What does a design manufacturing engineer do?
A design manufacturing engineer specializes in designing and developing manufacturing systems and equipment. They primarily conduct research and analyses, develop drafts and prototypes, set and implement test systems, troubleshoot issues, and maintain extensive records. They may also assess existing systems to identify their weaknesses and strengths, fix or repair components, perform adjustments, and provide technical support to staff as necessary. Moreover, a design manufacturing engineer empowers staff to reach goals and implements safety standards and policies for a safe and productive work environment.
Design manufacturing engineer responsibilities
Here are examples of responsibilities from real design manufacturing engineer resumes:
- Lead several independent, cross-functional projects and improve manufacturing quality, reduce cost, ensure environment are supported and FDA compliant.
- Facilitate the new and current manufacturing process to reduce manufacturing costs, final BOM cost, and part count.
- Support production manager by releasing work orders, assigning CNC and manual milling jobs and keeping production running within schedule time.
- Produce and maintain a library of bill of material (BOM's) for any component, sub-assembly or final assembly.
- Collaborate with CNC operators and manufacturing engineers to develop post processors for CNC machines.
- Assist in the supervision and fabrication of prototype equipment including conveyors, robotics, and pharmaceutical equipment and automate beverage systems.
- Lead several independent, cross-functional projects and improve manufacturing quality, reduce cost, ensure environment are supported and FDA compliant.
Design manufacturing engineer skills and personality traits
We calculated that 8% of Design Manufacturing Engineers are proficient in CNC, Continuous Improvement, and GD. They’re also known for soft skills such as Creativity, Listening skills, and Math skills.
We break down the percentage of Design Manufacturing Engineers that have these skills listed on their resume here:
- CNC, 8%
Doubled manufacturing capacity by designing and supervising construction of two 8-axis CNC grinding machines.
- Continuous Improvement, 6%
Initiate continuous improvement and lean activities to improve efficiency and first time through in order to maximize profitability and customer satisfaction.
- GD, 5%
Created drawings using computer aided design techniques and ASME Y14.5M GD & T drafting standards and generated materials lists.
- Engineering Drawings, 4%
Created Engineering Drawings consisting of assembly/parts drawings/BOM/tooling for a manufacturer of custom canned coil springs; sealing/connecting/conducting/EMI/shielding/ grounding products
- DFM, 4%
Streamlined and codified checklists to make DFM easier for design teams to implement.
- Lean Manufacturing, 4%
Project management of new tooling and modifications, applying Lean Manufacturing principles.
Most design manufacturing engineers use their skills in "cnc," "continuous improvement," and "gd" to do their jobs. You can find more detail on essential design manufacturing engineer responsibilities here:
Creativity. To carry out their duties, the most important skill for a design manufacturing engineer to have is creativity. Their role and responsibilities require that "mechanical engineers design and build complex pieces of equipment and machinery." Design manufacturing engineers often use creativity in their day-to-day job, as shown by this real resume: "created engineering drawings for new and existing designs using inventor and autocad software. "
Listening skills. Another essential skill to perform design manufacturing engineer duties is listening skills. Design manufacturing engineers responsibilities require that "mechanical engineers often work on projects with others, such as architects and computer scientists." Design manufacturing engineers also use listening skills in their role according to a real resume snippet: "communicated project status to the engineering community through internal design reviews. "
Math skills. design manufacturing engineers are also known for math skills, which are critical to their duties. You can see how this skill relates to design manufacturing engineer responsibilities, because "mechanical engineers use the principles of calculus, statistics, and other advanced subjects in math for analysis, design, and troubleshooting in their work." A design manufacturing engineer resume example shows how math skills is used in the workplace: "prepare accurate cost estimates to make accurate engineering mathematical computations. "
Mechanical skills. design manufacturing engineer responsibilities often require "mechanical skills." The duties that rely on this skill are shown by the fact that "mechanical skills allow engineers to apply basic engineering concepts and mechanical processes to the design of new devices and systems." This resume example shows what design manufacturing engineers do with mechanical skills on a typical day: "supervised production personnel in assembly and test procedures for electro-mechanical-fluidic machines. "
Problem-solving skills. Another common skill required for design manufacturing engineer responsibilities is "problem-solving skills." This skill comes up in the duties of design manufacturing engineers all the time, as "mechanical engineers need good problem-solving skills to take scientific principles and discoveries and use them to design and build useful products." An excerpt from a real design manufacturing engineer resume shows how this skill is central to what a design manufacturing engineer does: "used doe to provide solutions to product yield issues. "
The three companies that hire the most design manufacturing engineers are:
- Apple16 design manufacturing engineers jobs
- KLA3 design manufacturing engineers jobs
- Allied Plastic
3 design manufacturing engineers jobs
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Compare different design manufacturing engineers
Design manufacturing engineer vs. Tool engineer
A tooling engineer is responsible for creating and adjusting tools or parts for cars, heavy equipment, and other products that need customized or personalized components. Your duties and responsibilities will include creating design blueprints, using computer-aided (CAD) software to develop two- and three-dimensional prints, and validating and evaluating products. As a tooling engineer, it is your responsibility to ensure compliance with operational standards such as the ISO 9000. You also have to provide technical assistance to manufacturing personnel and quality assurance.
While similarities exist, there are also some differences between design manufacturing engineers and tool engineer. For instance, design manufacturing engineer responsibilities require skills such as "engineering drawings," "assembly processes," "test fixtures," and "mechanical design." Whereas a tool engineer is skilled in "python," "java," "cad," and "linux." This is part of what separates the two careers.
Tool engineers really shine in the technology industry with an average salary of $94,406. Comparatively, design manufacturing engineers tend to make the most money in the technology industry with an average salary of $102,499.The education levels that tool engineers earn slightly differ from design manufacturing engineers. In particular, tool engineers are 0.5% more likely to graduate with a Master's Degree than a design manufacturing engineer. Additionally, they're 0.1% more likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.Design manufacturing engineer vs. Engineer
Engineers are highly trained professionals who determine the feasibility of various projects, usually related to the construction industry. They are considered experts in mathematics and science, two disciplines that they need to use in designing and coming up with plans for projects. They should also be well-versed in different construction or industrial materials, and they ensure that appropriate materials are used for the project. They also ensure that the projects meet the requirements of the groups that hired them. They create spaces that would both address the needs of the end-users and the industry standards. They also ensure that the projects they make would stand the test of time.
Each career also uses different skills, according to real design manufacturing engineer resumes. While design manufacturing engineer responsibilities can utilize skills like "continuous improvement," "gd," "engineering drawings," and "dfm," engineers use skills like "python," "cloud," "c++," and "c #."
Engineers earn a lower average salary than design manufacturing engineers. But engineers earn the highest pay in the automotive industry, with an average salary of $97,672. Additionally, design manufacturing engineers earn the highest salaries in the technology with average pay of $102,499 annually.In general, engineers achieve higher levels of education than design manufacturing engineers. They're 5.7% more likely to obtain a Master's Degree while being 0.1% more likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.What technology do you think will become more important and prevalent for design manufacturing engineers in the next 3-5 years?
Dr. Richard Onyancha
Associate Professor of Mechanical Engineering and Department Head, Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology
Design manufacturing engineer vs. Process engineer
A Process Engineer is responsible for coming up with innovative ways to process particular raw materials into different kinds of products. They can also modify various existing machines or maintain their quality by monitoring its functions and conducting tests and examinations. A Process Engineer must do numerous analyses and research to gather data that would help determine possible improvements or decisions to uphold. Furthermore, A Process Engineer also has the task of procuring and installing new equipment, collecting and interpreting data, assessing risks, and ensuring that tasks are done safely.
Some important key differences between the two careers include a few of the skills necessary to fulfill the responsibilities of each. Some examples from design manufacturing engineer resumes include skills like "gd," "engineering drawings," "dfm," and "assembly processes," whereas a process engineer is more likely to list skills in "project management," "troubleshoot," "lean six sigma," and "data analysis. "
Process engineers make a very good living in the technology industry with an average annual salary of $87,797. On the other hand, design manufacturing engineers are paid the highest salary in the technology industry, with average annual pay of $102,499.When it comes to education, process engineers tend to earn similar degree levels compared to design manufacturing engineers. In fact, they're 5.0% more likely to earn a Master's Degree, and 1.2% more likely to graduate with a Doctoral Degree.Design manufacturing engineer vs. Staff engineer
Staff engineers are responsible for designing, developing, and inspecting various products, equipment, or structures. These professionals may perform varied duties depending on their specialization that includes overseeing the design and construction of buildings, bridges, sewer systems, and other infrastructure, estimating the financial costs of construction projects, and ensuring compliance with health and safety laws and regulations. Other duties include designing and developing machinery, tools, and engines, solving design problems, and building the manufacturing equipment needed to create their products.
Even though a few skill sets overlap between design manufacturing engineers and staff engineers, there are some differences that are important to note. For one, a design manufacturing engineer might have more use for skills like "cnc," "continuous improvement," "gd," and "engineering drawings." Meanwhile, some responsibilities of staff engineers require skills like "java," "python," "architecture," and "software development. "
In general, staff engineers earn the most working in the telecommunication industry, with an average salary of $119,079. The highest-paying industry for a design manufacturing engineer is the technology industry.The average resume of staff engineers showed that they earn higher levels of education compared to design manufacturing engineers. So much so that theyacirc;euro;trade;re 8.7% more likely to earn a Master's Degree and more likely to earn a Doctoral Degree by 3.2%.Types of design manufacturing engineer
Updated January 8, 2025
