Explore jobs
Find specific jobs
Explore careers
Explore professions
Best companies
Explore companies
The differences between junior process engineers and production engineers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 2-4 years to become both a junior process engineer and a production engineer. Additionally, a production engineer has an average salary of $89,727, which is higher than the $69,606 average annual salary of a junior process engineer.
The top three skills for a junior process engineer include p id, lean manufacturing and sigma. The most important skills for a production engineer are java, continuous improvement, and lean manufacturing.
| Junior Process Engineer | Production Engineer | |
| Yearly salary | $69,606 | $89,727 |
| Hourly rate | $33.46 | $43.14 |
| Growth rate | 10% | 10% |
| Number of jobs | 63,010 | 94,789 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 74% | Bachelor's Degree, 76% |
| Average age | 42 | 42 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 4 |
Typically working in the manufacturing industry, a junior process engineer is in charge of designing and developing procedures to optimize manufacturing operations. Among their responsibilities include understanding and identifying the needs of the company, gathering and analyzing data, developing prototypes and test structures, managing budgets and timelines, and producing regular progress reports. They may also assess existing systems and procedures, recommending solutions against problem areas. Furthermore, as a junior process engineer, it is essential to provide support to staff while implementing the company's policies and regulations.
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.
Junior process engineers and production engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Junior Process Engineer | Production Engineer | |
| Average salary | $69,606 | $89,727 |
| Salary range | Between $53,000 And $91,000 | Between $64,000 And $125,000 |
| Highest paying City | Pasadena, TX | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | Washington | California |
| Best paying company | Sargent & Lundy | Cheniere Energy |
| Best paying industry | Automotive | Technology |
There are a few differences between a junior process engineer and a production engineer in terms of educational background:
| Junior Process Engineer | Production Engineer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 74% | Bachelor's Degree, 76% |
| Most common major | Chemical Engineering | Mechanical Engineering |
| Most common college | Northwestern University | Northwestern University |
Here are the differences between junior process engineers' and production engineers' demographics:
| Junior Process Engineer | Production Engineer | |
| Average age | 42 | 42 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 80.5% Female, 19.5% | Male, 86.7% Female, 13.3% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 4.6% Unknown, 3.9% Hispanic or Latino, 11.2% Asian, 14.1% White, 66.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% | Black or African American, 4.3% Unknown, 3.9% Hispanic or Latino, 10.5% Asian, 15.4% White, 65.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% |
| LGBT Percentage | 4% | 4% |