What is a facility engineer and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025

4 min read

Quoted expert

Philipp Zerbe

A facility engineer oversees the operation and maintenance of a building's electrical, mechanical, and plumbing systems. They monitor equipment performance, conduct inspections, and implement repairs or upgrades as needed. They may also handle building security, compliance, and conservation initiatives. Additionally, facility engineers work with other departments to coordinate repairs, upgrades, and renovations to the building infrastructure. Their role is crucial in ensuring the smooth operation of commercial and industrial facilities.

What general advice would you give to a facility engineer?

Philipp Zerbe

Associate Professor, University of California - Davis

While most career sectors have been impacted by the Covid-19 pandemic, job opportunities in botany, plant biology and biology in general have been affected comparatively less. Therefore, do not be discouraged; explore the many career possibilities in plant biology and find something that truly speaks to your personality and your career dreams and pursue opportunities in this direction. At the same time be flexible and open-minded toward new opportunities. Botany/Plant Biology is a diverse and international field with many different career possibilities. Be open to exploring different fields and to relocate nationally or internationally for internships or job opportunities.

ScoreFacility EngineerUS Average

Salary

7.0

Avg. Salary $89,623

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability level

7.4

Growth rate 2%

Growth rate 0.3%

Diversity

6.4

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 0.11%

Asian 10.20%

Black or African American 3.49%

Hispanic or Latino 9.73%

Unknown 4.62%

White 71.84%

Gender

female 9.36%

male 90.64%

Age - 39

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 - 39

Stress level

7.4

Stress level is high

7.1 - high

Complexity level

8.6

Complexity level is advanced

7 - challenging

Work life balance

5.1

Work life balance is fair

6.4 - fair

What are the pros and cons of being a facility engineer?

Pros

Opportunity for career advancement
Competitive salary and benefits
Opportunities for travel and networking
Opportunity to work in a team-oriented environment
Potential for job stability and security

Cons

Long hours and potentially irregular schedule
Potential exposure to hazardous materials or dangerous situations
Physical demands of the job, including walking, standing, and lifting heavy objects
Potential for conflict with other departments or stakeholders within the facility
May require working in adverse weather conditions or uncomfortable environments

Key steps to become a facility engineer

Explore facility engineer education requirements

Most common facility engineer degrees

Bachelor's

64.9 %

Associate

16.1 %

Master's

8.9 %

Start to develop specific facility engineer skills

Skills	Percentages
HVAC	11.25%
Plumbing	6.24%
Project Management	5.75%
Ladders	5.04%
Autocad	4.51%

Complete relevant facility engineer training and internships

Accountants spend an average of 1-2 years on post-employment, on-the-job training. New facility engineers 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 facility engineer based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real facility engineer resumes.

Research facility engineer duties and responsibilities

Manage equipment procurement and project AFE's.
Define drawing system format and manage cad system.
Forecast and manage a $185MM+ annual budget through AFE proposal packages.
Manage A/E interface, design change orders and ensure proper field investigation, research and development.

Prepare your facility engineer resume

When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your facility engineer resume.

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Choose from 10+ customizable facility engineer resume templates

Build a professional facility engineer 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 facility engineer resume.