All about the profession of an engineer-metrologist

Few people know what metrology engineers do. Some believe they are forecasting the weather, while others assume that metrologists are designing the metro. Both options are wrong. In accordance with the current ETKS, metrologists are specialists who control the correct operation of measuring equipment.

Let's take a simple example. Let's take a standard 40 cm ruler. If it is measured incorrectly, in the best case, the student in the school will receive a low score in mathematics, and in the worst case, the building designed by the architect will collapse. Or another case: a patient may undergo an ultrasound procedure twice and each time receive different diagnoses. This happens when the equipment does not pass the verification by the metrologist. Thus, we can conclude that metrology affects almost all areas of human life. At any manufacturing enterprise, a metrological engineer is responsible for monitoring the accuracy of measurements of parameters of all technological processes.

Many companies in their work use devices such as water and electricity meters, scales, blood pressure monitors, as well as radars and many other types of measuring equipment. The specialization of a metrological engineer implies the skill of developing effective verification schemes for them.

It should be noted that the history of this profession goes back several centuries.The reference measures used to maintain measurements date back to ancient times. However, a single metric convention was officially approved only in 1875 at the initiative of the famous chemist Dmitry Mendeleev. It is this year that is considered the official date of birth of metrology as a direction of professional activity.

However, long before that, back in the 16th century, there were so-called kissing agents in Russia - controllers who searched for and selected weight measures that were not officially registered. Moreover, in the 17th century. control over the measures was significantly strengthened, while the responsibility for the verification of the measuring equipment was taken over by the Big Customs.

Representatives of the profession of a metrological engineer are not often met these days, since not everyone decides to get this specialty. The fact is that there is no great demand for workers in this area from employers; they are usually accepted as a permanent full-time employee only by the largest firms, as well as by regulatory authorities. Small and medium-sized companies usually turn to third-party specialists who provide services for the verification of measuring equipment.

Job description and professional standard define the tasks, which the metrological engineer must decide:

• carrying out a set of works on metrological support of an industrial enterprise, carrying out examinations and testing of manufactured goods;
• participation in the creation of plans for the introduction of the latest measuring equipment;
• making recommendations for changing organizational and technical measures aimed at improving the existing metrological support of the enterprise;
• introduction of modern measuring solutions;
• planning the implementation of local verification procedures for all types of measurements;
• drawing up a schedule of the cyclicity of verification of the necessary measuring instruments;
• execution of a metrological examination of technological and design documentation developed at a manufacturing enterprise or received from other companies;
• certification of non-standardized measuring instruments;
• carrying out a set of works on the selection of optimal methods and methods of measurement, drawing up a scheme for their implementation;
• preparation of technical specifications for the design of new measuring instruments;
• participation in testing all new types of goods, if necessary - analysis of the causes of production disturbances, the appearance of rejects, the growth of non-productive costs and failures of technological modes in cases where this may be related to the quality of the measuring instruments;
• provision of services for the verification of high-tech devices.

An applicant for the position of a metrological engineer should know:

• all orders, as well as decisions and orders in terms of metrology;
• current regulatory and scientific-methodological materials on measuring support of production activities;
• principles of organization and implementation of a complex of metrological support of the company;
• accepted standards for metrological certification of manufactured goods;
• current standards for the installation, maintenance, use and storage of measuring instruments;
• technical parameters, as well as design features of all types of measuring equipment;
• accepted methods of making measurements.

Besides, a metrological engineer must be familiar with advanced foreign and domestic experience in terms of metrological surveys and ensuring metrological control in production. For a person of this specialty, it is important to have the skills of organizing effective work when introducing measuring circuits. The leading engineer must have knowledge of the principles of determining the economic efficiency of any newest means and methods of measurement.

In accordance with the current professional standard, a person with a higher specialized education in the technical field can become a metrology engineer without presenting requirements for work experience. If the applicant has a secondary vocational education, then in this case his experience in the field of metrology as a technician must be at least 3 years. It is allowed to work in other engineering positions, which are replaced by workers with secondary education. In this case, professional experience must be at least 5 years.

Obviously, it is not at all essential to have a higher education in this specialty to work as a metrology engineer. A diploma of education obtained, for example, in college, technical school, or even in special courses, will be quite enough. But then it is possible to take up the position of an engineer no earlier than 3 years later; a graduate of a secondary vocational educational institution will have to work in a position of the lowest grades.

Since a metrologist is a profession associated with measuring technology required in production, it is important to clearly understand that training in this specialty can be carried out only in technical universities. In most Russian regions, training for the position of a metrologist is not carried out; those wishing to take the position of an engineer in this direction must receive education in related specialties. Every year in Moscow and St. Petersburg universities recruit a lot of young people who plan to work as metrological engineers in the future.

Nowadays, the profession of an engineer-metrologist is not considered to be in sufficient demand, since interest in this area is declining on the domestic labor market. The salary of a metrologist engineer is small, but with a great desire and perseverance, you can grow to the position of the chief metrologist of the region. In most cases, metrologists work in the following areas:

• any manufacturing enterprises;
• food industry in cases where the technological cycle involves the use of a conveyor production method;
• energy complex enterprises (hydro, electric and nuclear power plants, fuel industry);
• centers for standardization, certification and metrology;
• scientific physical and chemical laboratories;
• sanitary and epidemiological stations;
• defense industry enterprises;
• Instrumentation, research institute;
• design and construction of buildings and structures;
• instrument-making sphere;
• space area.