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Biomedical Engineer

Engineering

Apply knowledge of engineering, biology, chemistry, computer science, and biomechanical principles to the design, development, and evaluation of biological, agricultural, and health systems and products, such as artificial organs, prostheses, instrumentation, medical information systems, and health management and care delivery systems.

ScienceMechanical Engineering

What you'd do all day

The tasks that matter most in this job, most important first.

  1. 1Evaluate the safety, efficiency, and effectiveness of biomedical equipment.
  2. 2Prepare technical reports, data summary documents, or research articles for scientific publication, regulatory submissions, or patent applications.
  3. 3Design or develop medical diagnostic or clinical instrumentation, equipment, or procedures, using the principles of engineering and biobehavioral sciences.
  4. 4Conduct research, along with life scientists, chemists, and medical scientists, on the engineering aspects of the biological systems of humans and animals.
  5. 5Adapt or design computer hardware or software for medical science uses.
  6. 6Develop statistical models or simulations, using statistical or modeling software.
  7. 7Maintain databases of experiment characteristics or results.
  8. 8Read current scientific or trade literature to stay abreast of scientific, industrial, or technological advances.
  9. 9Manage teams of engineers by creating schedules, tracking inventory, creating or using budgets, or overseeing contract obligations or deadlines.
  10. 10Develop models or computer simulations of human biobehavioral systems to obtain data for measuring or controlling life processes.
  11. 11Design or conduct follow-up experimentation, based on generated data, to meet established process objectives.
  12. 12Write documents describing protocols, policies, standards for use, maintenance, and repair of medical equipment.
  13. 13Communicate with bioregulatory authorities regarding licensing or compliance responsibilities.
  14. 14Develop methodologies for transferring procedures or biological processes from laboratories to commercial-scale manufacturing production.
  15. 15Collaborate with manufacturing or quality assurance staff to prepare product specification or safety sheets, standard operating procedures, user manuals, or qualification and validation reports.
  16. 16Analyze new medical procedures to forecast likely outcomes.
  17. 17Research new materials to be used for products, such as implanted artificial organs.
  18. 18Design and deliver technology, such as prosthetic devices, to assist people with disabilities.
  19. 19Consult with chemists or biologists to develop or evaluate novel technologies.
  20. 20Prepare project plans for equipment or facility improvements, including time lines, budgetary estimates, or capital spending requests.
  21. 21Confer with research and biomanufacturing personnel to ensure the compatibility of design and production.
  22. 22Recommend process formulas, instrumentation, or equipment specifications, based on results of bench or pilot experimentation.
  23. 23Communicate with suppliers regarding the design or specifications of bioproduction equipment, instrumentation, or materials.
  24. 24Conduct training or in-services to educate clinicians and other personnel on proper use of equipment.
  25. 25Advise manufacturing staff regarding problems with fermentation, filtration, or other bioproduction processes.
  26. 26Advise hospital administrators on the planning, acquisition, and use of medical equipment.
  27. 27Review existing manufacturing processes to identify opportunities for yield improvement or reduced process variation.
  28. 28Develop bioremediation processes to reduce pollution, protect the environment, or treat waste products.
  29. 29Lead studies to examine or recommend changes in process sequences or operation protocols.
  30. 30Design or direct bench or pilot production experiments to determine the scale of production methods that optimize product yield and minimize production costs.

Also known as

What this job is called on JobStreet, LinkedIn and in job ads. Search these too.

  • SQE
  • Engineer
  • Bioengineer
  • Field Engineer
  • Yield Engineer
  • Biomedical Tech
  • Genetic Engineer
  • Medical Engineer
  • Process Engineer
  • Clinical Engineer

How far is this from you?

Roughly how much preparation this job usually takes. In Malaysia your UPU route and the programme's syarat still decide entry, so treat this as a guide, not a gate.

  1. 1

    Entry straight after SPM

  2. 2

    SPM + sijil / short TVET course

  3. 3

    Diploma / TVET (sijil–diploma)

  4. Typical entry

    Degree (ijazah sarjana muda)

  5. 5

    Postgrad (sarjana / PhD) or professional route

Typical educationBachelor's degree

Subjects that matter here

The SPM subjects worth your effort for this career, with the reason for each.

PhysicsDraws directly on Engineering and Technology — a top knowledge area for this role (O*NET).
Additional MathematicsDraws directly on Engineering and Technology — a top knowledge area for this role (O*NET).
Design & Technology (RBT)Draws directly on Engineering and Technology — a top knowledge area for this role (O*NET).
InventionDraws directly on Engineering and Technology — a top knowledge area for this role (O*NET).
Computer Science / ICTDraws directly on Computers and Electronics — a top knowledge area for this role (O*NET).

What you'd need to know

The subject areas this job leans on most, and the SPM subjects that build them.

  • Engineering and Technology91%

    PhysicsAdditional MathematicsDesign & Technology (RBT)

  • Computers and Electronics90%

    Computer Science / ICTElectrical & Electronic Eng. Studies

  • Mathematics89%

    Additional MathematicsMathematics

  • Design79%

    Visual Art (PSV)Technical Comm. GraphicsEngineering Drawing

  • Physics79%

    Physics

  • Biology76%

    BiologyAdditional Science

Tools you'd use

Software and equipment that show up in this job, worth learning early.

Where to learn these, free

Scholarships & funding

What the work feels like

Day-to-day working conditions, so you can tell whether the job suits how you like to work.

  • Face-to-face discussionsOften
  • Contact with other peopleContact most of the time
  • Dealing with customers or the publicA little
  • Leading or coordinating othersHigh
  • Handling conflict situationsRarely
  • Indoors, air-conditionedEvery day
  • Outdoors, in all weatherAlmost never
  • Noisy environmentRarely

AI and demand for this job

A few real, dated data points — not a single score. AI making some tasks faster usually means a job changes, not that it disappears.

26%

Share of everyday tasks today's AI can already help with (2023)

This estimate is from 2023 — already out of date, since AI moves fast. Treat it as a rough, aging starting point, not the current picture.

Growing role in the US

US Bureau of Labor Statistics data, not Malaysian. Shown because it's the only forward-looking demand estimate we have for this job.

On Malaysia's official shortage list

TalentCorp and ILMIA's Critical Occupations List — evidence of a real hiring shortage in Malaysia right now.

Engineering Professionals (Excluding Electrotechnology) Not Elsewhere Classified · Shortage indicators met: 4/12

Pay in Malaysia

We don't have a sourced Malaysian salary range for this job yet, and we'd rather show nothing than a number we can't stand behind.

Where to check:

  • JobStreet and Hiredly job ads for this title
  • DOSM Salaries & Wages Survey
  • SSPA scheme tables, if you're aiming for a government post
See pay for a related career: Aerospace Engineer

Check what you may qualify for

Enter your SPM grades and see which routes and programmes you may qualify for. An estimate to plan with, not an offer.

Check my eligibility Not sure yet? Take the quiz

How to get here

Post-SPM pathways with programmes in this career's fields. Tap one to see real programmes and entry requirements.

Matriculation

One or two years, heavily subsidised with allowance. Competitive, quota-based entry.

12–24 months

Asasi / Foundation

One-year runway into a specific university: public via UPU or private direct entry.

12 months

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About this information

This describes what the job involves. Pay, demand and entry routes differ in Malaysia, so check the Pathways and Programmes pages for local requirements.

O*NET occupation: Bioengineers and Biomedical Engineers

Job responsibilities, knowledge areas and work context from O*NET 30.3, US Department of Labor, used under CC BY 4.0. onetcenter.org