The following criteria will be used in evaluating an applicant's experience record:

(1) Work experience will be approved based on a demonstration of competency and progressive responsibility in the analysis, synthesis and evaluation of engineering concepts and data, under the direct supervision of a person authorized by chapter 18.43 RCW or other applicable statute to practice engineering. Under the general guidance and direct supervision of an authorized professional, the applicant must be in a position of making independent judgments and decisions in the following experience areas:

(a) Formulating conclusions and recommendations;

(b) Identifying design and/or project objectives;

(c) Identifying possible alternative methods and concepts;

(d) Defining performance specifications and functional requirements;

(e) Solving engineering problems;

(f) Interacting with professionals from other areas of practice;

(g) Effectively communicating recommendations and conclusions;

(h) Demonstrating an understanding and concern for energy/environmental considerations, socioeconomic impact, and sustainability of resources.

(2) The branch of structural engineering requires specialized work experience to protect the public safety. To be eligible to take the structural license examination, an applicant must have at least two years of progressive responsibility in structural engineering experience. These two years of structural experience are in addition to the eight years of engineering experience required to be registered as a professional engineer and must be documented in the application in accordance with subsection (1) of this section. The structural engineering experience must be supervised by a licensed professional engineer in the branch of structural engineering or a licensed professional engineer with substantial structural engineering work experience.

(3) Engineering teaching may be considered satisfactory experience up to a maximum of two years.

(4) Applied research is considered satisfactory experience when it meets the following conditions:

(a) The research must be conducted under the guidance or supervision of a licensed engineer. For the purposes of this subsection, guidance or supervision means being cognizant of all applicable aspects of the work and a reviewer of all applicable reporting documentation.

(b) The principal result(s) of the research are in a published report or a recognized engineering journal article in which the applicant is the first author or the work is adequately documented and available to the board upon request.

(5) For military engineering experience to be considered acceptable, it should be similar to engineering experience that would be gained in a nonmilitary environment as defined in subsection (1) of this section, and such experience must be verified.

(6) Any work experience gained without the supervision of a professional engineer authorized to practice under chapter 18.43 RCW or an individual authorized by another statute to practice engineering, or any work experience gained in any other situation which violates the provisions of chapters 18.43 and 18.235 RCW or Title 196 WAC will not be counted toward the statutory experience requirement.