What does a project engineering manager do?
A project engineering manager's job is to oversee engineering projects in diverse industries, including transportation, software development, and utility industries. They are responsible for overseeing the development and implementation of intricate designs and evaluating and approving changes that may affect the scope, budget, and completion of a project. They also perform other essential tasks, including monitoring the project's progress and performance, developing maintenance plans, and preparing expenditure reports. Project engineering managers are also expected to resolve any issues that may arise from operations.
Project engineering manager responsibilities
Here are examples of responsibilities from real project engineering manager resumes:
- Interview, hire and manage engineering and cad teams to accomplish all projects acquire with quality and on-time delivery.
- Manage APQP tasks and submit documentation to customer.
- Lead an engineering team that develop a vision technology product resulting in winning multiple DOD awards.
- Manage UL, FCC and ANSI testing of new products and product production with contract manufacturers.
- Establish SharePoint site to manage all records to ensure facility is built codes and standards if audit by regulators.
- Manage desktop, server and network teams' projects, and fill in as Unix support for tape backup management.
- Spearhead warehouse relocation, warehouse design using AutoCAD, picking system implementation, and process improvement projects.
- Provide technical assistance in areas such as software design, software development, system administration, and database administration.
- Produce as Builts of existing MEP.
- Provide full metal assembly quotations to OEM.
- Create and debug motherboard and test board PCB layout.
- Apply process controls to commercial slurry-casting process to produce aerospace grade pre-form.
- line dies, progressive dies, all assembly tooling and fixtures/gauges for OEM.
- Design and development of a motor control system for GPS precision guide munitions.
- Full cycle, high volume, start-up SaaS recruiter in call center space.
Project engineering manager skills and personality traits
We calculated that 22% of Project Engineering Managers are proficient in Project Management, Project Scope, and Engineering Design. They’re also known for soft skills such as Analytical skills, Communication skills, and Detail oriented.
We break down the percentage of Project Engineering Managers that have these skills listed on their resume here:
- Project Management, 22%
Managed (2yrs) engineering project management staff providing direction and leadership for planning, executing and controlling product development activities.
- Project Scope, 6%
Project scope included standard and customized equipment installations at educational, commercial and secured military sites.
- Engineering Design, 4%
Directed research/development efforts in the engineering design, acquisition and testing of state-of-the-art technologies and product improvement components for vehicular applications.
- Autocad, 4%
Supervised drafting department for five year and implemented a drawing numbering system for retrieval of computerized drawing in AutoCAD.
- Capital Projects, 4%
Managed/directed $3 billion engineering/operations & maintenance/reliability/ESH/capital projects.
- Project Execution, 3%
Led cross-functional project execution team from project planning, developing concepts, program execution and implementation in co-ordination with customers.
Common skills that a project engineering manager uses to do their job include "project management," "project scope," and "engineering design." You can find details on the most important project engineering manager responsibilities below.
Analytical skills. To carry out their duties, the most important skill for a project engineering manager to have is analytical skills. Their role and responsibilities require that "architectural and engineering managers evaluate information to solve problems." Project engineering managers often use analytical skills in their day-to-day job, as shown by this real resume: "conducted tower mapping of existing towers for structural analysis and prepared tower mapping report and drawings using autocad. "
Communication skills. Many project engineering manager duties rely on communication skills. "architectural and engineering managers must effectively convey information and expectations related to projects.," so a project engineering manager will need this skill often in their role. This resume example is just one of many ways project engineering manager responsibilities rely on communication skills: "managed classified global dod telecommunications switching programs. "
Organizational skills. For certain project engineering manager responsibilities to be completed, the job requires competence in "organizational skills." The day-to-day duties of a project engineering manager rely on this skill, as "architectural and engineering managers keep track of many workers, schedules, and budgets simultaneously." For example, this snippet was taken directly from a resume about how this skill applies to what project engineering managers do: "contribute to product development life-cycles and organizational competitiveness by providing feedback on market requirements. "
Math skills. A commonly-found skill in project engineering manager job descriptions, "math skills" is essential to what project engineering managers do. Project engineering manager responsibilities rely on this skill because "architectural and engineering managers use calculus and other mathematics to develop new products and processes." You can also see how project engineering manager duties rely on math skills in this resume example: "demonstrated outstanding quantitative expertise, operations/logistics proficiency and project management skills in building a highly successful career as a professional engineer. "
The three companies that hire the most project engineering managers are:
- Apple47 project engineering managers jobs
- Conagra Brands30 project engineering managers jobs
- Lockheed Martin21 project engineering managers jobs
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Compare different project engineering managers
Project engineering manager vs. Manager, project management
The role of a project management manager involves the planning, execution, monitoring, control, and closure of projects. Project managers oversee the scope of the entire project, the team, success or failure, and its resources. They facilitate productivity and commitment, remove obstacles, and motivate their team members. Their skills should include leadership, critical thinking, communication, negotiating, and risk management. They should also know about cost management, scheduling, and task management.
There are some key differences in the responsibilities of each position. For example, project engineering manager responsibilities require skills like "engineering design," "autocad," "capital projects," and "cost estimates." Meanwhile a typical manager, project management has skills in areas such as "risk management," "portfolio," "customer service," and "on-time delivery." This difference in skills reveals the differences in what each career does.
Managers, project management really shine in the pharmaceutical industry with an average salary of $115,297. Comparatively, project engineering managers tend to make the most money in the technology industry with an average salary of $123,160.The education levels that managers, project management earn slightly differ from project engineering managers. In particular, managers, project management are 3.9% more likely to graduate with a Master's Degree than a project engineering manager. Additionally, they're 0.2% more likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.Project engineering manager vs. Operations project manager
An operations project manager is responsible for monitoring the performance of the project team, ensuring that the operations meet the clients' standards and internal regulations with maximum productivity and efficiency. Operations project managers manage the department's budget and allocate materials and resources accurately, maintaining a record of expenses and costs forecasting. They coordinate with the clients, discussing project adjustments or additional tasks as needed, and lead project execution and deliverables by determining the team's needs and concerns, and enforcing strategic procedures.
While some skills are similar in these professions, other skills aren't so similar. For example, resumes show us that project engineering manager responsibilities requires skills like "engineering design," "autocad," "capital projects," and "project execution." But an operations project manager might use other skills in their typical duties, such as, "business operations," "risk management," "business process," and "provide management."
Operations project managers earn a lower average salary than project engineering managers. But operations project managers earn the highest pay in the finance industry, with an average salary of $90,596. Additionally, project engineering managers earn the highest salaries in the technology with average pay of $123,160 annually.Average education levels between the two professions vary. Operations project managers tend to reach similar levels of education than project engineering managers. In fact, they're 0.5% more likely to graduate with a Master's Degree and 0.2% less likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.Project engineering manager vs. Facilities project manager
Facilities Project Managers oversee the activities in the facility, such as construction or repair works. They ensure that the project timeline is being followed and the agreed-upon deadlines will be met. Facilities Project Managers are in charge of coordinating with contractors to ensure that they do what is expected of them. They also manage the overall budget of the project and monitor spending.
There are many key differences between these two careers, including some of the skills required to perform responsibilities within each role. For example, a project engineering manager is likely to be skilled in "engineering design," "autocad," "capital projects," and "project execution," while a typical facilities project manager is skilled in "infrastructure," "oversight," "customer service," and "plumbing."
Facilities project managers earn the best pay in the real estate industry, where they command an average salary of $93,915. Project engineering managers earn the highest pay from the technology industry, with an average salary of $123,160.When it comes to education, facilities project managers tend to earn similar degree levels compared to project engineering managers. In fact, they're 4.9% less likely to earn a Master's Degree, and 0.2% less likely to graduate with a Doctoral Degree.Project engineering manager vs. Engineering supervisor
An engineering supervisor is responsible for monitoring the engineering operations of an organization, developing strategic processes and techniques to improve staff's performance, and facilitating training and programs to maximize productivity. Engineering supervisors evaluate technology procedures and reports to identify and design new opportunities that would generate more resources for revenues and profits. They also meet with clients and handle their business requirements and specifications, informing them of other services that the company offers. An engineering supervisor resolves project complaints and implements business plans to achieve high-quality deliverables.
Types of project engineering manager
Updated January 8, 2025
