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Product development engineer skills for your resume and career

Updated January 8, 2025

7 min read

Quoted experts

Charles Jenckes,

Bryant Harrison

Product development engineer example skills

Below we've compiled a list of the most critical product development engineer skills. We ranked the top skills for product development engineers based on the percentage of resumes they appeared on. For example, 6.0% of product development engineer resumes contained cad as a skill. Continue reading to find out what skills a product development engineer needs to be successful in the workplace.

15 product development engineer skills for your resume and career

1. CAD

Here's how product development engineers use cad:

Generate component, sub-assembly, and assembly level CAD design for combination product including primary and secondary packaging.
Initiated CAD utilization into design of microfilm cameras to improve product design and efficiency.

2. Solidworks

Here's how product development engineers use solidworks:

Designed lift mechanisms and non-magnetic transport carts for MRI medical research applications using SolidWorks and CosmosWorks
Designed products using SolidWorks and other methods to develop prototypes to meet customer specifications.

3. Product Development

Product development is the complete procedure of creating a product from concept until release of the final product. Product development has many stages after which a product is released into the market. Identifying the need, creating the opportunity, conceptualizing a product, and providing a solution, all are different stages of product development.

Here's how product development engineers use product development:

Managed product development budgets and schedules along with developed testing protocol, conducting FEA analysis, developing various product acceptance criteria.
Supervised design team of mechanical engineers prior to creation of Director of Product Development position, and interim supervisor between Directors.

4. Project Management

Here's how product development engineers use project management:

Project management responsibilities for sustaining engineering activities, which include material obsolescence and design changes for current surgical product lines.
Project management of new products from conception to production, characterization, statistical data analysis, and presentation of analysis.

5. Data Analysis

Here's how product development engineers use data analysis:

Developed multiple visual basic enabled database applications to streamline data analysis and to organize and calculate manufacturing costs for quote preparation.
Perform Data Analysis on material utilization data using Tableau to help share best manufacturing practices for process improvement and cost reduction.

6. 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 product development engineers use product design:

Developed and reviewed design prototypes, performed tests, finalized product design and facilitated product transfer to manufacturing for general production.
Collaborated frequently with key surgeons and researched competitor products to identify and address pivotal end user needs for product design.

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7. 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 product development engineers use prototype:

Observed surgeries and participated in cadaver evaluations with surgeons while obtaining and documenting design feedback and approval during prototype evaluations.
Led the design and development from prototype to production of multiple instruments used during minimally invasive spinal procedures.

8. 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 product development engineers use r:

Developed R software to analyze tuning curves over PVT.
Worked on data collection and analysis for R &D projects.

9. C++

C++ is a general-purpose programming language that is used to create high-performing applications. It was invented as an extension to the C language. C++ lets the programmer have a high level of domination over memory and system resources. C++ is an object-oriented language that helps you implement real-time issues based on different data functions

Here's how product development engineers use c++:

Used Object-Oriented Methodology and C++ to develop a verification tool for software development testing.
Created C++ application that generated test vectors to verify digital hardware functionality.

10. 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 product development engineers use fea:

Performed project mechanical design activities such as engineering analysis including structural FEA, prototype fabrication, testing and qualification.
Performed experimental, statistical and FEA based computational analysis of diffusion kinetics of porous ceramic disks.

11. UL

Here's how product development engineers use ul:

Developed and trained production personnel in electrical and mechanical testing procedures and documentation requirements in accordance with UL and CSA Standards.
Established quality standards and testing procedures for various purchased materials including UL considerations in product manufactured overseas.

12. Test Methods

Test methods are the steps in which thorough testing is conducted in a laboratory setting.

Here's how product development engineers use test methods:

Conducted statistical analysis to ensure external test labs run copy exactly test methods resulting in enhanced data capability and confidence.
Developed and executed Test Method Validations to ensure performance characteristics of evaluated test methods were suitable for intended use.

13. ISO

Here's how product development engineers use iso:

Minimized casting defects by utilizing computational simulation software Magma to predict casting pouring and solidification process Managed company ISO 9001:2008 system.
Managed the corporate laboratory and documentation requirements for compliance to ISO 17025 for participation in Underwriter Labs Data Acceptance Program.

14. Medical Devices

Medical devices refer to apparatus for use in medical procedures.

Here's how product development engineers use medical devices:

Improved manufacturing processes for critical components used in medical devices that resulted in significant decrease in scrap.
Worked in product development to improve bio-medical devices and executed testing and validation of the components

15. FMEA

Here's how product development engineers use fmea:

Developed processing documentation required to build composite stringers for the Airbus A350 commercial aircraft program, including FMEA documentation.
Managed design control including FMEA risk analysis, surgeon clinical input documentation, design verification and validation activities.

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What skills help Product Development Engineers find jobs?

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

What skills stand out on product development 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 product development engineers possess?

Bryant Harrison

Instructor, Murray State University

Engineers are constantly working with a variety of people on a project. These people could be other engineers in the same department or other departments, managers, stakeholders, and customers. The ability to communicate both on a technical and non-technical level with these people is likely the most important soft skill for a design engineer.

What hard/technical skills are most important for product development engineers?

Bryant Harrison

Instructor, Murray State University

Designing, prototyping, testing, and iterating are likely the most important skills for a design engineer. This is what we strive to teach at Murray State in our Design Engineering Technology program. Many sub-skills would fall into these categories, such as CAD, design for manufacturing, 3D printing, and destructive/non-destructive testing.

What product development 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 product development 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 product development engineer stand out to employers?

Martin Pietrucha Ph.D.

Program Coordinator and Professor, Pennsylvania State University

Given this trend, employers will be looking for the usual superior engineering knowledge and skill sets, but they will also be interested in those who can prove that they are excellent self-starters and time managers. Being able to demonstrate one's "flexibility" and an ability to think on one's feet will also be highly desirable.

Do you want to know more?

List of product development engineer skills to add to your resume

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

CAD
Solidworks
Product Development
Project Management
Data Analysis
Product Design
Prototype
R
C++
FEA
UL
Test Methods
ISO
Medical Devices
FMEA
Test Equipment
Development Process

FDA
Technical Support
Prototyping
Sigma
Statistical Analysis
Java
Development Projects
DFMEA
GD
Product Performance
Product Quality
Design Verification
Mechanical Design
Test Results
MATLAB
Design Reviews
Product Specifications

Visualization
IP
Dvp R
Extrusion
Cost Reduction
Failure Analysis
Perl
DOE
Design Process
RF
Engineering Drawings
Test Procedures
DVP
Catheter
Process Improvement
HVAC

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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