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Senior design specialist vs senior mechanical engineer

The differences between senior design specialists and senior mechanical engineers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 4-6 years to become both a senior design specialist and a senior mechanical engineer. Additionally, a senior mechanical engineer has an average salary of $103,836, which is higher than the $96,923 average annual salary of a senior design specialist.

The top three skills for a senior design specialist include sketch, SR and design solutions. The most important skills for a senior mechanical engineer are mechanical engineering, CAD, and solidworks.

Senior design specialist vs senior mechanical engineer overview

Senior Design SpecialistSenior Mechanical Engineer
Yearly salary$96,923$103,836
Hourly rate$46.60$49.92
Growth rate2%2%
Number of jobs45,60398,063
Job satisfaction--
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 53%Bachelor's Degree, 73%
Average age4141
Years of experience66

What does a senior design specialist do?

A senior design specialist's main responsibility is managing design projects and delivering them within the deadlines. They have to also look after the junior designers and ensure that the quality of designs meets company standards.

What does a senior mechanical engineer do?

A senior mechanical engineer is responsible for designing and improving mechanical equipment, as well as industrial devices and machinery. Senior mechanical engineers verify the materials and resources, ensuring that the processes meet the budget goals from clients' specifications and requirements. They also monitor the manufacturing process, developing strategic procedures for operations improvement, and maximizing staff productivity. A senior mechanical engineer runs multiple diagnostic tests to guarantee the stability and efficiency of the item and coordinating with the client for any plan adjustments as needed.

Senior design specialist vs senior mechanical engineer salary

Senior design specialists and senior mechanical engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.

Senior Design SpecialistSenior Mechanical Engineer
Average salary$96,923$103,836
Salary rangeBetween $71,000 And $131,000Between $79,000 And $136,000
Highest paying CitySan Francisco, CASan Francisco, CA
Highest paying stateCaliforniaWashington
Best paying companyMcKinsey & Company IncGoogle
Best paying industryAutomotiveEnergy

Differences between senior design specialist and senior mechanical engineer education

There are a few differences between a senior design specialist and a senior mechanical engineer in terms of educational background:

Senior Design SpecialistSenior Mechanical Engineer
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 53%Bachelor's Degree, 73%
Most common majorDrafting And DesignMechanical Engineering
Most common collegeCarnegie Mellon UniversityMichigan Technological University

Senior design specialist vs senior mechanical engineer demographics

Here are the differences between senior design specialists' and senior mechanical engineers' demographics:

Senior Design SpecialistSenior Mechanical Engineer
Average age4141
Gender ratioMale, 74.9% Female, 25.1%Male, 94.2% Female, 5.8%
Race ratioBlack or African American, 3.4% Unknown, 4.6% Hispanic or Latino, 9.1% Asian, 10.4% White, 72.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.1%Black or African American, 3.2% Unknown, 4.5% Hispanic or Latino, 8.3% Asian, 15.8% White, 68.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.1%
LGBT Percentage5%5%

Differences between senior design specialist and senior mechanical engineer duties and responsibilities

Senior design specialist example responsibilities.

  • Manage the development of the next generation products base on existing refrigerants and CO2 system including prototyping and initial manufacturing run.
  • Ensure the repair facilities are properly equip to complete these repairs per BHT requirements.
  • Create DCP's and DCf's for construction to use in order to correct fire suppression deficiencies.
  • Charge with providing technical leadership in the development, implementation, and integration of analog subsystems for high- speed communications.
  • Recognize for ability to understand, define and troubleshoot problem areas and clearly communicate technical solutions to non-technical users

Senior mechanical engineer example responsibilities.

  • Create DFMEA documents to help manage risks and improve initial quality.
  • Set up and manage PCB manufacturing including all chemical baths, lasers, and exposure equipment.
  • Restructure VHDL code and chip/module hierarchy to achieve timing goals for the dual cache controller and the chip.
  • Achieve timely convergence of complex designs by building RTL models from validation area and integrating them, before official model release.
  • Lead FPGA development of key digital communication component used in successful demonstration of spacecraft radio link.
  • Provide mechanical design and sustaining engineering expertise to troubleshoot manufacturing defect trends and achieve a more robust and producible product.
  • Show more

Senior design specialist vs senior mechanical engineer skills

Common senior design specialist skills
  • Sketch, 17%
  • SR, 10%
  • Design Solutions, 9%
  • Design Concepts, 7%
  • Creo, 6%
  • Graphic Design, 6%
Common senior mechanical engineer skills
  • Mechanical Engineering, 15%
  • CAD, 7%
  • Solidworks, 7%
  • Mechanical Design, 5%
  • Mechanical Systems, 5%
  • HVAC, 4%

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