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What does a junior manufacturing engineer do?

Updated January 8, 2025
8 min read
Quoted expert
Jerry Leth
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Junior manufacturing engineer responsibilities

Here are examples of responsibilities from real junior manufacturing engineer resumes:

  • Define process specifications, identify vendors, manage budget and allocate resources for the fulfillment of new CnC processing capabilities.
  • Lead several independent, cross-functional projects and improve manufacturing quality, reduce cost, ensure environment are supported and FDA compliant.
  • Provide the aerospace, marine, communications and research industries with CNC machining and fabrication services.
  • Design with SolidWorks and machine the prototype.
  • Repair and periodic maintenance on PLC equipment in timely manner.
  • Used AutoCAD and SolidWorks for product design changes and the design of new products.
  • Establish metal coating processes and sequencing of processes per customer and GMP requirements for aerospace and commercial grade products.
  • Prepare a provisional stock room for prototypes, and help troubleshoot electromechanical equipment.
  • Prepare soil data in geotechnical software and graphical figures to be used and review by professional engineering project managers.
  • Design assemblies jig, templates and stamping tools to speed up the forming, welding and assembly operations.
  • Perform IQ/OQ/PQ to validate mold components and processes by following customer protocols or self develop protocols and complete OQ/PQ validation reports.

Junior manufacturing engineer skills and personality traits

We calculated that 17% of Junior Manufacturing Engineers are proficient in Lean Manufacturing, Solidworks, and CAD. They’re also known for soft skills such as Speaking skills, Writing skills, and Creativity.

We break down the percentage of Junior Manufacturing Engineers that have these skills listed on their resume here:

  • Lean Manufacturing, 17%

    Implement and refine electroplating process by applying continuous improvement and lean manufacturing principles.

  • Solidworks, 10%

    Operated CADKEY and SolidWorks design software to increase manufacturing and quality of mechanical products by utilizing advanced designs.

  • CAD, 9%

    Developed first pattern suing CAD (Micromark and PDS2000).

  • ISO, 7%

    Design of Operation Process Sheets ISO 9000.

  • CNC, 6%

    Defined process specifications, identified vendors, managed budget and allocated resources for the fulfillment of new CnC processing capabilities.

  • Engineering Drawings, 5%

    Document and visually replicate assembly processes utilizing engineering drawings, digital photography, graphic computer reproduction, and precise technical terminology.

"lean manufacturing," "solidworks," and "cad" are among the most common skills that junior manufacturing engineers use at work. You can find even more junior manufacturing engineer responsibilities below, including:

Speaking skills. To carry out their duties, the most important skill for a junior manufacturing engineer to have is speaking skills. Their role and responsibilities require that "industrial engineers sometimes have to explain their instructions to production staff or technicians before they can make written instructions available." Junior manufacturing engineers often use speaking skills in their day-to-day job, as shown by this real resume: "represented engineering and production departments in company-wide enterprise resource planning (erp) system upgrade. "

Writing skills. Another soft skill that's essential for fulfilling junior manufacturing engineer duties is writing skills. The role rewards competence in this skill because "industrial engineers must prepare documentation for other engineers or scientists, or for future reference." According to a junior manufacturing engineer resume, here's how junior manufacturing engineers can utilize writing skills in their job responsibilities: "performed production testing, electrical characterization, writing and debugging test programs and patterns on four different brands of ate testers. "

Creativity. junior manufacturing engineers are also known for creativity, which are critical to their duties. You can see how this skill relates to junior manufacturing engineer responsibilities, because "industrial engineers use creativity and ingenuity to design new production processes in many kinds of settings in order to reduce the use of material resources, time, or labor while accomplishing the same goal." A junior manufacturing engineer resume example shows how creativity is used in the workplace: "trained contractors on inventory control, smooth line flow, organizing tools and equipment. "

Listening skills. A big part of what junior manufacturing engineers do relies on "listening skills." You can see how essential it is to junior manufacturing engineer responsibilities because "these engineers often operate in teams, but they also must solicit feedback from customers, vendors, and production staff." Here's an example of how this skill is used from a resume that represents typical junior manufacturing engineer tasks: "communicated information regarding process and product changes, and made recommendations for capital equipment to various levels within the organization. "

Problem-solving skills. Another crucial skill for a junior manufacturing engineer to carry out their responsibilities is "problem-solving skills." A big part of what junior manufacturing engineers relies on this skill, since "in designing facilities for manufacturing and processes for providing services, these engineers deal with several issues at once, from workers’ safety to quality assurance." How this skill relates to junior manufacturing engineer duties can be seen in an example from a junior manufacturing engineer resume snippet: "applied lean six sigma methodology and 8d problem solving process to bring improvements and solutions to the manufacturing lines. "

Math skills. While "math skills" is last on this skills list, don't underestimate its importance to junior manufacturing engineer responsibilities. Much of what a junior manufacturing engineer does relies on this skill, seeing as "industrial engineers use the principles of calculus, trigonometry, and other advanced topics in mathematics for analysis, design, and troubleshooting in their work." Here is a resume example of how this skill is used in the everyday duties of junior manufacturing engineers: "developed and implemented format for fibersim geometry in catia v5 r17. "

See the full list of junior manufacturing engineer skills

The three companies that hire the most junior manufacturing engineers are:

Choose from 10+ customizable junior manufacturing engineer resume templates

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Compare different junior manufacturing engineers

Junior 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.

The annual salary of engineers is $31,605 higher than the average salary of junior manufacturing engineers.Even though junior manufacturing engineers and engineers are distinct careers, a few of the skills required for both jobs are similar. For example, both careers require solidworks, cad, and iso in the day-to-day roles and responsibilities.

These skill sets are where the common ground ends though. The responsibilities of a junior manufacturing engineer are more likely to require skills like "lean manufacturing," "engineering drawings," "shop floor," and "aerospace." On the other hand, a job as an engineer requires skills like "python," "cloud," "c++," and "c #." As you can see, what employees do in each career varies considerably.

Engineers tend to reach higher levels of education than junior manufacturing engineers. In fact, engineers are 7.9% more likely to graduate with a Master's Degree and 1.3% more likely to have a Doctoral Degree.

Junior 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.

Process engineer positions earn higher pay than junior manufacturing engineer roles. They earn a $21,971 higher salary than junior manufacturing engineers per year.A few skills overlap for junior manufacturing engineers and process engineers. Resumes from both professions show that the duties of each career rely on skills like "lean manufacturing," "solidworks," and "cad. "

Each career also uses different skills, according to real junior manufacturing engineer resumes. While junior manufacturing engineer responsibilities can utilize skills like "engineering drawings," "shop floor," "aerospace," and "production floor," process engineers use skills like "continuous improvement," "project management," "data analysis," and "technical support."

Process engineers earn higher levels of education than junior manufacturing engineers in general. They're 7.1% more likely to graduate with a Master's Degree and 1.3% more likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.

What technology do you think will become more important and prevalent for junior manufacturing engineers in the next 3-5 years?

Jerry LethJerry Leth LinkedIn profile

VP/General Manager, MANA

The current Covid-19 pandemic saw a huge surge in virtual meeting platforms. Your purpose as a salesperson needs to be to help your customers solve the problems they face, not to get orders. If they sense you want to help them rather than get them to buy something, they trust you and end up buying from you. Prior to Covid, salespeople created and maintained high-trust customer relationships through face-to-face meetings. That is not possible under the current environment, and salespeople rely more on connecting through LinkedIn and growing customer relationships through virtual meeting platforms. Following the pandemic, while face-to-face meetings return, the virtual meetings will continue to gain importance and relevance.

Junior manufacturing engineer vs. Production engineer

A production engineer is responsible for monitoring the production operations, ensuring everyone's adherence to safety protocols, and evaluating the staff's performance, strategizing on maximizing productivity to deliver efficient results that would drive revenues and increase profitability. Production engineers inspect the reliability of production equipment and machinery, conducting preventive maintenance, and repair inconsistencies to prevent production delays. They also identify areas of improvement with the manufacturing processes and escalate best practices for improvement. A production engineer must be knowledgeable about technological advancements and incorporate ideas to minimize costs without sacrificing the quality of services.

On average scale, production engineers bring in higher salaries than junior manufacturing engineers. In fact, they earn a $29,255 higher salary per year.Using the responsibilities included on junior manufacturing engineers and production engineers resumes, we found that both professions have similar skill requirements, such as "lean manufacturing," "solidworks," and "cad.rdquo;

There are many key differences between these two careers, including some of the skills required to perform responsibilities within each role. For example, a junior manufacturing engineer is likely to be skilled in "aerospace," "production processes," "eco," and "lean six sigma," while a typical production engineer is skilled in "java," "continuous improvement," "tcp ip," and "technical support."

Most production engineers achieve a similar degree level compared to junior manufacturing engineers. For example, they're 4.6% more likely to graduate with a Master's Degree, and 0.5% more likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.

Junior manufacturing engineer vs. Manufacturing engineering internship

A manufacturing engineering intern is responsible for assisting the manufacturing engineers on the plant's daily operations, analyzing the manufacturing process and procedures, and recommending strategic solutions to maximize productivity and minimize costs. Manufacturing engineering interns shadow the production staff, inspect the tools and equipment of the manufacturing, analyze the quality control documentation, and perform related administrative tasks to familiarize themselves with the plant structure. A manufacturing engineering intern must have excellent communication and organization skills, as well as the ability to adapt quickly to a fast-paced environment.

Manufacturing engineering interns typically earn lower pay than junior manufacturing engineers. On average, manufacturing engineering interns earn a $7,425 lower salary per year.According to resumes from junior manufacturing engineers and manufacturing engineering interns, some of the skills necessary to complete the responsibilities of each role are similar. These skills include "lean manufacturing," "solidworks," and "cad. "While some skills are required in each professionacirc;euro;trade;s responsibilities, there are some differences to note. "aerospace," "production processes," "production equipment," and "eco" are skills that commonly show up on junior manufacturing engineer resumes. On the other hand, manufacturing engineering interns use skills like continuous improvement, process improvement, assembly line, and pallets on their resumes.manufacturing engineering interns reach higher levels of education compared to junior manufacturing engineers, in general. The difference is that they're 5.8% more likely to earn a Master's Degree, and 0.5% more likely to graduate with a Doctoral Degree.

Types of junior manufacturing engineer

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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