What does an IT Engineer do?

An IT Engineer enables companies to improve efficiency, solve operations issues and remain competitive in IT research. IT Engineers usually specialize in a particular IT field. Computer Hardware IT Engineers design the physical parts of systems, such as central processing units (CPUs), graphics cards and external devices like printers and keyboards.

Software IT Engineers focus on creating programs to accomplish specific tasks, while Networking IT Engineers build networking systems, such as extranets and intranets. Security is another specialty area for IT Engineers, and it involves safeguarding networks, databases, and websites from cyber threats.

IT Engineer skills and qualifications

IT Engineers who excel in their roles possess fundamental skills. Including the following skills in your job description for IT Engineer positions can help you identify quality candidates:

• Proficiency in troubleshooting and resolving hardware and software issues

• Expertise in configuring and managing network devices, including routers, switches and firewalls

• Knowledge of operating systems such as Windows, Linux and macOS

• Ability to implement and manage virtualized environments using VMware, Hyper-V or similar technologies

• Experience with cloud services like AWS, Azure and Google Cloud Platform

• Understanding of cybersecurity principles and practices, including threat detection and prevention

• Ability to set up and maintain VPNs, LANs and WANs

• Capability to perform regular system updates, patches and backups

• Proficiency in scripting and automation using languages such as Python, Bash or PowerShell

• Ability to monitor system performance and ensure system availability and reliability

• In-depth knowledge of information technology related to a particular specialty

• Project management skills to delegate tasks and monitor progress toward project completion

• Analytical skills to interpret the results of tests

• Problem-solving skills to troubleshoot and resolve computing issues

• Leadership skills to coordinate and supervise the IT team’s activities

IT Engineer experience requirements

The experience an IT Engineer needs to be successful in your open position depends on your business needs. If your organization plans to employ one IT Engineer, you may wish to request a few years of experience in your IT Engineer job description. On the other hand, an IT Engineer joining an established team of experienced engineers may proficiently perform their job duties after graduating from a relevant degree program.

Some organizations distinguish between positions within IT engineering by using job titles, such as IT Engineer I, IT Engineer II and Senior IT Engineer. When taking this approach, you write a job description for IT engineers at each level, defining the specific duties of each role and establishing different sets of minimum qualifications.

IT Engineer education and training requirements

Typically, a bachelor’s degree in computer science or information science is the minimum education required to work as an IT Engineer. For senior positions, employers may prefer candidates with master’s degrees. Depending on the role, you may consider bootcamps, other degrees or relevant experience instead of a computer science degree.

You may also consider including a relevant supplementary certification in the list of required or preferred qualifications in your IT Engineer job description. Some examples of common certifications for IT Engineers include the Certified Software Development Professional (CSDP) credential from the IEEE Computer Society and the Certified Data Management Professional (CDMP) designation from the Data Management Association International (DAMA).

Job description samples for similar positions

If this Information Technology Engineer job description isn’t exactly what you’re looking for, check out these closely related jobs:

• IT Specialist

• Software Engineer

IT Engineer job description FAQs

How do I make my Information Technology Engineer job description attract attention?

To attract quality candidates to your IT Engineer job description, lead with a bulleted list of the job’s key benefits. Mention benefits packages, tuition reimbursement programs and opportunities for advancement.

What’s the difference between an IT Engineer and an IT Specialist?

IT Engineers and IT Specialists often work side-by-side in different roles. An IT Engineer develops new networks, applications and hardware for a business, while an IT Specialist aids in implementing and maintaining these elements of IT systems. In some cases, an IT Specialist may assist an IT Engineer in the development process, directly reporting to the engineer.

What’s the difference between an IT Engineer and an IT Manager?

An IT Manager is usually the direct supervisor of a team of IT Engineers who build new applications, hardware and networks for organizations. The IT Manager leads the IT department, oversees the completion of all projects and coaches IT team members. At many organizations, IT Manager is the next step on the career ladder for IT Engineers.