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What is a director of manufacturing engineering and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read
Quoted expert
Yi Yang PhD

The Director of Manufacturing Engineering is an individual who oversees the manufacturing process. They work with both the manufacturing team and suppliers to ensure that manufacturing is possible. They also perform design optimization.

As the director of manufacturing engineering, you are responsible for simulating and analyzing components required for manufacturing. This is so that they meet manufacturing and quality requirements. You also identify cost reduction opportunities and other related tasks.

The director of manufacturing engineering position is seemingly always open; however, you need at least a bachelor's degree in a related discipline to be hired. You'll also want to have analytical, math, and project management skills. Additionally, employers look for applicants with at least 10 years of experience directing manufacturing engineering teams. It will be worth it as you will earn about $90,000 a year as an entry-level director. The average salary can become as high as $144,619 with more experience and skills.

What general advice would you give to a director of manufacturing engineering?

Yi Yang PhDYi Yang PhD LinkedIn profile

Associate Professor, Pennsylvania State University - Abington

For new graduates beginning their careers in engineering, I would advise them to consider the broader impact of their work and look for opportunities to expand their management potential. While engineering is a highly technical field, it's important to recognize the value of leadership roles in preserving a culture of innovation. By taking on these positions, you can help ensure that companies prioritize long-term innovation over short-term gains (cutting R&D to boost the balance sheet), thus preserving the engineering culture that drives meaningful progress.
ScoreDirector Of Manufacturing EngineeringUS Average
Salary
9.2

Avg. Salary $160,810

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability level
7.4

Growth rate 2%

Growth rate 0.3%

Diversity
1.6
Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 0.16%

Asian 11.66%

Black or African American 3.18%

Hispanic or Latino 9.14%

Unknown 4.72%

White 71.14%

Gender

female 4.63%

male 95.37%

Age - 48
Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%

Asian 7.00%

Black or African American 14.00%

Hispanic or Latino 19.00%

White 57.00%

Gender

female 47.00%

male 53.00%

Age - 48
Stress level
7.4

Stress level is high

7.1 - high

Complexity level
10.0

Complexity level is advanced

7 - challenging

Work life balance
3.5

Work life balance is poor

6.4 - fair

Director of manufacturing engineering career paths

Key steps to become a director of manufacturing engineering

  1. Explore director of manufacturing engineering education requirements

    Most common director of manufacturing engineering degrees

    Bachelor's

    70.8 %

    Master's

    17.4 %

    Associate

    9.1 %
  2. Start to develop specific director of manufacturing engineering skills

    SkillsPercentages
    Lean Manufacturing10.19%
    Continuous Improvement10.08%
    Project Management6.44%
    Sigma5.88%
    R5.17%
  3. Complete relevant director of manufacturing engineering training and internships

    Accountants spend an average of 6-12 months on post-employment, on-the-job training. New directors of manufacturing engineering learn the skills and techniques required for their job and employer during this time. The chart below shows how long it takes to gain competency as a director of manufacturing engineering based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real director of manufacturing engineering resumes.
  4. Research director of manufacturing engineering duties and responsibilities

    • Manage state-of-the-art extrusion plant with single screw and twin screw technology and co-extrusion capability.
    • Host FDA inspections, ISO certification and third party audits.
    • Ensure compliance with NSF, FDA, UL, CSA, CE, FCC and other regulatory standards.
    • Institute an ISO compliant procedure program.
  5. Get director of manufacturing engineering experience

    Generally, it takes more than 10 years to become a director of manufacturing engineering. The most common roles before becoming a director of manufacturing engineering include manufacturing engineering manager, manufacturing engineer team lead and senior manufacturing engineer.
  6. Prepare your director of manufacturing engineering resume

    When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your director of manufacturing engineering resume.

    You can use Zippia's AI resume builder to make the resume writing process easier while also making sure that you include key information that hiring managers expect to see on a director of manufacturing engineering resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.

    Choose from 10+ customizable director of manufacturing engineering resume templates

    Build a professional director of manufacturing engineering resume in minutes. Browse through our resume examples to identify the best way to word your resume. Then choose from 10+ resume templates to create your director of manufacturing engineering resume.
    Director Of Manufacturing Engineering Resume
    Director Of Manufacturing Engineering Resume
    Director Of Manufacturing Engineering Resume
    Director Of Manufacturing Engineering Resume
    Director Of Manufacturing Engineering Resume
    Director Of Manufacturing Engineering Resume
    Director Of Manufacturing Engineering Resume
    Director Of Manufacturing Engineering Resume
    Director Of Manufacturing Engineering Resume
  7. Apply for director of manufacturing engineering jobs

    Now it's time to start searching for a director of manufacturing engineering job. Consider the tips below for a successful job search:

    1. Browse job boards for relevant postings
    2. Consult your professional network
    3. Reach out to companies you're interested in working for directly
    4. Watch out for job scams

How did you land your first director of manufacturing engineering job

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Average director of manufacturing engineering salary

The average director of manufacturing engineering salary in the United States is $160,810 per year or $77 per hour. Director of manufacturing engineering salaries range between $113,000 and $227,000 per year.

Average director of manufacturing engineering salary
$160,810 Yearly
$77.31 hourly

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Director of manufacturing engineering reviews

profile
A zippia user wrote a review on Jan 2020
Pros

Being able to solve technical problems and manage staff for work

Cons

Less pay and not being able to freely speak what's on my mind


profile
A zippia user wrote a review on Dec 2019
Pros

Solving problems with the utmost educated confidence

Cons

Indecisive colleagues and related problems because if their lack of ability and skills


profile
A zippia user wrote a review on May 2019
Pros

The logic and precision required as well as the ability to create something

Cons

The amount of time spent in the office


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Updated January 8, 2025

Zippia Research Team
Zippia Team

Editorial Staff

The Zippia Research Team has spent countless hours reviewing resumes, job postings, and government data to determine what goes into getting a job in each phase of life. Professional writers and data scientists comprise the Zippia Research Team.

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