Wanted: More engineers.

Utah is launching a campaign, including a phone hotline and e-mail address, to attract more engineers to the state.

Jason Perry, executive director of the Governor's Office of Economic Development, said there are about 1,000 unfilled engineering jobs in Utah.

"That is a lot," Perry said. "We're talking every kind of engineer and every level of experience."

The state has set up a job hotline and e-mail address to accept resumes. In addition, a Web site that will post available engineering positions is expected to be running soon.

George Torres, director of communications at ATK Launch Systems, which is building the launch vehicle that will replace the space shuttle, said the company has hired more than 1,000 new employees at its Utah operations in the past two years.

"I would say 80 percent of those are engineers," Torres said. "We will probably need another 200 engineers this coming year."

Torres said the engineering positions pay $60,000 to $100,000 a year. The company hires engineering graduates from the state's

major colleges, including Brigham Young University, the University of Utah, Utah State University and Weber State University, but Torres said it is not enough.

"Because of the lack of engineers in the state, we've had to hire from out of state," Torres said. "We've been bringing people in from California, Florida and Texas. We've had quite an influx into Utah."

Perry said the state has received about 20 resumes since launching the campaign last week.

"We have a historic low unemployment rate in the state of Utah, which means that everyone who wants to get a job can find one right now. But it's making it so some of these professions have a shortage," Perry said.

The engineering job hotline is 866-440-8500. Resumes can be e-mailed to resume@utah.gov.

---

E-mail: danderton@desnews.com