Public Policy Engineers Meet a Critical Need for a Complex Future

Of the more than 280,000 mechanical engineers employed in the United States, about 14,000 work in government positions. Engineers working for the federal government currently hold jobs within the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, NASA, the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, and Small Business Administration, with the most working as civilians with the armed forces. 

And while engineers make up only 0.5 percent of the total U.S. population, currently there are 10 engineers representing 2.3 percent of Congress. According to the latest report of the Congressional Research Service, there are 9 engineers in the House and one in the Senate. Considering emerging issues such as artificial intelligence, nuclear energy, and crumbling infrastructure, having expertise to shape policy makes sense. 

Shaping policy

More engineers are affected by policy than the number of those influencing and shaping it. Whether they are aware of it or not, regulations, laws, codes, and standards have a profound effect on how they design, build, and deliver projects. Although it is true that “engaging with policy to create it or modify it can impart more control and grant engineers the freedom to instill more of their own values into their work,” few engineers make it a career goal to shape laws and regulations.