What does a Design Engineer do?
A Design Engineer interfaces with customers and identifies their needs. A Design Engineer will then work with various departments from network engineers, support and operations to ensure a plan is in motion to improve the customer's experience. A Design Engineer seeks to balance various aspects of the project, from safety to design. Additionally, a Design Engineer researches advanced technology regarding best practices in the field and finds cost-effective solutions.
A Design Engineer is generally located within a large company and work alongside other professionals to meet customer's needs. They usually begin as junior level engineers, and as they advance on their career path within the company will become promoted to the role. A bachelor's degree is required for the position, with many holding degrees in Mechanical Engineering or related engineering field. Individuals with a firm holistic understanding of both the operational and scope aspects of projects tend to excel in this position.
- Analyze current engineering methods used within the company and develop steps and processes to improve
- Document and monitor requirements needed to institute proposed updates in relation to customer experience
- Establish a framework for necessary contributions from various departments and facilitate their collaboration
- Work alongside project management teams to successfully monitor progress and implementation of engineering initiatives
- Assist other department engineers in creating practical demonstrations of proposed solutions and creating them for other members of the team
- Account for possible project challenges or constraints and proactively seek to manage challenges
- Provide detailed specifications for proposed solutions including time and scope involved
- Define clear goals for all aspects of a project and develop steps for their proper execution
- Experience developing product design and manufacturing
- Project development and leadership skills are essential
- Master's degree in Manufacturing Engineering or Design Engineering preferred
- Up to date understanding of best practices regarding system security measures
- Advanced understanding of business analysis techniques and processes
- Experience with software engineering, customer experience and design architecture
- Ability to work with various departments to facilitate the orderly execution of a proposed project plan
- Extensive knowledge and experience working with various operating systems
- Professional work experience reviewing and analyzing prototypes and product modifications
Design Engineer Salaries
Average Base Pay
Design Engineer Career Path
Learn how to become a Design Engineer, what skills and education you need to succeed, and what level of pay to expect at each step on your career path.
Years of Experience Distribution
Design Engineer Insights
P2S Inc.“Has an amazing group of leaders with a great focus on knowledge and further personal development”
Acuity Brands“The engineers I had the chance to work with were really nice and had amazing personalities.”
Revamp Engineering“The team is communicative and I genuinely enjoy talking with and getting to know my teammates.”
GE Appliances“Many opportunities to learn and the ability to use company resources to advance almost any engineering skillset you could want.”
AMSYS Innovative Solutions“Everyone treats each other in a good way and everyone is respectful to each other.”
Godrej & Boyce Manufacturing“years experience than this is the best place to learn the things and search for better opportunity.”
AMD“Not a great Salary compared to peers in the same domain Not many perks/benefits High Attrition”
“Good for starting your career upto 2 years after that don't stay for long..”
Frequently asked questions about the role and responsibilities of design engineers
Design engineers determine how things are made. The typical day of a design engineer involves testing and making improvements to product designs and manufacturing processes. Design engineers typically use computer-aided design programs (CAD) to develop plans, create models, and test designs. They may follow a product from blueprint to prototype to creation.
Design engineering is an extremely creative career that's ideal for people who like to develop new ideas, explore fresh approaches, and create one-of-a-kind products. The best part about being a design engineer is fleshing out your plans and seeing them turn into solid prototypes.
The average salary for design engineers is $79,638. You won't have to wait long to command a high salary in this job, as design engineers ranked 17th on Forbes's list of the highest-paying entry-level jobs in 2019. Education, certifications, and experience all influence pay in this career.
Working as a design engineer often requires long hours to complete projects. In certain phases of development, this job may require long days and ample overtime. One of the challenges of being a design engineer is that it can become tedious in some stages, and attention to even the smallest details is crucial.