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The differences between lean manufacturing engineers and research and development engineers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 1-2 years to become a lean manufacturing engineer, becoming a research and development engineer takes usually requires 4-6 years. Additionally, a research and development engineer has an average salary of $100,169, which is higher than the $75,994 average annual salary of a lean manufacturing engineer.
The top three skills for a lean manufacturing engineer include lean manufacturing, kaizen events and process improvement. The most important skills for a research and development engineer are python, R, and solidworks.
| Lean Manufacturing Engineer | Research And Development Engineer | |
| Yearly salary | $75,994 | $100,169 |
| Hourly rate | $36.54 | $48.16 |
| Growth rate | 10% | 2% |
| Number of jobs | 59,193 | 187,910 |
| Job satisfaction | - | 5 |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 76% | Bachelor's Degree, 70% |
| Average age | 43 | 41 |
| Years of experience | 2 | 6 |
Lean manufacturing engineers are engineering professionals who are responsible for executing the lean manufacturing method, a process that reduces waste in a manufacturing system without sacrificing productivity. These engineers must utilize lean tools and train all plant personnel about using these tools to identify wastes and reduce costs. They must lead the process improvement teams to initiate activities that eliminate waste in all aspects of the operation. Lean manufacturing engineers must also perform cost or benefit analysts to determine the return of investment (ROI) of capital expenditures and project initiatives.
Research and development engineers generally execute research and tests on product ideas, develop new products, and perform redesigns. They are employed in many industries, including manufacturing, electrical, and science-based companies. Their duties vary and depend on the industries they work in. Responsibilities of these engineers include developing new technologies, designing products, and managing the projects until they are completed. Additionally, they lead the project team members to manage their schedules, design the project plans, and collaborate with key departments in developing new products.
Lean manufacturing engineers and research and development engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Lean Manufacturing Engineer | Research And Development Engineer | |
| Average salary | $75,994 | $100,169 |
| Salary range | Between $59,000 And $97,000 | Between $74,000 And $135,000 |
| Highest paying City | Milpitas, CA | Santa Rosa, CA |
| Highest paying state | California | California |
| Best paying company | Stryker | Meta |
| Best paying industry | Finance | Technology |
There are a few differences between a lean manufacturing engineer and a research and development engineer in terms of educational background:
| Lean Manufacturing Engineer | Research And Development Engineer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 76% | Bachelor's Degree, 70% |
| Most common major | Industrial Engineering | Mechanical Engineering |
| Most common college | Northwestern University | Massachusetts Institute of Technology |
Here are the differences between lean manufacturing engineers' and research and development engineers' demographics:
| Lean Manufacturing Engineer | Research And Development Engineer | |
| Average age | 43 | 41 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 84.4% Female, 15.6% | Male, 85.2% Female, 14.8% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 4.2% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 10.5% Asian, 17.1% White, 63.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3% | Black or African American, 3.1% Unknown, 4.5% Hispanic or Latino, 7.8% Asian, 16.7% White, 67.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.1% |
| LGBT Percentage | 5% | 5% |