Engineering is about solving problems by designing and building things that work. You'll take something apart, try hands-on experiments, and design something of your own. Along the way you'll meet engineers and see how many different kinds there are.
Why it's worth it
Engineers turn problems into things that work: clean water from a tap, a bridge that holds in an earthquake, a prosthetic hand, a rover on Mars. On this badge you'll take apart a real product to see how it was designed, meet an engineer, design something of your own step by step, and test your ideas with experiments. You'll start thinking like an engineer: define the problem, try, measure, and improve.
Start this week
- Find a broken or outgrown item, like an old toy or small appliance, and ask a parent if you can take it apart. Cut the power cord off first.
- Ask your Scoutmaster for the name of an Engineering counselor, and contact them with a parent copied.
- Write down three everyday problems you've noticed that a better design could fix.
- Ask family friends or your counselor if they know an engineer you could visit for requirement 4.
Requirements · 9
Every official requirement and part, numbered to match Scouting America, in plain language. Sign off against the official wording (opens in a new tab) (updated 2025).
- Requirement 1
Pick a manufactured item at home, like a toy or appliance, and with adult supervision and your counselor's approval, investigate how and why it works and what engineering went into making it; then talk with your counselor about what you found and where you found it
Tip: Choose an old item headed for the trash, like a toy or a small appliance, and take it apart with an adult's OK. Notice why each part is shaped the way it is.
For example: Take apart an old remote control or flashlight. Notice why the case snaps together instead of using screws (cheaper to assemble), why the buttons are rubber (feel and durability), and what each part is made of.
- Requirement 2
Pick an engineering achievement that has greatly affected society; using sources like books, magazines, and the internet (with a parent or guardian's permission), learn about the engineers behind it, the obstacles they overcame, and its influence today; share what you learned with your counselor
Tip: Pick an achievement that excites you, like a famous bridge, a dam, or a space mission, and find out what problem it solved.
For example: Research the Golden Gate Bridge: why a suspension bridge fit the deep, windy strait, how workers stayed safe, and how it changed travel around San Francisco Bay. Or pick a dam, the Apollo program, or the interstate highway system.
- Requirement 3
Explain what six types of engineers do; choose two of them and explain how their work relates to engineering
Tip: Look up engineers in different fields, such as civil, mechanical, electrical, chemical, and computer, and find one cool thing each one builds.
For example: Six types with something each one builds: civil (bridges and water systems), mechanical (engines and machines), electrical (power grids), chemical (fuels and medicines), computer (chips and software), and biomedical (artificial joints).
- Requirement 4
Visit with an engineer
Tips for this section: Ask family friends or your counselor to help you find an engineer. Bring questions about what a normal day looks like.
- Requirement 4a
Meet with an engineer (your counselor, parent, or guardian may count) and discuss the work they do and the tools they use
- Requirement 4b
Discuss a current project with the engineer and the role they play in it
- Requirement 4c
Find out how the engineer does the work and gets results
- Requirement 4d
Ask to see reports the engineer has written about the project
- Requirement 4e
Discuss with your counselor what the visit taught you about engineering
- Requirement 5
Design an original item of patrol gear, a toy, or a useful device for a home, office, or garage, following the systems engineering approach
Tip: Start with a real problem you've noticed, then work through each step of the process and write down what you learn as you go.
For example: Design a better backpack hook for your patrol's camp kitchen: define the need, sketch three ideas, pick one with a simple scoring chart, build a prototype, test how much weight it holds, and write what you'd change.
- Requirement 6
Hands-on engineering. Choose 2 of 7
Tips for this section: Pick two you can build and test, like a model that uses levers or gears, or a test of how wood, metal, and plastic hold up, and measure the results.
Example for this section: Test materials: hang weights from same-size strips of wood, metal, and plastic to see which bends first, then set each in warm water and feel which one carries heat fastest. Or build a model with gears and a lever from a construction set and name a real product that works the same way.
- Requirement 6a
Transforming motion: build a simple model from common materials or a construction set that demonstrates motion, explain how it uses simple mechanical elements such as inclined planes and levers, and describe a real product that uses this mechanism
- Requirement 6b
Using electricity: list 10 electrical appliances at home and about how much electricity each uses per month; learn how to find the amount and cost of electricity your home uses at times of heavy and light use; name five ways to save electricity
- Requirement 6c
Understanding electronics: use a device like a smartphone or tablet to learn how text, images, sound, or video get from one place to another, and explain how the device was designed for usability, function, and durability
- Requirement 6d
Using materials: experiment to show how wood, metal, and plastic differ in strength and in heat conductivity, and discuss what you learned with your counselor
- Requirement 6e
Converting energy: do an experiment showing how energy (mechanical, heat, chemical, solar, and/or electrical) can change from one type to another; explain your results, and tell your counselor what energy is and how it gets converted and used around you
- Requirement 6f
Moving people: learn the ways people in your community commute; study traffic flow (vehicle counts and relative speeds) at heavy and light times; discuss with your counselor improvements that could help people get around more easily
- Requirement 6g
Building an engineering project: put a project into a science fair, engineering fair, or similar contest (serving on an engineering competition team counts); discuss with your counselor what your project shows, what visitors asked, and how well you answered
- Requirement 7
Explain what being a registered Professional Engineer (P.E.) means and the kinds of engineering work where registration matters most
Tip: Find out what it takes to become a licensed Professional Engineer and why licensing matters for public safety.
- Requirement 8
Study the Engineer's Code of Ethics and explain how it compares to the Scout Oath and Scout Law
Tip: Read the code side by side with the Scout Oath and Law and note which ideas match.
For example: Line them up side by side: engineers put public safety first (helpful, and the Scout slogan to Do a Good Turn), report results honestly even when they are bad news (trustworthy), and take on only work they are qualified to do (doing your best, and being honest about what you know).
- Requirement 9
Research an engineering career: education and training, costs, job outlook, pay, duties, and advancement (by searching, interviewing a professional, or visiting a workplace, with a parent or guardian's permission); discuss your findings with your counselor and what makes the career appealing
Tip: Ask the engineer you visit how they chose their field and what classes helped most.
Places to visit
Ask an adult to set it up, and go with your family, den, patrol, or crew.
An engineering office, factory, or construction site
See how engineers work with drawings, tests, and the people who build what they design.
How: Your counselor or a family friend can help an adult arrange a visit. Go with a parent or buddy, and expect to wear safety glasses or a hard hat.
A university engineering open house or science museum
Try hands-on design challenges and see student projects like solar cars and robots.
How: Check the school's or museum's event calendar and go with your family or patrol.
Where it can lead
- Civil engineerDesigns roads, bridges, and water systems that whole cities depend on.
- Mechanical engineerDesigns machines, engines, and products from bikes to jet engines.
- Engineering technicianBuilds and tests prototypes alongside engineers; often a two-year degree.
- Biomedical engineerCreates medical devices like artificial limbs and heart monitors.
- Military engineerBuilds bridges, camps, and roads for the armed forces, often in tough conditions.
Ask yourself
- What did you notice when you took something apart that you'd never thought about before?
- Which kind of engineering sounds most like you, and why?
- What happened when your design didn't work the first time?
- How is the engineers' code of ethics like the promises you make as a Scout?
- What problem in your community would you most like to engineer a solution for?
Good questions to ask the engineer you visit
- What problem are you working on right now?
- What does a normal day look like, and how much is math, meetings, or building?
- Tell me about a design that failed. What did you learn?
- Which school subjects helped you most?
- Why does being a licensed Professional Engineer matter in your field?
Helpful reads
- Earning a merit badge, step by step, From picking a badge to getting the final signature: how to find a counselor, set up meetings safely, work the requirements, and keep your progress., Youth · Families · 6 min read
- Contacting counselors, experts, and organizations, Email and phone scripts, who to ask for, how to follow up, and how to say thanks, with a parent copied every time., Youth · Families · 7 min read
- Choosing your next merit badge, How to pick a badge you'll actually finish: start with what you care about, balance Eagle-required and just-for-fun badges, and make the most of camp., Youth · Families · 6 min read
For leaders & parents
- Host a design challenge night where patrols build and test a structure with limited materials.
- Reach out to parents and troop alumni who work as engineers to serve as visit hosts.
People & places that can help
- Merit badge counselor — Talk with them early; they can explain what's expected.
- National Society of Professional Engineers (opens in a new tab) — Information on engineering licensing and ethics.
- Local engineers — Parents, neighbors, and troop alumni are often glad to talk about their work.
- National Academy of Engineering (opens in a new tab) — The Grand Challenges for Engineering and stories of engineers solving big problems.
- American Society of Civil Engineers (opens in a new tab) — How bridges, dams, and water systems are designed, and the national infrastructure report card.
- Society of Women Engineers (opens in a new tab) — Programs, role models, and outreach events for students interested in engineering.
- National Society of Black Engineers (opens in a new tab) — Pre-college programs and mentors for future engineers.
Pairs well with
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Tips, examples, and questions are ideas from experienced leaders, not extra requirements. Your unit leader or counselor decides when a requirement is complete.