Can an engineer go into research?

Yes, an engineer can go into research. Research in the engineering field is typically limited to new materials and new product testing. They can work in a range of exciting industries such as the automotive industry, aeronautics, deep-sea exploration, and seismology.

Can everyone become an engineer?

No, not everyone can become an engineer. It takes time, dedication and a bachelor's degree from an accredited engineering program at a college or university. After graduating, you can get licensed to work as a Professional Engineer.

How much do engineering researchers make?

Engineering researchers make $85,000 a year, on average ($41.15 an hour). However, there is a considerable range in the earning potential of an engineering researcher, starting from as little as $69,000 a year to as much as $160,000 a year. Factors such as location and Industry impact how much an engineering researcher can make.

How much money does a Ph.D. engineer make?

A Ph.D. engineer makes $122,127 a year, on average. The range and how much a Ph.D. engineer can earn starts from as little as $72,000 a year to as much as $180,000 a year. Factors such as years of experience and location all impact how much a Ph.D. engineer can make.

What qualifications do you need to be a researcher?

A researcher will almost always need a bachelor's degree. However, in many positions, a master's degree or another post-graduate degree may be necessary or preferred. Some positions will require as much as a doctoral degree.

What is a research engineer and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025

4 min read

Quoted experts

Matthew Wright Ph.D.,

Shelly Lesher

A research engineer designs and develops new products, processes, or systems to conduct research. Their responsibilities include conducting experiments, analyzing data, and developing prototypes. Research engineers must have strong technical skills in math, science, and engineering principles. A research engineer must also have excellent communication skills to present their findings to stakeholders. They work full-time in a laboratory or office setting and require a bachelor's or higher degree in engineering or a related field.

What general advice would you give to a research engineer?

Matthew Wright Ph.D.

Associate Professor, Physics Department Chair, Director of the Business of Science, Adelphi University

Network Network Network. Keep contact with people on LinkedIn, attend conferences, put yourself out there!

ScoreResearch EngineerUS Average

Salary

7.5

Avg. Salary $96,945

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability level

7.4

Growth rate 2%

Growth rate 0.3%

Diversity

6.4

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 0.11%

Asian 16.85%

Black or African American 3.07%

Hispanic or Latino 7.84%

Unknown 4.51%

White 67.61%

Gender

female 18.32%

male 81.68%

Age - 39

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%

Asian 7.00%

Black or African American 14.00%

Hispanic or Latino 19.00%

White 57.00%

Gender

female 47.00%

male 53.00%

Age - 39

Stress level

7.4

Stress level is high

7.1 - high

Complexity level

8.6

Complexity level is advanced

7 - challenging

Work life balance

5.1

Work life balance is fair

6.4 - fair

What are the pros and cons of being a research engineer?

Pros

Flexibility in work hours and location
Competitive salary and benefits
Possibility of publishing research papers and presenting at conferences
Opportunity for personal and professional growth
Exposure to diverse industries and technologies

Cons

High pressure to achieve results within tight deadlines
Constant need for self-improvement and learning new skills
Limited social interaction due to solitary nature of research work
Lack of recognition or appreciation for work done by non-scientific community
Funding constraints or lack of resources for research projects

Key steps to become a research engineer

Explore research engineer education requirements

Most common research engineer degrees

Bachelor's

64.8 %

Master's

23.0 %

Doctorate

9.0 %

Start to develop specific research engineer skills

Skills	Percentages
Python	17.87%
Java	6.34%
Software Development	4.57%
C	4.16%
C++	4.16%

Complete relevant research engineer training and internships

Accountants spend an average of 1-2 years on post-employment, on-the-job training. New research engineers learn the skills and techniques required for their job and employer during this time. The chart below shows how long it takes to gain competency as a research engineer based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real research engineer resumes.

Research research engineer duties and responsibilities

Lead and organize the whole system debugging, test, and integration.
Prepare research proposals for the synthesis of small molecules to attain designate department goals.
Lead a team of software QA test engineers in the prioritization and assignment of tasks and the solving of technical problems.
Develop several LabVIEW applications used for data acquisition and logging.

Prepare your research engineer resume

When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your research engineer resume.

You can use Zippia's AI resume builder to make the resume writing process easier while also making sure that you include key information that hiring managers expect to see on a research engineer resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.

Choose from 10+ customizable research engineer resume templates

Build a professional research engineer resume in minutes. Browse through our resume examples to identify the best way to word your resume. Then choose from 10+ resume templates to create your research engineer resume.

Apply for research engineer jobs

Now it's time to start searching for a research engineer job. Consider the tips below for a successful job search:

Browse job boards for relevant postings
Consult your professional network
Reach out to companies you're interested in working for directly
Watch out for job scams

How do research engineers rate their job?

-/5

5 stars

4 stars

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1 star

Research engineer reviews

A zippia user wrote a review on Jun 2019

Pros

Inventing smart ways of mproving human lives.

Cons

Low salary compared to other engineering fields.

A zippia user wrote a review on Apr 2019