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The differences between manufacturing engineers lead and senior product 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 manufacturing engineer lead, becoming a senior product engineer takes usually requires 4-6 years. Additionally, a senior product engineer has an average salary of $101,685, which is higher than the $88,937 average annual salary of a manufacturing engineer lead.
The top three skills for a manufacturing engineer lead include lean manufacturing, sigma and CAD. The most important skills for a senior product engineer are java, product engineering, and continuous improvement.
| Manufacturing Engineer Lead | Senior Product Engineer | |
| Yearly salary | $88,937 | $101,685 |
| Hourly rate | $42.76 | $48.89 |
| Growth rate | 10% | 2% |
| Number of jobs | 74,287 | 145,781 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 70% | Bachelor's Degree, 70% |
| Average age | 43 | 41 |
| Years of experience | 2 | 6 |
Lead manufacturing engineers are responsible for assisting with new product expansion, product introduction, and pricing out planning for existing product lines alongside the implementation of engineering processes and principles. They help with the technical coordination between division and group leading manufacturing locations beyond the present site. Their duties include implementing manufacturing engineering to provide superior technical output promptly. Also, they fulfill technical subject matter competence, assist with the growth of organizational engineering or technical skills to reach the division and site strategies, as well as aid in the training for receiving and sending sites.
A senior product engineer specializes in optimizing product designs and manufacturing procedures, ensuring efficiency and smooth workflow. They are typically in charge of performing market research and analysis, utilizing the results as a basis in designing new products and upgrading existing designs. Moreover, they coordinate with product development teams to cultivate ideas, develop prototypes and test structures, and oversee the material selection that will make the products possible. As a senior product engineer, it is essential to monitor the entire progress and lead the workforce to reach goals, all while implementing the company's policies and regulations.
Manufacturing engineers lead and senior product engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Manufacturing Engineer Lead | Senior Product Engineer | |
| Average salary | $88,937 | $101,685 |
| Salary range | Between $70,000 And $112,000 | Between $78,000 And $131,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | Mountain View, CA |
| Highest paying state | California | California |
| Best paying company | Cloudflare | |
| Best paying industry | Automotive | Technology |
There are a few differences between a manufacturing engineer lead and a senior product engineer in terms of educational background:
| Manufacturing Engineer Lead | Senior Product Engineer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 70% | Bachelor's Degree, 70% |
| Most common major | Mechanical Engineering | Electrical Engineering |
| Most common college | Northwestern University | Northwestern University |
Here are the differences between manufacturing engineers lead' and senior product engineers' demographics:
| Manufacturing Engineer Lead | Senior Product Engineer | |
| Average age | 43 | 41 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 91.0% Female, 9.0% | Male, 89.2% Female, 10.8% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 4.3% Unknown, 4.8% Hispanic or Latino, 10.9% Asian, 17.0% White, 62.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3% | Black or African American, 3.1% Unknown, 4.5% Hispanic or Latino, 7.9% Asian, 17.2% White, 67.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.1% |
| LGBT Percentage | 5% | 5% |