What does a manufacturing development engineer do?
A manufacturing development engineer works to improve the process of making products. The responsibilities of this position are repairing equipment used in manufacturing, purchasing and installing manufacturing equipment, designing new procedures and systems, diagnosing problems with machinery, supervising other engineering and technical staff, and managing the budget for the development engineering staff. They are also responsible for designing, creating, and testing new products. This position requires a mechanical engineering or bioengineering degree.
Manufacturing development engineer responsibilities
Here are examples of responsibilities from real manufacturing development engineer resumes:
- Collaborate with internal company users to manage software and database improvements.
- Participate in FDA and ISO audits of production operations and records.
- Implement systems at division level to obtain compliance with corporate and FDA requirements.
- Develop vision measuring tool to inspect parts and roll data into Solidworks to display data as 3d models.
- Initiate cross divisional team to meet the emerging requirements of ISO 9000 and labeling needs of global markets.
- Develop and execute validation protocols (IQ/OQ/PQ) for new equipment, new processes, and incremental improvements to existing processes.
- Redesign subassemblies using SolidWorks while considering design for manufacturing.
- Investigate and troubleshoot process deviations and production issues to identify potential product impact using technical and scientific skills.
- Set up models for machine capacity and labor calculation; provide information to management for budget forecast of capital and labor.
- Support QA in electron microscope failure analysis determinations with customer claims.
- Perform engineering analysis and calculations to accommodate customers' increase production demands.
- Work with QA on root cause identification and corrective/preventive actions for customer quality issues.
- Work with mechanical engineers to develop technical reports containing OSHA guidelines for chemicals used within the shipbuilding process.
- Investigate OSHA and EPA environmental, health, and safety compliance requirements and critically review the requirements against existing company procedures.
Manufacturing development engineer skills and personality traits
We calculated that 6% of Manufacturing Development Engineers are proficient in R, Medical Devices, and Sigma. They’re also known for soft skills such as Creativity, Listening skills, and Math skills.
We break down the percentage of Manufacturing Development Engineers that have these skills listed on their resume here:
- R, 6%
Applied statistical methods to manufacturing disciplines including X-bar and R charts, process capability studies and problem identification/solving activities.
- Medical Devices, 6%
Supported several Product Development Teams within SMC Designed and built and/or procured equipment necessary to produce assembled medical devices.
- Sigma, 5%
Develop and manufacture industry-leading tape products with high-quality (Six Sigma) and cost-efficiency.
- Continuous Improvement, 5%
Apply continuous improvement methods such as lean manufacturing to enhance manufacturing quality, reliability or cost effectiveness.
- Lean Manufacturing, 5%
Led cross functional team and implemented new disk drive work-cell manufacturing strategy using lean manufacturing concepts.
- CAD, 5%
Ensured PCB designs met quality and cost requirements, working in collaboration with in-house electrical engineering design and contract PCB CAD.
Common skills that a manufacturing development engineer uses to do their job include "r," "medical devices," and "sigma." You can find details on the most important manufacturing development engineer responsibilities below.
Creativity. One of the key soft skills for a manufacturing development engineer to have is creativity. You can see how this relates to what manufacturing development engineers do 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." Additionally, a manufacturing development engineer resume shows how manufacturing development engineers use creativity: "developed bill of material (bom), inventory and procurement plans for buyers and strategic partners. "
Listening skills. Many manufacturing development engineer duties rely on listening skills. "these engineers often operate in teams, but they also must solicit feedback from customers, vendors, and production staff," so a manufacturing development engineer will need this skill often in their role. This resume example is just one of many ways manufacturing development engineer responsibilities rely on listening skills: "communicated extensively with external customers to expedite process changes. "
Math skills. Another skill that relates to the job responsibilities of manufacturing development engineers is math skills. This skill is critical to many everyday manufacturing development engineer duties, as "industrial engineers use the principles of calculus, trigonometry, and other advanced topics in mathematics for analysis, design, and troubleshooting in their work." This example from a resume shows how this skill is used: "generated conceptual design and modification of fixtures and baskets for different load size and load geometry in solidworks. "
Problem-solving skills. manufacturing development engineer responsibilities often require "problem-solving skills." The duties that rely on this skill are shown by the fact that "in designing facilities for manufacturing and processes for providing services, these engineers deal with several issues at once, from workers’ safety to quality assurance." This resume example shows what manufacturing development engineers do with problem-solving skills on a typical day: "provided cleanroom support, troubleshooting, and resolved issues on multiple product lines including diagnostic & ablation catheters. "
Speaking skills. Another common skill required for manufacturing development engineer responsibilities is "speaking skills." This skill comes up in the duties of manufacturing development engineers all the time, as "industrial engineers sometimes have to explain their instructions to production staff or technicians before they can make written instructions available." An excerpt from a real manufacturing development engineer resume shows how this skill is central to what a manufacturing development engineer does: "compiled, analyzed, and presented product design, manufacturing, and test data to management and customers. "
Writing skills. Lastly, "writing skills" is an important element of what a manufacturing development engineer does. Manufacturing development engineer responsibilities require this skill because "industrial engineers must prepare documentation for other engineers or scientists, or for future reference." This resume example highlights how manufacturing development engineer duties rely on this skill: "justified and procured capital equipment (included writing and presentation of proposals). "
The three companies that hire the most manufacturing development engineers are:
- Micron Technology6 manufacturing development engineers jobs
- Bosch USA4 manufacturing development engineers jobs
- MSRCosmos
3 manufacturing development engineers jobs
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Compare different manufacturing development engineers
Manufacturing development 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.
While similarities exist, there are also some differences between manufacturing development engineers and engineer. For instance, manufacturing development engineer responsibilities require skills such as "medical devices," "sigma," "continuous improvement," and "lean manufacturing." Whereas a engineer is skilled in "python," "cloud," "c++," and "c #." This is part of what separates the two careers.
Engineers really shine in the automotive industry with an average salary of $97,672. Comparatively, manufacturing development engineers tend to make the most money in the technology industry with an average salary of $83,825.The education levels that engineers earn slightly differ from manufacturing development engineers. In particular, engineers are 1.2% less likely to graduate with a Master's Degree than a manufacturing development engineer. Additionally, they're 0.9% more likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.Manufacturing development engineer vs. Senior process engineer
A Senior Process Engineer assesses a process efficiency, effectiveness, safety, and quality. They also conduct process improvement initiatives and custom product developments.
While some skills are similar in these professions, other skills aren't so similar. For example, resumes show us that manufacturing development engineer responsibilities requires skills like "medical devices," "cad," "gd," and "laser." But a senior process engineer might use other skills in their typical duties, such as, "process design," "technical support," "sr," and "process equipment."
Senior process engineers may earn a higher salary than manufacturing development engineers, but senior process engineers earn the most pay in the energy industry with an average salary of $107,116. On the other hand, manufacturing development engineers receive higher pay in the technology industry, where they earn an average salary of $83,825.In general, senior process engineers achieve similar levels of education than manufacturing development engineers. They're 3.2% more likely to obtain a Master's Degree while being 0.9% more likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.What technology do you think will become more important and prevalent for manufacturing development engineers in the next 3-5 years?
Dr. Richard Onyancha
Associate Professor of Mechanical Engineering and Department Head, Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology
Manufacturing development engineer vs. Tool engineer
A tooling engineer is responsible for creating and adjusting tools or parts for cars, heavy equipment, and other products that need customized or personalized components. Your duties and responsibilities will include creating design blueprints, using computer-aided (CAD) software to develop two- and three-dimensional prints, and validating and evaluating products. As a tooling engineer, it is your responsibility to ensure compliance with operational standards such as the ISO 9000. You also have to provide technical assistance to manufacturing personnel and quality assurance.
There are many key differences between these two careers, including some of the skills required to perform responsibilities within each role. For example, a manufacturing development engineer is likely to be skilled in "medical devices," "fda," "laser," and "statistical process control," while a typical tool engineer is skilled in "python," "java," "linux," and "jenkins."
Tool engineers make a very good living in the technology industry with an average annual salary of $94,406. On the other hand, manufacturing development engineers are paid the highest salary in the technology industry, with average annual pay of $83,825.Most tool engineers achieve a lower degree level compared to manufacturing development engineers. For example, they're 6.4% less likely to graduate with a Master's Degree, and 0.0% less likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.Manufacturing development 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.
Types of manufacturing development engineer
Updated January 8, 2025
