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Useful experience for biomedical engineers includes:

• engineering work
• work with computers and electronics
• experience in the health care industry.

Biomedical engineers may do some or all of the following:

• consult and collaborate with doctors and other medical staff
• conduct research and publish the results
• keep up to date with biotechnical developments
• design and develop products such as medical scanning devices, machines, artificial body parts and software
• repair medical equipment
• test products with patients or volunteers
• train medical staff in how to use devices, and provide technical support when devices are in use.

The number of biomedical engineers has been rising in recent years. However, more are needed to meet demand caused by:

• experienced staff often leaving for better paid positions overseas
• an ageing population with more health problems
• increasing use of sophisticated medical devices in the health industry.

According to the Census, 216 biomedical engineers worked in New Zealand in 2018.

Types of employers varied

Biomedical engineers work for a range of employers, including:

• research institutes at universities
• public hospitals
• veterinary clinics and research institutes
• private businesses that provide biomedical products.

Some biomedical engineers also work in film animation, where their knowledge of body movement is useful.

Engineering New Zealand

64 4 473 9444 - hello@engineeringnz.org - www.engineeringnz.org

Biomedical engineers may move into managerial roles. Those who work in universities may become tertiary lecturers, assistant professors, or professors.

Biomedical engineers may specialise in areas such as:

• biotechnology – developing commercial products using living material. For example, designing organisms to produce antibiotics
• instrumentation – development of new instruments, such as heart monitoring systems, for diagnosis, treatment or measurement of body processes
• medical software development
• nanotechnology – research and development of tiny products, such as microscopic sensors, that can measure changes in body tissue
• prosthetic and implant development – artificial replacements for body parts including limbs and internal organs
• systems monitoring – monitoring and testing of health care systems
• tissue engineering – repairing or making artificial replacements for tissues such as blood vessels and skin.

•  Tertiary lecturer job information

Biomedical engineers need to be:

• practical and logical
• accurate, with an eye for detail
• creative and innovative
• able to work well under pressure
• problem-solvers
• able to work alone or as part of a team.