Manufacturing Engineers
People classed as Manufacturing Engineers design, integrate, or improve manufacturing systems or related processes. On the six-type interest model it reads RIC, meaning hands-on work with tools, machines or the physical world comes first, followed by research, analysis and working through hard problems. The preparation level is considerable preparation, typically a bachelor’s degree plus a period of work experience. O*NET’s skill data points to reading comprehension, mathematics, and complex problem solving as the ones to build. You may also need to troubleshoot new or existing product problems involving designs, materials, or processes. Expect to investigate or resolve operational problems, such as material use variances or bottlenecks. People who want hands-on work with tools, machines or the physical world usually fit better here than those who need helping, teaching or caring for people.
What they do
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.
Main tasks
- 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.
Skills
- Reading Comprehension
- Mathematics
- Complex Problem Solving
- Speaking
- Operations Monitoring
- Monitoring
Who this career fits
May suit you if
- You like ending the day with a physical result you can point to.
- You enjoy working out why something happens, not just what happened.
- You are ready to spend around four years on a degree, then build experience.
- You are comfortable relying on reading comprehension and mathematics.
May not suit you if
- You would rather stay away from physical, hands-on tasks.
- You want helping people to be at the center of your work. Social rates 1.6 out of 7 here.
- You want to avoid a four-year degree or its equivalent.
Interest profile
O*NET rates each occupation from 1 to 7 on six interest types. The code RIC takes the three highest, and Realistic comes first here.
Preparation
Considerable preparation. Most jobs here ask for a bachelor’s degree, and employers usually expect a few years of related experience as well.
Most-reported requirement in the O*NET survey: Bachelor's Degree. This reflects what workers reported most often and is not a legal minimum. Licensing rules can differ by state or industry, so confirm what applies where you plan to work.
Also called
- Facility Engineer
- Manufacturing Engineer
- Plant Engineer
- Process Engineer
- Process Improvement Engineer
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This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA.