Become A Research Engineer
Where do you want to work?
Working As A Research Engineer
- Interacting With Computers
- Making Decisions and Solving Problems
- Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates
- Analyzing Data or Information
- Getting Information
Deal with People
Make Decisions
$80,000
Average Salary
What Does A Research Engineer Do
How To Become A Research Engineer
Mechanical engineers typically need a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering or mechanical engineering technology. Mechanical engineers who sell services publicly must be licensed in all states and the District of Columbia.
EducationMechanical engineers typically need a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering or mechanical engineering technology. Mechanical engineering programs usually include courses in mathematics and life and physical sciences, as well as engineering and design courses. Mechanical engineering technology programs focus less on theory and more on the practical application of engineering principles. They may emphasize internships and co-ops to prepare students for work in industry.
Some colleges and universities offer 5-year programs that allow students to obtain both a bachelor’s and a master’s degree. Some 5-year or even 6-year cooperative plans combine classroom study with practical work, enabling students to gain valuable experience and earn money to finance part of their education.
ABET accredits programs in engineering and engineering technology. Most employers prefer to hire students from an accredited program. A degree from an ABET-accredited program is usually necessary to become a licensed professional engineer.
Important QualitiesCreativity. Mechanical engineers design and build complex pieces of equipment and machinery. A creative mind is essential for this kind of work.
Listening skills. Mechanical engineers often work on projects with others, such as architects and computer scientists. They must listen to and analyze different approaches made by other experts to complete the task at hand.
Math skills. Mechanical engineers use the principles of calculus, statistics, and other advanced subjects in math for analysis, design, and troubleshooting in their work.
Mechanical skills. Mechanical skills allow engineers to apply basic engineering concepts and mechanical processes to the design of new devices and systems.
Problem-solving skills. Mechanical engineers need good problem-solving skills to take scientific discoveries and use them to design and build useful products.
Licenses, Certifications, and RegistrationsLicensure is not required for entry-level positions as a mechanical engineer. A Professional Engineering (PE) license, which allows for higher levels of leadership and independence, can be acquired later in one’s career. Licensed engineers are called professional engineers (PEs). A PE can oversee the work of other engineers, sign off on projects, and provide services directly to the public. State licensure generally requires
- A degree from an ABET-accredited engineering program
- A passing score on the Fundamentals of Engineering (FE) exam
- Relevant work experience, typically at least 4 years
- A passing score on the Professional Engineering (PE) exam
The initial FE exam can be taken after one earns a bachelor’s degree. Engineers who pass this exam are commonly called engineers in training (EITs) or engineer interns (EIs). After meeting work experience requirements, EITs and EIs can take the second exam, called the Principles and Practice of Engineering.
Several states require engineers to take continuing education to renew their licenses every year. Most states recognize licensure from other states, as long as the other state’s licensing requirements meet or exceed their own licensing requirements.
Several professional organizations offer a variety of certification programs for engineers to demonstrate competency in specific fields of mechanical engineering.
AdvancementA Ph.D. is essential for engineering faculty positions in higher education, as well as for some research and development programs. Mechanical engineers may earn graduate degrees in engineering or business administration to learn new technology, broaden their education, and enhance their project management skills. Mechanical engineers may become administrators or managers after obtaining the requisite experience.
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Research Engineer jobs
Research Engineer Career Paths
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Senior Mechanical Engineer 5.1 years
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Senior Principal Engineer 4.9 years
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Engineering Scientist 4.9 years
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Senior Research Engineer 4.7 years
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Principal Engineer 4.7 years
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Senior Staff Engineer 4.7 years
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Engineering Specialist 4.5 years
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Electronics Engineer 4.4 years
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Staff Engineer 4.3 years
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Senior Development Engineer 4.1 years
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Associate Research Scientist 3.8 years
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Senior Research Associate 3.7 years
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Associate Research Engineer 3.6 years
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Lead Engineer 3.4 years
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Senior Project Engineer 3.4 years
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Team Lead Engineer 3.4 years
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Research And Development Engineer 3.3 years
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Engineering Associate 3.1 years
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Research Engineer 3.0 years
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Chemical Engineer 2.9 years
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Programming Engineer 2.9 years
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Simulation Engineer 2.8 years
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Contracting Engineer 2.5 years
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Assistant Research Engineer 2.5 years
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Research Assistant/Technician 2.2 years
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Student Engineer 1.5 years
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Project Engineer Internship 0.6 years
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Research Assistant 21.0%
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Internship 9.1%
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Teaching Assistant 7.3%
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Research Associate 5.2%
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Engineer 4.5%
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Process Engineer 4.4%
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Research Internship 4.1%
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Software Engineer 4.1%
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Design Engineer 3.4%
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Project Engineer 3.2%
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Researcher 2.9%
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Mechanical Engineer 2.7%
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Research Scientist 2.3%
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Systems Engineer 2.1%
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Electrical Engineer 2.0%
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Research Fellow 1.9%
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Research Assistant 8.9%
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Process Engineer 7.4%
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Project Engineer 5.8%
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Project Manager 5.5%
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Senior Engineer 5.5%
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Software Engineer 5.3%
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Engineer 5.2%
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Consultant 4.9%
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Teaching Assistant 4.7%
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Research Scientist 4.0%
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Design Engineer 3.7%
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Program Manager 3.7%
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Mechanical Engineer 3.6%
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Systems Engineer 3.6%
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Research Associate 3.6%
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Principal Engineer 3.5%
Average Length of Employment
Top Careers Before Research Engineer
Top Careers After Research Engineer
Research Engineer Demographics
Gender
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Male
71.0% -
Female
17.0% -
Unknown
12.0%
Ethnicity
-
White
59.3% -
Asian
27.3% -
Hispanic or Latino
7.6% -
Unknown
4.6% -
Black or African American
1.2%
Languages Spoken
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Spanish
24.6% -
French
12.3% -
Chinese
11.4% -
German
8.5% -
Mandarin
6.1% -
Korean
5.0% -
Italian
4.4% -
Japanese
3.8% -
Russian
3.5% -
Carrier
3.5% -
Hindi
2.9% -
Arabic
2.9% -
Portuguese
2.3% -
Persian
1.8% -
Cantonese
1.8% -
Swedish
1.5% -
Polish
1.2% -
Turkish
0.9% -
Greek
0.9% -
Urdu
0.9%
Research Engineer
Unfortunately we don’t have enough data for this section.
Research Engineer Education
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Georgia Institute of Technology -
10.8% -
Pennsylvania State University
6.4% -
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
6.1% -
University of Texas at Austin
5.7% -
Texas A&M University
5.5% -
Drexel University
5.5% -
Michigan State University
5.1% -
Purdue University
5.1% -
University of Florida
4.7% -
Stanford University
4.4% -
Rochester Institute of Technology
4.2% -
Carnegie Mellon University
4.2% -
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
4.2% -
New Jersey Institute of Technology
4.1% -
University of Michigan - Ann Arbor
4.1% -
Case Western Reserve University
4.1% -
Northeastern University
4.1% -
Arizona State University
4.0% -
University of Washington
3.8% -
University of Arizona
3.8% -
Mechanical Engineering 20.6%
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Electrical Engineering 15.2%
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Chemical Engineering 14.0%
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Computer Engineering 4.8%
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Business 4.7%
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Computer Science 4.3%
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Engineering 4.1%
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Physics 4.0%
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Civil Engineering 3.5%
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Chemistry 2.7%
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-
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Finance 1.4%
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Systems Engineering 1.3%
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Materials Sciences 1.2%
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Management 1.2%
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Mathematics 1.1%
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Masters
41.0% -
Doctorate
27.5% -
Bachelors
22.9% -
Other
6.3% -
Certificate
1.2% -
Associate
0.8% -
Diploma
0.2%
Schools
Majors
Degrees
Research Engineer
Unfortunately we don’t have enough data for this section.
Real Research Engineer Salaries
Job Title
|
Company
|
Location
|
Start Date
|
Salary
|
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Research Engineer | Google Inc. | Kirkland, WA | Jul 07, 2016 | $216,000 |
| Research Engineer | Google, Inc. | Kirkland, WA | Aug 10, 2015 | $216,000 |
| Research Engineer, SR. Staff | Samsung Research America, Inc. | Mountain View, CA | Jul 27, 2015 | $200,000 |
| Research Engineer | JD.Com American Technologies Corporation | Santa Clara, CA | Nov 28, 2016 | $200,000 - $230,000 |
| Subsurface Nanotechnology Research Engineer | Shell International Exploration and Production Inc. | Houston, TX | Oct 01, 2015 | $182,800 |
| GNC Research Engineer | Autel Robotics USA LLC | San Ramon, CA | Feb 15, 2016 | $180,000 |
| Research Engineer | VIV Labs Inc. | San Jose, CA | Aug 26, 2016 | $175,000 - $191,000 |
| Research Engineer | ZOOX, Inc. | Menlo Park, CA | Jan 08, 2016 | $170,000 |
| Research Engineer | FX Palo Alto Laboratory, Inc. | Palo Alto, CA | Jun 09, 2016 | $167,500 |
| Research Engineer | Chevron Corporation | Houston, TX | Sep 18, 2015 | $163,488 |
| Research Engineers | Exxonmobil Upstream Research Company | Houston, TX | May 29, 2015 | $163,488 - $163,600 |
| Research Engineer | EBAY Inc. | San Jose, CA | Mar 11, 2015 | $162,000 |
| Research Engineer | VIV Labs Inc. | San Jose, CA | Aug 26, 2016 | $161,000 - $185,000 |
| Research Engineer | Google Inc. | Mountain View, CA | May 08, 2016 | $161,000 |
| Staff Research Engineer/Corp R&D Wireless Protocol | Qualcomm Technologies, Inc. | San Diego, CA | Jun 27, 2015 | $111,800 - $167,800 |
| Research Engineer | SRI International | Menlo Park, CA | Dec 14, 2015 | $111,654 - $120,047 |
| Research Engineer | SRI International | Menlo Park, CA | Jan 25, 2016 | $111,654 - $164,900 |
| Research Engineer | Hewlett Packard Enterprise Company | Palo Alto, CA | Aug 01, 2015 | $111,650 - $144,231 |
| Research Engineer-Natural Language Processing | Basis Technology Corporation | Cambridge, MA | Sep 15, 2015 | $110,850 |
| Research Engineer-Senior | Siemens PLM Software Inc. | Charlotte, NC | Jul 04, 2016 | $110,827 - $166,241 |
| Tech Yahoo, Research Engineer | Yahoo! Inc. | Sunnyvale, CA | Sep 03, 2015 | $110,700 - $205,500 |
| Research Engineer II | Georgia Institute of Technology | Atlanta, GA | Jan 07, 2016 | $89,993 |
| Research Engineer | Newracom, Inc. | Irvine, CA | Feb 09, 2016 | $89,782 |
| Research Engineer, Video Codec | Dolby Laboratories, Inc. | Sunnyvale, CA | Sep 03, 2015 | $89,687 |
| High Pressure Research Engineer | SII Megadiamond | Provo, UT | Sep 22, 2015 | $89,650 |
| Research Engineer | Mistras Group, Inc. | Princeton Junction, NJ | Dec 22, 2015 | $89,648 |
| Research Engineer | Cargill, Incorporated | Plymouth, MN | May 08, 2016 | $89,627 - $100,000 |
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Top Skills for A Research Engineer
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Top Research Engineer Skills
- Lab
- Laboratory Equipment
- Hardware
- Collaborated with medical doctors, researchers, physical therapists, and patients to devise solutions to meet user needs.
- Designed and developed electronic test equipment that monitored and tested the performance characteristics of laser-based laboratory equipment.
- Embedded hardware and firmware development and integration
- Developed composite pressure filament winding process.
- Researched and summarized international and U. S. government automotive safety standards, including the Code of Federal Regulations.
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