Wood technology engineer

Wood technology engineers develop materials and components made of wood, construct production facilities and control and monitor the production. They also examine products and materials and advise customers.

The following job titles also refer to wood technology engineer:

wood technology engineering adviser
wooden technology operative
wooden technology operator
wood technology operative
timber technology technician
wood technologist
timber technology engineer
timber products engineer
wood tech engineer
wooden technology technician
wood technology engineering consultant
wooden technology specialist
wood technology engineering expert
wood technology expert
wood technology engineering specialist
wooden technology engineer
wooden technologist
wood technology specialist
wood technology technician
wood products engineer
wood technology operator

Bachelor’s degree is generally required to work as wood technology engineer. However, this requirement may differ in some countries.

ISCO skill level is defined as a function of the complexity and range of tasks and duties to be performed in an occupation. It is measured on a scale from 1 to 4, with 1 the lowest level and 4 the highest, by considering:

• the nature of the work performed in an occupation in relation to the characteristic tasks and duties
• the level of formal education required for competent performance of the tasks and duties involved and
• the amount of informal on-the-job training and/or previous experience in a related occupation required for competent performance of these tasks and duties.

Wood technology engineer is a Skill level 4 occupation.

These occupations, although different, require a lot of knowledge and skills similar to wood technology engineer.

paper engineer
environmental mining engineer
wood factory manager
transport engineer
wind energy engineer

These occupations require some skills and knowledge of wood technology engineer. They also require other skills and knowledge, but at a higher ISCO skill level, meaning these occupations are accessible from a position of wood technology engineer with a significant experience and/or extensive training.

This knowledge should be acquired through learning to fulfill the role of wood technology engineer.

Woodworking processes: Steps in the processing of wood for the manufacturing of wooden articles and types of machines used for these processes such as drying, shaping, assembling and surface finishing.
Wood moisture content: The amount of water contained in wood materials. The effect of wood moisture on the size and physical characteristics of the wood. Suitable moisture contents for different uses.
Chemistry of wood: The chemical composition of every wood species, which consists of a certain percentage of cellulose, hemicellulose, and lignin, and contains carbon, oxygen, hydrogen, nitrogen, and other elements.
Engineering principles: The engineering elements like functionality, replicability, and costs in relation to the design and how they are applied in the completion of engineering projects.
Timber products: Key features, advantages and limitations of the different timbers and timber based products sold at a company and where to access this information.
Manufacturing processes: The steps required through which a material is transformed into a product, its development and full-scale manufacturing.
Woodworking tools: The various tools used to process wood, such as planers, chisels and lathes.
Technical drawings: Drawing software and the various symbols, perspectives, units of measurement, notation systems, visual styles and page layouts used in technical drawings.
Construction products: The offered construction materials, their functionalities, properties and legal and regulatory requirements.
Engineering processes: The systematic approach to the development and maintenance of engineering systems.
Civil engineering: The engineering discipline that studies the design, construction and maintenance of naturally built works such as roads, buildings, and canals.
Wood products: The various wood products such as lumber and furniture, their functionalities, properties and legal and regulatory requirements.
Mining, construction and civil engineering machinery products: The offered mining, construction and civil engineering machinery products, their functionalities, properties and legal and regulatory requirements.
Types of wood: Types of wood, such as birch, pine, poplar, mahogany, maple and tulipwood.
Types of wood materials: Identify the specification, purpose, and quality of the required wood (based) material and provide information about this to customers.

These skills are necessary for the role of wood technology engineer.

Ensure compliance with safety legislation: Implement safety programmes to comply with national laws and legislation. Ensure that equipment and processes are compliant with safety regulations.
Plan engineering activities: Organise engineering activities before starting them.
Advise customers on wood products: Advise others on the applicability, suitability, and limitations of wood products and wood based materials.
Adjust engineering designs: Adjust designs of products or parts of products so that they meet requirements.
Manipulate wood: Manipulate the properties, shape and size of wood.
Perform scientific research: Gain, correct or improve knowledge about phenomena by using scientific methods and techniques, based on empirical or measurable observations.
Use technical drawing software: Create technical designs and technical drawings using specialised software.
Meet contract specifications: Meet contract specifications, schedules and manufacturers’ information. Check that the work can be carried out in the estimated and allocated time.
Read standard blueprints: Read and comprehend standard blueprints, machine, and process drawings.
Plan resource allocation: Plan future needs of various resources such as time, money and specific process resources.
Monitor production developments: Monitor parameters to keep an eye on the production, developments and costs within your area of control.
Distinguish wood quality: Distinguish different types of wood quality schemes, grading rules, and standards. See how quality differs between certain kinds of wood, such as hardwoods and softwoods.
Draw blueprints: Draw layout specifications for machinery, equipment and building structures. Specify which materials should be used and the size of the components. Show different angles and views of the product.
Approve engineering design: Give consent to the finished engineering design to go over to the actual manufacturing and assembly of the product.

This knowledge is sometimes, but not always, required for the role of wood technology engineer. However, mastering this knowledge allows you to have more opportunities for career development.

Business management principles: Principles governing business management methods such as strategy planning, methods of efficient production, people and resources coordination.
Environmental legislation in agriculture and forestry: Awareness on enviromental legislation, policies, principles relevant for agriculture and forestry. Awareness of the impact on the enviroment of local agricultural precedures and practices. Means to adjust the production to new enviromental regulations and policies.
Design principles: The elements used in design such as unity, scale, proportion, balance, symmetry, space, form, texture, colour, light, shade and congruence and their application into practice.
Paper chemistry: The chemical composition of paper and the substances that can be added to the pulp in order to change the paper properties, such as caustic soda, sulfurous acid, and sodium sulfide.
Paper production processes: The different steps in the manufacturing of paper and paperboard products, such as pulp production, bleaching, and pressing.
Cost management: The process of planning, monitoring and adjusting the expenses and revenues of a business in order to achieve cost efficiency and capability.
Wood cuts: Different ways of cutting wood, across the grain or parallel with it, and radial or tangential to the core. The behaviour of cuts of wood under different circumstances and the optimal cut for a given purpose. Influence of special attributes of the wood, like knots or defects.
Types of pulp: Kinds of pulp are distinguished based on their fibre type and the specific chemical processes through which they were created.
Sales strategies: The principles concerning customer behaviour and target markets with the aim of promotion and sales of a product or a service.
Logistics: The management of resources such as materials, time, and information to control the flow of products between the point of origin and the point of use. This includes the production, packaging, storing and transportation of goods.

These skills and competences are sometimes, but not always, required for the role of wood technology engineer. However, mastering these skills and competences allows you to have more opportunities for career development.

Ensure compliance with environmental legislation: Monitor activities and perform tasks ensuring compliance with standards involving environmental protection and sustainability, and amend activities in the case of changes in environmental legislation. Ensure that the processes are compliant with environment regulations and best practices.
Oversee construction project: Make sure that the construction project is carried out in compliance with the building permit, the execution plans, the performance and design specifications, and the relevant regulations.
Plan product management: Manage the scheduling of procedures which aim to maximise sales objectives, such as forecasting market trends, product placement, and sales planning.
Study prices of wood products: Be aware of current market studies and forecasts concerning supply, demand, trade and prices of wood and related products.
Inspect wood materials: Carry out a thorough inspection of wood material using appropriate methods, instruments, tools, and other apparatus.
Oversee quality control: Monitor and assure the quality of the provided goods or services by overseeing that all the factors of the production meet quality requirements. Supervise product inspection and testing.
Identify hazards in the workplace: Perform safety audits and inspections on workplaces and workplace equipment. Ensure that they meet safety regulations and identify hazards and risks.
Wear appropriate protective gear: Wear relevant and necessary protective gear, such as protective goggles or other eye protection, hard hats, safety gloves.
Inspect building systems: Inspect buildings and building systems such as plumbing or electrical systems to confirm compliance with regulations and requirements.
Check quality of raw materials: Check the quality of basic materials used for the production of semi-finished and finished goods by assessing some of its characteristics and, if needed, select samples to be analysed.
Use cad software: Use computer-aided design (CAD) systems to assist in the creation, modification, analysis, or optimisation of a design.
Manage timber stocks: Inspect the stock to find out how much is left. Identify any damaged, faulty, or out of date items and move them to the appropriate location. Follow stock rotation methods to ensure stock is used effectively. Handle goods using safe and approved handling methods.
Perform project management: Manage and plan various resources, such as human resources, budget, deadline, results, and quality necessary for a specific project, and monitor the project’s progress in order to achieve a specific goal within a set time and budget.
Check durability of wood materials: Check the categorisation and different levels of durability of wood materials.

2149 – Engineering professionals not elsewhere classified

 

 

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References

1. Wood technology engineer – ESCO