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Manufacturing engineer skills for your resume and career

Updated January 8, 2025

8 min read

Quoted experts

Charles Jenckes,

Mike DeVore Ph.D.

One of the most important hard skills manufacturing engineers across the board can possess is strong knowledge of and experience working with computer-aided design (CAD). It's also very important for systems engineers to be fluent in project management, and have ample experience in creating equipment that improves product quality.

When it comes to soft skills, manufacturing engineers should have finely tuned skills of discernment to ensure a consistently high systems quality. Manufacturing engineers need to do a good amount of data analysis as well, so analytical skills are also crucial.

Below we've compiled a list of the most critical manufacturing engineer skills. We ranked the top skills for manufacturing engineers based on the percentage of resumes they appeared on. For example, 9.2% of manufacturing engineer resumes contained lean manufacturing as a skill. Continue reading to find out what skills a manufacturing engineer needs to be successful in the workplace.

15 manufacturing engineer skills for your resume and career

1. Lean Manufacturing

Here's how manufacturing engineers use lean manufacturing:

Overhauled and implemented lean manufacturing processes and procedures resulting in increased production and efficiency resulting in the doubling of overall production.
Introduced lean manufacturing principals to factory employees through creative demonstration that allowed for strong understanding of upcoming improvements and open communication.

2. CAD

Here's how manufacturing engineers use cad:

Improved critical operations by developing detailed work instructions and procedures, using CAD model illustrations for greater clarity.
Designed aluminum/steel fixtures and templates utilizing SolidWorks CAD for manufacture of military armored trucks, including FMEA.

3. Solidworks

Here's how manufacturing engineers use solidworks:

Operated CADKEY and SolidWorks design software to increase manufacturing and quality of mechanical products by utilizing advanced designs.
Supervised various processes used in manufacturing and fabrication of windmill parts and translated 2D drawings into SolidWorks models

4. Sigma

In Greek alphabets, sigma is the 18th letter that means "to sum up". In statistics, the lower case symbol of sigma is the unit of measurement for standard deviation which is used to assess the variability in a given set of data. While the upper case symbol is for summation notation means to add up all the given numbers in the data set.

Here's how manufacturing engineers use sigma:

Contributed to the Caterpillar Quality Management System Certification by performing internal audit and coordinating a Six Sigma Black Belt project.
Participated in multiple Lean Manufacturing/Six Sigma process improvement initiatives to include comparing and obtaining new equipment for hydro forming parts.

5. Project Management

Here's how manufacturing engineers use project management:

Led project management in the planning and implementation of quality improvements, cost reductions, capacity increases, and productivity enhancements.
Delivered effective project management to initiate and implement capital projects involving facilities, machine tools, material handling equipment and processes.

6. CNC

CNC stands for Computer Numerical Control. It is a subtractive manufacturing technique that usually uses computerized controls and machine tools to strip layers of material from a stock piece.

Here's how manufacturing engineers use cnc:

Determined manufacturing requirements and quality assurance measures through to use of operational process planning drawings and inspection reports for CNC machined components
Developed manufacturing methods for machined aircraft structural components including fixture design and 4-axis CNC programming of complex lofted surfaces.

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7. Corrective Action

Here's how manufacturing engineers use corrective action:

Interfaced daily w/Lockheed Martin-Georgia MRB implementing rework/repair/corrective action
Worked closely with technicians and quality assurance to process non-conformance issues and corrective action plans to maintain production schedule and conformity.

8. Process Improvement

Here's how manufacturing engineers use process improvement:

Developed major process improvement that allowed for a 75% reduction in manufacturing time reducing inventory needs and improving customer responsiveness.
Provide guidance, feedback and engineering design change concepts for process improvement and optimization utilizing customer facilities equipment and technical expertise.

9. Process Control

Process control is a method pertaining to continuous production processes that uses the aid of ICS (Industrial Control Systems) for production. This method enables production to be done with a level of consistency and safety in an economically friendly manner that is impossible to achieve solely through manual control.

Here's how manufacturing engineers use process control:

Provided manufacturing direction in product development meetings to drive design for manufacturing and ensure tight tolerances and process control capability.
Led cross-functional teams to develop improvements applicable to statistical process control to achieve quality, efficiency and cost reduction initiatives.

10. Troubleshoot

Troubleshooting is the process of analyzing and fixing any kind of problem in a system or a machine. Troubleshooting is the detailed yet quick search in the system for the main source of an issue and solving it.

Here's how manufacturing engineers use troubleshoot:

Review, troubleshoot and implement improved part manufacturing processing from machining through final assembly procedures for aerospace components.
Worked closely with design and project engineers to troubleshoot manufacturing problems and improve production documentation.

11. Product Quality

Product quality is the basic element of a business. It means to add features in a product or service in such a way that it meets the needs and wants of the customers. Enhancing the product quality also means improve the goods from any existing defects to ensure customer satisfaction.

Here's how manufacturing engineers use product quality:

Generate recommendations from test results for cost reduction of materials and processes, product performance enhancement and improvement of product quality.
Recommended and implemented measure to continually motivate team performance and improve production methods, equipment efficiency, and product quality.

12. Lean Six Sigma

Here's how manufacturing engineers use lean six sigma:

Implement manufacturing process improvement and Lean Six Sigma program.
Realized an 11% raise in product efficiency and eliminated waste formation by 23% by implementing Lean Six Sigma methodologies.

13. Product Design

Product design can be described as a process of imagining, creating, and iterating products that solve user's problems and talk about the specific needs of users in the market. Product design is an engineering disciple and it is the basic design and idea that goes before the mass production of the product.

Here's how manufacturing engineers use product design:

Implemented product design/manufacturing changes and instituted semi-automated manufacturing processes.
Work closely with Product Engineering and Quality Engineering on new product designs providing technical expertise and specification interpretation of electrical components.

14. Cost Reduction

Here's how manufacturing engineers use cost reduction:

Developed programs to streamline production, cost reduction, operational efficiency analysis and implemented production systems to enable accurate business forecasting.
Launched turnkey program outsourcing assemblies to qualified vendors allowing workforce to focus on critical product improvements and major cost reductions.

15. Technical Support

Technical support or tech support are the services provided by any hardware or software company to users. They help in solving the technical difficulties the customers face with their products or services. Moreover, the tech support employees maintain, manage, and repair the IT faults. They are also responsible for resolving the network problems, installing and configuring hardware and software.

Here's how manufacturing engineers use technical support:

Provided cost justifications and design recommendations, determined additional value added services, and advised on complex customer technical support issues.
Assist customer sales managers with technical support and root cause analysis/preventative action implementation for Returned Merchandise Authorizations (RMA's).

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What skills help Manufacturing Engineers find jobs?

Tell us what job you are looking for, we’ll show you what skills employers want.

What skills stand out on manufacturing engineer resumes?

Charles Jenckes

Assistant Professor, University of North Carolina at Charlotte

For new graduates
1.Where the candidate went to school and what was studied
2.GPA
3.Any successful internships
4.Projects completed by the student

What soft skills should all manufacturing engineers possess?

Mike DeVore Ph.D.

Professor & Program Chair, Cincinnati State Technical & Community College

Our employers frequently mention the importance of good communication skills, both written and oral. The ability to work in a team is also an important skill.

What hard/technical skills are most important for manufacturing engineers?

Mike DeVore Ph.D.

Professor & Program Chair, Cincinnati State Technical & Community College

-Computer-Aided Design

-Knowledge of manufacturing processes

-A good mathematics foundation

-Technical communication

-Problem solving

What manufacturing engineer skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?

Dr. Richard Onyancha

Associate Professor of Mechanical Engineering and Department Head, Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology

For students who would like to consider taking a gap year, depending on what their goals after graduation are, they could consider enhancing their skills in any of these areas:
- Technical hands-on skills such as CAD/CAM, simulation, design, and fabrication
- Global competency
- Public policy
- Job shadowing
- Preparing for and taking professional exams if, for example, considering medical school or law school

What type of skills will young manufacturing engineers need?

Andy Gerrick

Associate Professor and Chair, Embry-Riddle, Prescott

Most important is the ability to pull together the problem-solving skills learned in the different engineering courses to solve real-world, multidisciplinary, engineering problems. This requires a clear understanding of the problem and the requirements, and it requires a thorough understanding of engineering concepts. Memorizing problem solutions is of no value because no one will pay you to solve a problem that has already been solved. An engineer's ability to communicate is also extremely important. Engineering is a collaborative endeavor, so if you are not able to communicate your ideas, you are not contributing.

What technical skills for a manufacturing engineer stand out to employers?

David Blunck Ph.D.

Associate Professor of Mechanical Engineering, Associate School Head for Undergraduate Programs, Oregon State University

Employers like students who have engineering-related experience. Experience can come through internships, research, jobs, and extra-curricular activities. Graduates need to realize that they will likely apply to jobs where all of the other applicants have the same degrees. So students need to identify ways that they can differentiate themselves. Experience can be a great differentiator.

Do you want to know more?

List of manufacturing engineer skills to add to your resume

The most important skills for a manufacturing engineer resume and required skills for a manufacturing engineer to have include:

Lean Manufacturing
CAD
Solidworks
Sigma
Project Management
CNC
Corrective Action
Process Improvement
Process Control
Troubleshoot
Product Quality
Lean Six Sigma
Product Design
Cost Reduction
Technical Support
Production Processes

Quality Standards
ISO
Shop Floor
GD
Production Equipment
Kaizen
Design Engineering
Continuous Improvement
Production Floor
SPC
Engineering Drawings
Engineering Support
Value Stream
Assembly Line
Process Changes
Process Documentation

Test Procedures
Product Development
Capital Equipment
Product Line
Production Schedules
R
Cad Cam
FMEA
Assembly Process
Process Flow
PLC
Quality Issues
BOM
Manufacturing Support
FDA
ERP

Updated January 8, 2025

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.

Updated January 8, 2025

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