Career Overview
Design, integrate, or improve manufacturing systems or related processes. May work with commercial or industrial designers to refine product designs to increase producibility and decrease costs.
Also Known As
- Manufacturing Engineer
- Plant Engineer
- Process Engineer
- Process Improvement Engineer
Alternate Job Titles
- Advance Manufacturing Engineer
- Automation Engineer
- Design Engineer
- Engineer
- Facility Engineer
- Foundry Process Engineer
- Lean Manufacturing Engineer
- Manufacturing Applications Engineer
- Manufacturing Automation Engineer
- Manufacturing Controls Engineer
- Manufacturing Electrical Engineer
- Manufacturing Engineer
- Manufacturing Process Engineer
- Manufacturing Project Engineer
- Manufacturing Quality Engineer
What You'll Do
In this role, your typical responsibilities include:
- Troubleshoot new or existing product problems involving designs, materials, or processes.
- Investigate or resolve operational problems, such as material use variances or bottlenecks.
- Identify opportunities or implement changes to improve manufacturing processes or products or to reduce costs, using knowledge of fabrication processes, tooling and production equipment, assembly methods, quality control standards, or product design, materials and parts.
- Apply continuous improvement methods, such as lean manufacturing, to enhance manufacturing quality, reliability, or cost-effectiveness.
- Provide technical expertise or support related to manufacturing.
- Incorporate new manufacturing methods or processes to improve existing operations.
- Review product designs for manufacturability or completeness.
Knowledge You'll Use
You'll need solid knowledge in these areas:
- Production and Processing
- Engineering and Technology
- Mechanical
- Design
- Mathematics
- Computers and Electronics
- English Language
Essential Skills
Success in this career requires strong skills in:
- Reading Comprehension
- Mathematics
- Complex Problem Solving
- Active Listening
- Speaking
- Monitoring
- Operations Monitoring
- Judgment and Decision Making
- Writing
- Critical Thinking
Key Abilities
This career requires key abilities in:
- Oral Comprehension
- Deductive Reasoning
- Near Vision
- Category Flexibility
- Visualization
- Inductive Reasoning
- Problem Sensitivity
- Information Ordering
- Oral Expression
- Written Comprehension
Work Style
People who excel in this career typically demonstrate:
- Attention to Detail
- Innovation
- Dependability
- Intellectual Curiosity
- Adaptability
What Matters in This Career
This career tends to satisfy these work values:
- Working Conditions
- Support
- Recognition
- Independence
- Achievement
Education & Preparation
Typical Education: Bachelor's Degree
Related Work Experience Needed: Over 1 year, up to and including 2 years
On-the-Job Training: Anything beyond short demonstration, up to and including 1 month
Education Details: Most of these occupations require a four-year bachelor's degree, but some do not.
Experience Required: A considerable amount of work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is needed for these occupations. For example, an accountant must complete four years of college and work for several years in accounting to be considered qualified.
Technology You'll Use
Popular Technologies & Software
- Autodesk AutoCAD
- C
- Dassault Systemes SolidWorks
- Microsoft Access
- Microsoft Excel
- Microsoft Office software
- Microsoft Outlook
- Microsoft PowerPoint
- Microsoft Project
- Microsoft SharePoint
Tools & Equipment
- Desktop computers
- Digital calipers
- Digital micrometers
- Laptop computers
- Optical compound microscopes
- Personal computers
- Personal digital assistants PDA
- Scientific calculators
Work Environment
- Face-to-Face Discussions with Individuals and Within Teams
- Telephone Conversations
- Indoors, Environmentally Controlled
- Work With or Contribute to a Work Group or Team
Salary & Job Market
Wages reported for the broader Industrial Engineers occupational group (BLS 2024), which includes Manufacturing Engineers.
| Salary Percentile | Annual Wage |
|---|---|
| Entry-Level (10th percentile) | $70,000 |
| Median | $101,140 |
| Top Earners (90th percentile) | $157,140 |
Workers Employed Nationally: 350,230
Related Careers
If you're interested in this career, you might also consider:
Industrial Engineers
Education: Bachelor's Degree
Median Salary: $101,140
Mechanical Engineers
Education: Bachelor's Degree
Median Salary: $102,320
Industrial Production Managers
Education: High School Diploma - or the equivalent (for example, GED)
Median Salary: $121,440
Mechatronics Engineers
Education: Bachelor's Degree
Median Salary: $117,750
Chemical Engineers
Education: Bachelor's Degree
Median Salary: $121,860
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Occupational data sourced from the O*NET OnLine database, developed by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration. Wage data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), 2024.