[hak8or]

The word engineer is a protected title in the USA, sure, but it's only relevant when dealing with the gov't. I and many others have the word engineer in their official job title, but both me and the company are fully aware I never took the PE exam.

On the other hand, if you claim you are an engineer to the usa gov't then yeah, that gets you in hot water. I also tend to avoid calling myself a software engineer specifically to avoid potential issues like that, but I do lost the full job title given to me by previous employers when asked and on my resume.

[jjeaff]

Engineering as a profession has some regulation and licensure in the US, but the word "engineer" is not protected. Someone can call themselves and engineer without legal trouble. Not so much if call yourself a doctor.