While it is much easier to anticipate the general type of engineering questions that you might encounter during an engineering interview, it is not quite the same when it comes to technical questions. This is simply because such questions are entirely dependent on the interviewer, your discipline and the level of your experience. Technical questions are intended to test your expertise on the chosen subject matter and to simply prove that you did in fact complete engineering school as you claim. So, it might be a good idea to refresh yourself on some of the most important topics from college in addition to other general interviewing questions.
The following list provides a simple summary of technical questions that our users have encountered during interviews.
- Draw for us the moment diagram for a simply supported beam
- Why is a manhole round?
- Tell us the major difference between pumps in series and pumps in parallel?
- What are some of the different ways to lay a foundation?
- How do you predict the movement of soil under unpredictable forces and wet conditions?
- You have designed an intersection based on data from past years. What is the most important thing you must do before submitting it for final approval?
- During construction, the contractor was digging a trench and found something large and unusual. He calls you and asks what he should do. How would you handle this situation?
- Explain the differences between a transistor and capacitor.
- Describe the Bode Plots of a High and Low Pass filter.
- Describe the functions of a D Flip Flop.
- Explain Ohm’s Law.
- How are a resistor and its corresponding current related?
- Describe the functions of a diode.
- Describe the basic elements of an integrated circuit.
- Describe the difference between the P-type and N-Type configurations.
- How does an Analog-to-Digital converter function?
- Explain how a resistor functions.
- List Newton’s Laws and state the equations.
- How is a factor of safety used in design?
- Interpret a Stress vs. Strain Curve.
- What types of equations or theories would be used in Static Failure?
- What types of equations would be used in Fatigue Failure?