what is a design engineer?
As a design engineer, you develop products and manufacturing processes to improve the productivity and profitability of the company. You use computer-aided software (CAD) and AUTOCAD to create designs for new products. The computer software helps convert ideas into models, plans and prototypes. Creating prototypes with improved design features allows you to test the viability of the product design. It also allows you to develop new product designs and find solutions for improving existing products to suit customers' evolving needs.
Design engineers study, research and develop ideas. When you work in research and development, your job is to analyze market data and analytics to find opportunities for product design improvements. You collaborate with various teams to come up with the best designs. As a design engineer, you design every consumer product and industrial equipment imaginable. For instance, you develop designs for large-scale production of toys, office equipment, kitchen appliances, electronics and sports equipment.
As a design engineer, you are concerned with making a safe product that also looks good. You use the design specification to develop cost-effective product designs and evaluate the manufacturing process to ensure efficiency. A design engineer requires strong math and IT skills to develop the best designs.
Would working as a design engineer suit your passion for analysis and critical thinking? Then read on to find out what competencies and qualifications you need to thrive in a design engineer role.
view jobs near youaverage design engineer salary
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics has yet to officially publish the average salary of a design engineer. However, other engineers are earning similar salaries, such as mechanical engineers. An engineering salary, on average, comes to $100,640 annually. It is important to note that some areas in the U.S. are likely to pay design engineers more than other regions. You should also note that the industry you work for affects your income. For example, a design engineer working in the aerospace industry requires additional expertise. Therefore, the salary is higher compared to a design engineer working on consumer goods. Overall, a lot of factors affect the pay of a design engineer.
factors affecting design engineer salary
Design engineering is a technical role that requires extensive educational qualifications and experience. When you have minimal entry-level academic qualifications, you are likely to earn less compared to an engineer with chartered status. The additional certifications improve your compensation package. Your experience also affects your salary; with less experience, your earnings are far less than a design engineer with extensive experience.
Wondering what you can earn as a design engineer? Find out immediately with the Randstad salary checker! You can quickly and easily see what the average salary of a design engineer is.
types of design engineers
Some of the areas of specialization for design engineers include:
- electrical design engineering: As a design engineer, you could specialize in designing electronic devices. You develop the product designs for medical devices, biomedical instrumentation and power grids. You also create prototypes for electronic appliances.
- visual design engineering: As a design engineer, you specialize in contributing to product design's artistic form and visual appeal. You focus on the product's aesthetics to ensure the consumer goods are attractive and straightforward to use. You also work on the efficiency and functionality of the designs.
working as a design engineer
A design engineer specializes in the science of how things are made. You are involved with the product design from inception to developing the blueprints. Let's explore the duties, career outlook and work environments of design engineers.
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design engineer job description
Some of the tasks of a design engineer include:
- consulting with clients and stakeholders: As a design engineer, you attend consultative meetings with stakeholders and clients to determine the product requirements. You identify the client's needs for a product before developing the design. You also determine the finished product's functionality and visual structure.
- turning a client's concept into designs: As a design engineer, you convert clients' ideas and concepts into actual designs. The ideas help you draw product designs using computer-aided engineering and design software. You also collaborate with other engineers to convert ideas into solid concepts.
- testing the product designs: As a design engineer, you build prototypes and draw the design specifications. Before production, you test the prototypes to ensure they can create viable products. You make improvements to the designs after the initial testing.
- assessing manufacturing processes: A design engineer doesn't focus on product design only; you also assess manufacturing processes and identify improvements that would enhance efficiency in product development.
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design engineer work environment
A design engineer works in various industries, from manufacturing companies to aerospace industries. Your work is office-based, and you use computers to draw the product designs. Sometimes, you create product prototypes in a laboratory setting. Depending on your area of specialization, you make site and plant visits to various factories. You also travel to meet clients. Design engineers can work from home or remotely during the design stage.
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who are your colleagues?
Depending on the industry, your colleagues might include project managers, industrial designers, CAD technicians, material handlers and material engineers. You may also work with aerospace engineers, ergonomists and other specialists, including mechanical engineers, product designers, electrical engineers, and electronic engineers.
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work schedule
The standard work hours for design engineers are 40 hours a week. Typically, office hours run from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., but extra hours may be necessary to meet project deadlines. While most employers hire design engineers on full-time schedules, part-time and short-term opportunities are also available.
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job outlook for design engineer
As a design engineer, you have an opportunity to work in diverse industries. You could specialize in equipment design or become an electrical designer. Some design engineers become industrial designers. Further specializations are available in aerospace engineering or consultancy.
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benefits of working for randstad as a data engineer
Working through Randstad offers you a range of benefits:
- being paid weekly
- flexibility
- always a contact person you can fall back on and ask for help from
- many training opportunities
- a range of jobs in your area
Want a permanent contract? But you wonder why it would be interesting for you to work with a staffing company? A temporary job as a design engineer is often a stepping stone to an attractive permanent job. Every year, thousands of people earn a permanent contract with great employers thanks to a temporary job found through Randstad. What's more, many companies recruit their permanent employees through Randstad too!
design engineer education and skills
If you are thinking of becoming a design engineer, it is important that you learn about the skills and level of education required. You should also know what to focus on to advance your career and get promoted as time goes by. That said, the first step to becoming a design engineer is to earn a bachelor’s degree in design engineering, product design engineering technology, manufacturing engineering or mechanical engineering.
Most engineering degree programs take between four and five years to complete, assuming you are a full-time student. During your study, you will learn about thermodynamics, machine design and CAD software applications. As a design engineer, you mostly use CAD software applications to carry out tasks. It is, therefore, important that you grasp the concept behind these software applications as much as possible.
After you are done with your bachelor’s degree in design engineering, mechanical engineering, manufacturing engineering or product design engineering technology, the next step is to gain as much experience as possible. That is because previous experience as a design engineer is often an added advantage when looking for a job in this field. Several undergraduate programs offer internship opportunities that allow you to complete hands-on projects.
skills and competencies
You need the following skills to become a successful design engineer:
- technical skills: As a design engineer, you need to have deep knowledge of how products work. You need to focus on the technical aspects by understanding the principles of calculus and other advanced math topics for design, troubleshooting and analysis.
- analytical skills: As a design engineer, you need to have the reasoning skills to study and spot the need for a particular product. After that, you can go ahead and design it. You need to understand how different materials perform under different conditions because this will guide you into picking the right material, which can stand up to these conditions.
- problem-solving skills: Your company expects you to identify complex problems and know why they failed. After that, it expects you to create design solutions, carry out tests and then implement these solutions effectively and efficiently.
- communication skills: Design engineers work with technologists, supervising technicians and other engineers. It is, therefore, important that, as a design engineer, you learn how to communicate effectively with the individuals you work with. It is also necessary that you know how to communicate effectively when speaking to high-end managers in meetings.
Other skills you need to learn as a design engineer are teamwork, creativity and even writing skills because you will be writing reports to inform the people you work with about your design concepts and findings.
FAQs about working as a design engineer
Here, you will find answers to the most frequently asked questions about a design engineer.
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what is interesting about a design engineer?
As a design engineer, you need to be versatile and multi-faceted. That is because your job requires that you develop products, test them, write reports and communicate coherently about your findings. In other words, you need to be a good communicator and writer, as well as have a keen eye for detail.
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what are the benefits of design engineers in companies?
Companies need to hire design engineers because they are trained to have the big picture of products and develop design concepts to ensure the product is working as anticipated. Other benefits of hiring a design engineer are improved material selection, observance of standards and regulations, reduced liability and peace of mind.
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what challenges am I likely to face as a design engineer?
As a design engineer, you are likely to work long hours because of quick deadlines and large workloads. Also, degrees for becoming a design engineer are often challenging and difficult.
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are design engineers in demand?
Design engineers are in demand; it is projected that the demand for design engineers will grow by 6% from 2020 to 2030. It is, therefore, safe to say that design engineers have a future.
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how do I qualify for a course in design engineering?
You need a strong performance in physics and math to qualify for a course in design engineering. These subjects help with analytical thinking, sharpen calculus knowledge and improve creativity. Design engineers need these skills to deliver effectively.
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how do I find a job as a design engineer?
Applying for a design engineer job is easy: create a Randstad profile and search our design engineer jobs for vacancies in your area. Then simply send us your CV. If you do not have a resume, no worries. Just check out our resume builder. This state-of-the-art tool will help you to create your own resume. Need help with your application? Check out all our job-hunting tips!
submit your resume
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