What You Need to Know to Be a Manufacturing Engineer
Posted June 27th, 2019
Working as a manufacturing engineer can be both an exciting and rewarding experience. These professionals design, integrate, and enhance various manufacturing systems as well as related process, typically in industrial environments. They may identify changes that could result in higher quality outputs or a substantial cost savings. Additionally, they may rely on their technical expertise and statistical knowhow to find the root cause of a failure and potential remedies.
In order to be a manufacturing engineer, you will need to have the right combination of education, experience, and skills. If you would like to pursue this career, here’s a look at what you need to know.
Education
By and large, companies typically expect manufacturing engineer candidates to have a bachelors degree in an allied field, such as mechanical, industrial, or chemical engineering. Usually, a post-bachelor certificate or graduate degree isn’t necessary, though some employers may prefer this for upper-level positions.
In rare cases, an associate’s degree may be sufficient. However, the amount of experience you need to bring to the table may need to be higher, or you might have to have some additional training, certifications, or licenses to land a manufacturing engineer job.
Ultimately, employers need to know that you have a proper understanding of engineering and manufacturing technologies. Similarly, a thorough knowledge of production is a must, along with strong design, mathematics, and mechanical skills.
Familiarity with AutoCAD is a common job requirement that you be able to cover during your education as well.
Experience
Typically, employers favor manufacturing engineer candidates with at least a couple of years of experience in a similar field. Alternatively, hands-on training may substitute for actual experience, though not all employers support this option.
While one to two years of experience may be enough to start a career as a manufacturing engineer, having three or four years of work-related experience in a role that provides you with some of the foundational skills is often preferred.
Since hiring managers may need a manufacturing engineer who is familiar with CNC and CAM software, focusing your initial experience in those areas may help you land one of these positions.
Soft Skills
In most cases, the proper combination of education and experience will handle the development of any technical skills you may need. However, employers also seek out specific soft skills when hiring a manufacturing engineer.
For example, active listening skills are typically a must. Additionally, communication skills, reading comprehension, problem-solving capabilities, sound judgment, and decision-making skills are commonly viewed as essential.
Dependability and integrity are traits that many hiring managers also value. The ability to think analytically is often a necessity, along with strong attention to detail and a high degree of initiative.
Looking For a New Engineering Job? Contact Bayside Solutions!
Ultimately, if you want to be a manufacturing engineer, bring all of the above-listed skills, experience, and traits to the table can open doors for you in this field. If you’d like to know more, the staff at Bayside Solutions can help. Contact us to speak with one of our experienced recruiters today and see how our manufacturing career expertise can benefit you.
