Manufacturing career directory
Manufacturing Engineers
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 called: Facility Engineer, Manufacturing Engineer, Plant Engineer, Process Engineer, Process Improvement Engineer, Advance Manufacturing Engineer, Automation Engineer, Design Engineer, Engineer, Foundry Process Engineer, Lean Manufacturing Engineer, Manufacturing Applications Engineer, Manufacturing Automation Engineer, Manufacturing Controls Engineer, Manufacturing Electrical Engineer, Manufacturing Process Engineer, Manufacturing Project Engineer, Manufacturing Quality Engineer, Manufacturing Specialist, Manufacturing Systems Engineer, Methods Engineer, Process Manufacturing Engineer, Product Manufacturing Engineer, Project Engineer
This is a career information profile, not an advertised job opening.
What the worker does
- 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.
- Determine root causes of failures or recommend changes in designs, tolerances, or processing methods, using statistical procedures.
- Prepare reports summarizing information or trends related to manufacturing performance.
- Prepare documentation for new manufacturing processes or engineering procedures.
Skills, machines and equipment
- Reading Comprehension
- Mathematics
- Complex Problem Solving
- Active Listening
- Speaking
- Monitoring
- Operations Monitoring
- Judgment and Decision Making
- Writing
- Critical Thinking
- Systems Analysis
- Systems Evaluation
Education and training
Most frequently reported education in the O*NET survey: Bachelor's Degree (76.00% of responses). This is survey context, not a universal hiring requirement. Most of these occupations require a four-year bachelor's degree, but some do not.
O*NET Job Zone 4: Employees in these occupations usually need several years of work-related experience, on-the-job training, and/or vocational training. 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. This is broad occupational preparation context; confirm the requirements for a specific employer or apprenticeship.
Apprenticeships
Ask an employer or registered apprenticeship sponsor about current programs, eligibility, training and pay. A career profile does not confirm that a program is available.
Salary reference
83,600–129,250 USD per year · United States · 2025. Source: BLS OEWS via O*NET · 25th–75th percentiles · SOC 17-2112.
Occupational-group wage references are not guaranteed pay for this specialty or an employer's offer.
Career advancement
- Build design, analysis, validation, and project experience; explore senior technical specialist, project lead, or engineering-management paths with the required qualifications.
- Ask employers which demonstrated skills, education, or credentials are needed for the next role. Related careers are exploration options, not automatic promotions.
How Do I Get This Job?
- Review the skills and responsibilities above.
- Most frequently reported education in the O*NET survey: Bachelor's Degree (76.00% of responses). This is survey context, not a universal hiring requirement. Most of these occupations require a four-year bachelor's degree, but some do not.
- O*NET Job Zone 4: Employees in these occupations usually need several years of work-related experience, on-the-job training, and/or vocational training. 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. This is broad occupational preparation context; confirm the requirements for a specific employer or apprenticeship.
- Compare real openings and confirm requirements directly with the employer.
View available jobs — availability is not guaranteed; sample listings are not real openings.
Related career information
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Sources and limitations
O*NET® 31.0 Database, U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration, under CC BY 4.0. ShopFloor adapted occupational grouping, selected manufacturing-relevant occupations, and retained seven legacy guide titles. Specialties and alternative titles are grouped under O*NET occupations; these occupations can also occur outside manufacturing. Source: https://www.onetcenter.org/database.html. No wage, vacancy, certification, or video data is implied. ShopFloor advancement suggestions are general editorial guidance, not O*NET findings or guaranteed career progression. BLS wage ranges, when available, are national 25th–75th percentiles for the source occupational grouping, across industries; they are not local, apprentice, entry-level, or specialty-specific offers.