioning, and fire protection for various types of State buildings.
- Ability to learn equipment design and stress analysis for all types of equipment.
- Ability to learn boiler design and installation, and water treatment for such installations.
- Ability to learn the construction, operation, and maintenance of mechanical, heating, electrical, hydraulic, gas, and refrigeration machinery and other equipment.
- Ability to learn the methods used to prepare detailed specifications for mechanical engineering projects, including the calculation of stress, heat losses, costs of materials required, and other basic calculations.
- Ability to learn the mechanical engineering problems likely to be encountered in the maintenance of the large-scale equipment.
- Ability to learn the capabilities and application of computers in mechanical engineering situations and projects.
- Ability to learn to conduct engineering studies and prepare work plans for plumbing, ventilation, heating, air-conditioning, and fire protection systems, including calculation of quantities, layout of soil, waste, vent and water lines, and calculation of cost estimates.
- Ability to learn to check shop drawings.
- Ability to learn quickly from instruction, explanations, and demonstrations.
- Ability to work alone or as one of a group in the office and in the field.
- Ability to apply basic mechanical engineering principles and techniques in plans, designs, charts, maps, specifications, and estimates to assemble and reduce field notes.
- Ability to collect and analyze engineering data for computer processing, and to read and interpret results.
- Ability to prepare clear, technically sound, accurate, and informative mechanical engineering and other related reports containing findings, conclusions, and recommendations.
- Ability to prepare detailed correspondence.
- Ability to maintain essential records, reports, and files.
- Ability to learn how to utilize various types of electronic and/or manual recording and information systems used by the agency, office, or related units.
- Ability to read, write, speak, understand, and communicate in English sufficiently to perform the duties of this position. American Sign Language or Braille may also be considered as acceptable forms of communication.
- Persons with mental or physical disabilities are eligible if they can perform the essential functions of the job with or without reasonable accommodation. If the accommodation cannot be made because it would cause the employer undue hardship, such persons may not be eligible.
- <u>For DCA use only</u>:
- Ability to learn the problems involved in mechanical engineering work including preparation of plans, designs, and calculations for carnival and amusement ride equipment.
- Ability to learn the applicable industry standards related to the design, manufacture, and layout of carnival and amusement ride equipment.
- Ability to apply appropriate industry standards related to the design, manufacture, and layout of carnival and amusement ride equipment.
- <b>ADVANCEMENT:</b>
- Appointees who successfully complete the twelve (12) month training period will be eligible for advancement to an Assistant Engineer level title, in accordance with the New Jersey Civil Service Commission procedures.
- The inability of an employee in this trainee title to attain a level of performance warranting advancement to the Assistant Engineer level shall be considered as cause for separation.
Note
The examples of work for this title are for illustrative purposes only. A particular position using this title may not perform all of the duties listed in this job specification. Conversely, all duties performed on the job may not be listed.
An Engineer-In-Training (EIT) certification issued by the Division of Consumer Affairs, New Jersey Office of the Attorney General may be substituted for the above education requirement. Applicants must submit proof of the EIT certification and the Fundamentals of Engineering (FE) exam results. The area of discipline indicated on the FE exam results must be in Mechanical, Civil, or Electrical and Computer.
Possession of a valid Professional Engineer's License issued by the New Jersey State Board of Professional Engineers and Land Surveyors may be substituted for the Bachelor's degree in Engineering.