What does a plastics engineer do?
Plastics engineers must have a minimum of a bachelor's degree, and they will receive training opportunities that involve workshops and seminars to keep job skills current. This career requires skills in Sigma, project management, CAD, product quality, and product design. Those who choose this career path engage in manufacturing, fabrication, and end use testing of existing materials and the development of new processes, materials, and equipment.
Plastics engineer responsibilities
Here are examples of responsibilities from real plastics engineer resumes:
- Lead several independent, cross-functional projects and improve manufacturing quality, reduce cost, ensure environment are supported and FDA compliant.
- Prove out a new rapid prototyping technique.
- Investigate and develop some of the latest rapid prototyping methods.
- Demonstrate proficiency in statistical process control (SPC), analyze data and calculate capability study using SQC pack software.
- Conduct engine fit and function tests with prototype electrical hardware to ensure product meets customer requirements in performance and durability.
- Study abroad in Ireland and Spain learning about sustainability in engineering, including renewable energy types and energy conservation techniques
Plastics engineer skills and personality traits
We calculated that 9% of Plastics Engineers are proficient in Sigma, Project Management, and Extrusion. They’re also known for soft skills such as Interpersonal skills, Analytical skills, and Creativity.
We break down the percentage of Plastics Engineers that have these skills listed on their resume here:
- Sigma, 9%
Provide process improvement facilitation and expertise to corporate process initiatives as a certified Naval Nuclear Propulsion Program Lean/Six Sigma Green Belt.
- Project Management, 8%
Manage new projects from concept through development utilizing a blend of project management and engineering skills.
- Extrusion, 7%
Designed and implemented improvements to existing extrusion machinery.
- CAD, 7%
Provided tooling support to design teams for plastic parts utilizing a combination of good working knowledge and CAD tools.
- Lean Manufacturing, 6%
Lean Manufacturing facilitator and trained Kaizen leader, specializing in 5-S events and quick change of molds (reduced downtime).
- Product Design, 6%
Worked with product designers and manufacturing engineers in the development of new designs and the validation of materials and processes.
"sigma," "project management," and "extrusion" are among the most common skills that plastics engineers use at work. You can find even more plastics engineer responsibilities below, including:
Analytical skills. Another essential skill to perform plastics engineer duties is analytical skills. Plastics engineers responsibilities require that "chemical engineers must be able to evaluate designs and processes and to propose improvements, if necessary." Plastics engineers also use analytical skills in their role according to a real resume snippet: "project lead responsibilities including master schedule creation, tooling procurement, part cost reduction analysis. "
Creativity. plastics engineers are also known for creativity, which are critical to their duties. You can see how this skill relates to plastics engineer responsibilities, because "chemical engineers explore new ways of applying engineering to invent new materials and advance manufacturing techniques in chemical engineering." A plastics engineer resume example shows how creativity is used in the workplace: "performed complete design of illuminated plug adapter; worked with inventor and industrial designer to provide cad models to manufacturer. "
Math skills. plastics engineer responsibilities often require "math skills." The duties that rely on this skill are shown by the fact that "chemical engineers use calculus and other advanced math for analysis, design, and troubleshooting in their work." This resume example shows what plastics engineers do with math skills on a typical day: "designed and fabricated renault combustion chamber replica from customer furnished cad geometry for testing of hpdi injector spray wall-wetting. "
Problem-solving skills. Another crucial skill for a plastics engineer to carry out their responsibilities is "problem-solving skills." A big part of what plastics engineers relies on this skill, since "chemical engineers must be able to anticipate and identify problems, such as those related to manufacturing processes, and to devise solutions." How this skill relates to plastics engineer duties can be seen in an example from a plastics engineer resume snippet: "developed technical support function to all disciplines to provide solutions for materials, process optimization and part design issues/concerns. "
The three companies that hire the most plastics engineers are:
- Pfizer21 plastics engineers jobs
- Construction Specialties4 plastics engineers jobs
- Corning Incorporated2 plastics engineers jobs
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Compare different plastics engineers
Plastics engineer vs. Research and development engineer
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.
There are some key differences in the responsibilities of each position. For example, plastics engineer responsibilities require skills like "lean manufacturing," "plastic injection," "dfm," and "plastic part design." Meanwhile a typical research and development engineer has skills in areas such as "python," "c #," "data analysis," and "patients." This difference in skills reveals the differences in what each career does.
Research and development engineers earn the highest salaries when working in the technology industry, with an average yearly salary of $107,654. On the other hand, plastics engineers are paid more in the automotive industry with an average salary of $90,691.On average, research and development engineers reach higher levels of education than plastics engineers. Research and development engineers are 6.8% more likely to earn a Master's Degree and 3.9% more likely to graduate with a Doctoral Degree.Plastics engineer vs. Senior manufacturing engineer
A Senior Manufacturing Engineer works in a company's production operations and is responsible for developing and improving manufacturing processes. They analyze and propose solutions to engineering problems.
Each career also uses different skills, according to real plastics engineer resumes. While plastics engineer responsibilities can utilize skills like "plastic injection," "plastic part design," "design reviews," and "plastic components," senior manufacturing engineers use skills like "continuous improvement," "process control," "corrective action," and "sr."
Senior manufacturing engineers earn a higher average salary than plastics engineers. But senior manufacturing engineers earn the highest pay in the automotive industry, with an average salary of $97,567. Additionally, plastics engineers earn the highest salaries in the automotive with average pay of $90,691 annually.In general, senior manufacturing engineers achieve similar levels of education than plastics engineers. They're 1.2% more likely to obtain a Master's Degree while being 3.9% more likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.Plastics engineer vs. Product development engineer
A Product Development Engineer is responsible for creating and testing new product designs. They collaborate with market researchers to evaluate market needs, existing competition, and potential costs.
The required skills of the two careers differ considerably. For example, plastics engineers are more likely to have skills like "plastic injection," "dfm," "spc," and "plastic part design." But a product development engineer is more likely to have skills like "data analysis," "prototype," "c++," and "fea."
Product development engineers earn the highest salary when working in the technology industry, where they receive an average salary of $86,062. Comparatively, plastics engineers have the highest earning potential in the automotive industry, with an average salary of $90,691.product development engineers typically earn similar educational levels compared to plastics engineers. Specifically, they're 3.9% more likely to graduate with a Master's Degree, and 1.6% more likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.Plastics engineer vs. Quality control engineer
A quality control engineer is responsible for conducting quality assessments for the company's products and services to ensure adherence to federal regulations and quality standards. Quality control engineers recommend strategic methods by analyzing processes and writing test results. They also identify opportunities for more services that meet public demands and market trends, helping the business generate more resources for revenues. A quality control engineer utilizes various software tools and applications to document findings, requiring them to have excellent communication and technical skills.
Even though a few skill sets overlap between plastics engineers and quality control engineers, there are some differences that are important to note. For one, a plastics engineer might have more use for skills like "project management," "cad," "lean manufacturing," and "product design." Meanwhile, some responsibilities of quality control engineers require skills like "quality standards," "corrective action," "iso," and "continuous improvement. "
The technology industry tends to pay the highest salaries for quality control engineers, with average annual pay of $83,131. Comparatively, the highest plastics engineer annual salary comes from the automotive industry.In general, quality control engineers hold similar degree levels compared to plastics engineers. Quality control engineers are 0.2% less likely to earn their Master's Degree and 0.9% more likely to graduate with a Doctoral Degree.Types of plastics engineer
Updated January 8, 2025
