A great many of those I have witnessed 'riding the faders' seemed to have just chucked it all in a bucket and given it a good stir rather than sculpt it. This does not apply to all of those twirling the knobs, I have a close friend who runs a sound reinforcement company and his mixes are superb.
Another term for an engineer without the relevant degree is oily rag (I know this, I was one once). Sound can also mean, reliable, honest etc. Therefore, to avoid any confusion - Sonic Oily Rag?