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Mechanical engineering director skills for your resume and career

Updated January 8, 2025

4 min read

Quoted experts

Charles Jenckes,

Tom Springer Ph.D.

Below we've compiled a list of the most critical mechanical engineering director skills. We ranked the top skills for mechanical engineering directors based on the percentage of resumes they appeared on. For example, 26.8% of mechanical engineering director resumes contained mechanical engineering as a skill. Continue reading to find out what skills a mechanical engineering director needs to be successful in the workplace.

15 mechanical engineering director skills for your resume and career

1. Mechanical Engineering

Here's how mechanical engineering directors use mechanical engineering:

Directed Operations and Mechanical Engineering departments.
Managed group of 15 Engineers comprised of Mechanical Engineering, Component Engineering, Documentation Management and PCB Layout.

2. Solidworks

Here's how mechanical engineering directors use solidworks:

Utilize SolidWorks, AutoCAD, Microsoft Office, MS Project, etc.
Sponsor of the introduction of Solidworks into the sister company Snell Acoustics.

3. FEA

The Finite Element Analysis (FEA) is software that can simulate physical phenomenon with the help of numerical procedures. FEA helps companies in developing better and cost-effective products by reducing the number of physical prototypes.

Here's how mechanical engineering directors use fea:

Championed the use of FEA and Modal Analysis on new product developments to reduce development cycle (Rapid Development Tools).
Established finite element analysis (FEA) capability for stress, strain, thermal, fluids, and electro-magnetics.

4. CAD

Here's how mechanical engineering directors use cad:

Led an organization of 25 technologists including managers, engineers, CAD designers and machine tool operators.
Initiated implementation of Pro-E in Mechanical CAD.

5. Fire Protection

Here's how mechanical engineering directors use fire protection:

Developed mechanical and fire protection plans for public buildings and other projects.

6. Mechanical Engineering Design

Here's how mechanical engineering directors use mechanical engineering design:

Managed development of and maintained mechanical engineering design standards and work practices across all projects.
Helped define mechanical engineering design requirements and processes.

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7. Plumbing

Here's how mechanical engineering directors use plumbing:

Expanded client base from electrical to full mechanical, electrical, plumbing Awarded 3-year contract w/USF providing MEP engineering services
Developed a five-year strategic plan initiative for quality improvement of Mechanical, Electrical, and Plumbing Systems.

8. Design Reviews

A dеѕіgn review іѕ a mіlеѕtоnе wіthіn a рrоduсt dеvеlорmеnt рrосеѕѕ іn whісh a design іѕ evaluated bаѕеd on іtѕ rеԛuіrеmеntѕ. Thе рurроѕе of dеѕіgn rеvіеwѕ іѕ tо examine thе overall design or a ѕресіfіс аѕресt оf a dеѕіgn аt еасh ѕtаgе of the development оf a nеw оr еxіѕtіng рrоduсt.

Here's how mechanical engineering directors use design reviews:

Participate in report reviews, facilitate design reviews, and develop design modifications to resolve out of specification conditions.
Oversee development of technical solutions through design reviews and project performance monitoring.

9. Mechanical Systems

Here's how mechanical engineering directors use mechanical systems:

Managed the NorthWest Airlines hangar mechanical systems installation - project budgeted at $850k
Performed field surveys of existing conditions of building mechanical systems.

10. HVAC

Here's how mechanical engineering directors use hvac:

Spearheaded the design of HVAC systems and project management for new medical facilities.
Managed and coordinated all hardware/software engineering, installation, and service of HVAC temperature control system projects.

11. R

R is a free software environment and a language used by programmers for statistical computing. The R programming language is famously used for data analysis by data scientists.

Here's how mechanical engineering directors use r:

Coordinated customer design effort with manufacturing capabilities resulting in successful hermetic fiber optic T/R module.
Developed testing method and pass/fail criteria to validate theft-resistant packaging for Toys R Us.

12. Prototype

A prototype is a model or sample of a product, created prior to its release with the goal of testing the product and observing its behavior and effectiveness in use. The results of this testing are then used to further alter and improve the product in question, often redesigning it, fixing any issues which may have come up, and otherwise upgrading the already existing design.

Here's how mechanical engineering directors use prototype:

Lead DFM redesign of prototype Vanadium Flow Battery for manufacturing release
Build Prototypes, Perform Thermal, and Drop testing, Write Test Spec's and Test Results, and create drawings.

13. BOM

BOM stands for a bill of materials in design drafting. This list outlines the raw materials, instructions, and components required to manufacture or construct a product or service.

Here's how mechanical engineering directors use bom:

Prepare, revise and maintain documentation required to support manufacturing including engineering drawings, BOM's and product routers.
Developed raw material and labor costing for products from BOM creation and assembly time standards of our specific product.

14. 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 mechanical engineering directors use product design:

Lead a small mechanical team in all aspects of product design and development.
Created and staffed the in-house mechanical product design, Eng.

15. Industrial Design

Here's how mechanical engineering directors use industrial design:

Negotiated contracts with outside engineering services for structural engineering and industrial design projects.

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What skills help Mechanical Engineering Directors find jobs?

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

What skills stand out on mechanical engineering director 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 mechanical engineering directors possess?

Tom Springer Ph.D.

Assistant Professor, Chapman University

-Good communication skills
-Ability to exercise critical thinking and innovative problem solving
-Able to work under supervision and mentoring
-Works well in a team-oriented environment

What hard/technical skills are most important for mechanical engineering directors?

Tom Springer Ph.D.

Assistant Professor, Chapman University

-Experience/exposure to Automated Test Equipment (ATE) -Setup/Programming
-Understanding of basic software architectures and general syntax of coding languages such as C/C++
-Knowledge using Linux or Unix terminal commands
-Experience using Revision Control Systems: Subversion (SVN), CVS, Git.
-Exposure to System on Chip (SoC) hardware/software
-Experience with Robot Operating System (ROS) or equivalent is a bonus

What mechanical engineering director skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?

Dr. Yousef Sardahi

Associate Professor of Mechanical Engineering, Marshall University

In the next 3-5 years, several skills are expected to become increasingly important in the mechanical engineering field:

Advanced Computational Skills: Proficiency in simulation and modeling software (like ANSYS, SolidWorks, or MATLAB) will be crucial as these tools become more integral in designing and testing complex systems.
Robotics and Automation: With industries moving towards automation, skills in robotics, automated systems, and knowledge of AI integration will be highly sought after.
Additive Manufacturing and 3D Printing: Expertise in 3D printing and additive manufacturing techniques will be valuable as these technologies revolutionize product development and manufacturing processes.
Renewable Energy Technologies: As the world shifts towards sustainable energy sources, mechanical engineers with knowledge in solar, wind, and other renewable energy technologies will be in high demand.
Data Analysis and IoT: Skills in data analytics and understanding the Internet of Things (IoT) will be important as more mechanical systems are connected and produce large amounts of data.
Materials Science: Knowledge in advanced materials, such as composites or smart materials, will be crucial for developing more efficient and sustainable products and systems.
Systems Engineering and Integration: The ability to understand and integrate various subsystems within a larger system will be key, especially in complex projects.
Project Management and Leadership: As projects become more complex, skills in project management and leadership will be essential for overseeing projects and leading teams effectively.
Interdisciplinary Collaboration: The ability to work effectively across disciplines, understanding aspects of electrical engineering, computer science, and even business, will be increasingly important.
Communication and Soft Skills: Strong communication skills, both for technical and non-technical audiences, along with teamwork and problem-solving skills, will always be invaluable in the engineering field.

What type of skills will young mechanical engineering directors need?

Matthew Barry Ph.D.

Assistant Professor, University of Pittsburgh

There are many skills young graduates will need when entering the workforce in the coming years. One of the most important is the use of software, particularly Computer Aided Design (CAD) software in any platform (SolidWorks, CATIA, Autodesk, etc.). CAD is ubiquitous in most engineering jobs and is used by most employees, from draftsmen and machinists to engineers. Students that can proficiently use CAD for constructing parts, models, to set up tooling (such as CAMWorks), construct PCBs, and to do basic analyses (such as Finite Element Analysis (FEA), vibrational analyses and the like) have a tremendous hiring advantage over students that lack these skills. Additionally, students that have experience and proficiency with FEA and/or Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) software are in high demand. Finally, in terms of software, students that are able to code (and it doesn't matter what language or software, whether its MATLAB, C, C++, Java, Python) are needed. Most companies develop their own in-house codes and routines to do basic, repetitive tasks, or to develop models that are used in design and analysis. Being able to code is a highly desirable skill. Lastly, students should have some skills and experiences when it comes to hands-on activities. Being a modern engineer requires being able to not only design and analyze something, but to be able to figure out the tooling, assembly, and repair of various components. Having hands-on experience, whether it is with electrical circuitry, machining physical parts, or printing and assembling prototypes, indicates high levels of spatial reasoning, and is a sought after skill by employers.

What technical skills for a mechanical engineering director stand out to employers?

Patrick Atkinson

Professor, Kettering University

Broadly speaking, employers are looking for employees who can jump in, take on a project and move things forward. Since engineers are data-driven, knowing how to read and interpret findings from a variety of sources is key. This can be very challenging if the data conflicts between sources or the data is unclear. Whether the data is from a mathematical model, a physical test laboratory, or from the field, learning how to synthesize the findings and balance the strengths/weaknesses of a given data source are key. At the end of the day, every project needs a way forward and it is the engineer's job to optimize a design to meet the objectives for the product.

Do you want to know more?

List of mechanical engineering director skills to add to your resume

The most important skills for a mechanical engineering director resume and required skills for a mechanical engineering director to have include:

Mechanical Engineering
Solidworks
FEA
CAD
Fire Protection
Mechanical Engineering Design
Plumbing
Design Reviews
Mechanical Systems
HVAC
R

Prototype
BOM
Product Design
Industrial Design
NPI
Prototyping
CNC
DFM
Product Development
PDM
Engineering Services

Engineering Projects
Mass Production
OEM
ISO
Failure Analysis
Cost Reduction
Configuration Management
Design Process
PCB

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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