Job Opportunities in Biomedical Engineering

Biomedical engineering is the profession that applies engineering design and problem-solving principles to all aspects of human biology to create medical solutions for diagnosis and treatment of disease and injury. 

It’s quite literally at the heart of modern medicine.

All devices and life-saving implants that give patients support plus the medical interventions that enable them to live life to the fullest are results of the ingenuity and hard work of biomedical engineers.

These engineers are saving lives and improving the quality of life for millions of people around the world. This is far more than just pacemakers and ventilators. There’s a wide range of scanning and monitoring equipment, prostheses, tissue engineering with 3D printed organs, and stem cell engineering to name a few. They are constantly pushing forward the frontiers of what is possible.

Of course, all this equipment needs to be managed and maintained. This is where the clinical engineering branch excels.

What Does a Biomedical Engineer Do?

Many of the devices that we take for granted today were invented by talented engineers who turned a spark of inspiration into a life-saving device or procedure.

In the late 1950’s Earl Bakken, an electrical engineer, set up his Medtronic company to help hospitals with the maintenance of their equipment. At the time doctors were using electro-stimulation to regulate the heart rates of babies with cardiac conditions. The devices were bulky and needed a mains electrical supply. One night a child died as the result of a power outage and the doctor asked Earl Bakken to find a solution. After seeing a circuit diagram for a metronome in Popular Electronics magazine, he created a battery-operated device the size of a pack of cards. Over the years this “pacemaker” has been refined and has saved millions of lives.

Mechanical ventilators were invented by an aviator, Forrest Bird, who was working with the USAF to find ways to provide oxygen breathing apparatus for high altitude pilots. He studied medicine and put his engineering skills to good use in modifying the units to work in hospitals. 

Nicholas Peppas is a pioneer in drug delivery mechanisms, biomaterials, hydrogels, and nanobiotechnology creating feedback-controlled biomedical devices and molecular recognition. His approach blends modern molecular and cellular biology with engineering to generate the next generation of medical systems and devices, including bioMEMS.

Gordana Vunjak-Novakovic of Columbia University has developed tissue engineering solutions. The focus of her research is on engineering functional human tissues by integrated use of stem cells, biomaterial scaffolds, and bioreactors, which are culture systems designed to regulate and stimulate tissue development.

A great deal of experimental and monitoring data is processed by software developed for bioinformatics. This forms the bedrock of modern biomedical research and development. 

Do You Have What It Takes To Become A Biomedical Engineer?

As you can see this branch of engineering covers a wide range of skills and specializations. Many universities offer bachelor’s degrees in biomedical engineering as a core subject with emphasis on areas available for specializations in mechanical engineering, electrical engineering, materials science and engineering, or biotechnology. 

There are also great opportunities for undergraduate research projects and internships with the medical device industry to get some real-world experience. 

What are the Prospects and Salary Expectations for a Biomedical Engineer?

Biomedical engineering is in high demand with a constant stream of discoveries and developments in areas such as biomechanics, biomaterials, cell and molecular engineering, and neural engineering. With a core understanding of engineering principles and the particular demands of life sciences, you will be able to specialize in areas that interest you. 

According to The US Bureau of Statistics, the median annual salary of biomedical engineers is around $98,000

How to Find the Right Opening

Here at Step Up Recruiting, we specialize in finding the right jobs for biomedical engineers so you’re in the right place. Drop us a line and we will help you find your perfect match.