Also called: Assistive Technology Engineer
Designs and customizes technology — wheelchairs, communication devices, smart-home controls — for people with disabilities.
Measures a teenager with cerebral palsy for a custom power wheelchair, programs it to work with a head switch, and tests a 3D-printed mount for her tablet.
Approximate: anchored on Bureau of Labor Statistics data for a broader job group.
Bachelor's degree (4-year), about 5 years after high school. Bachelor's in biomedical or mechanical engineering; RESNA certification; many have a master's.
Ways in: 4-year college, Graduate school, Certification. Training cost: $15k – $60k.
Majors to look at: Biomedical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Rehabilitation Science.
Growing faster than average (about 5% over 10 years). Bioengineers overall.
Low risk for 10 years. AI helps design parts and controls, but fitting a custom wheelchair or switch to a real person stays hands-on.
Classes: AP Physics, AP Calculus, Engineering or CAD CTE.
Official data: O*NET occupation 17-2031.
Career Universe is an early version. Pay, training and AI-risk figures are estimates to start your own research, not verified facts. The research was written with AI research assistants, checked by validation scripts and spot-checked by hand. Check anything important with schools, employers and official sources. How the numbers work.