Become A Senior Designer

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Working As A Senior Designer

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
$102,285
Average Salary

What Does A Senior Designer Do

A Senior Designer manages the process of a design project from conception, designing, and production to completion and delivery. They coordinate a team of junior designers to ensure that all work produced meets the clients’ requirements.

How To Become A Senior Designer

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.

Education

Mechanical 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 Qualities

Creativity. 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 Registrations

Licensure 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.

Advancement

A 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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Senior Designer jobs

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Senior Designer Demographic

Gender

Male
69.2%
Female
27.8%
Unknown
3.1%

Ethnicity

White
74.9%
Asian
11.8%
Hispanic or Latino
10.3%
Unknown
2.4%
Black or African American
0.6%

Languages Spoken

Spanish
35.0%
French
11.0%
Chinese
8.5%
Mandarin
7.1%
German
6.4%
Italian
4.8%
Korean
3.9%
Hindi
3.4%
Cantonese
3.2%
Japanese
3.2%
Arabic
2.5%
Carrier
2.1%
Russian
1.8%
Polish
1.6%
Vietnamese
1.4%
Urdu
1.1%
Dutch
0.9%
Telugu
0.7%
Nepali
0.7%
Portuguese
0.7%

Senior Designer

Unfortunately we don’t have enough data for this section.

Senior Designer Typical Career Paths

Average Length of Employment

Senior Mechanical Designer 5.8 years
Senior Design Drafter 5.7 years
Senior Design Specialist 5.3 years
Senior Mechanical Engineer 5.1 years
Senior Product Designer 5.1 years
Senior Industrial Designer 4.8 years
Senior Design Engineer 4.7 years
Senior Graphic Designer 4.6 years
Principal Designer 4.5 years
Computer Aided Design Designer 4.5 years
Senior Designer/Art Director 4.2 years
Design Manager 4.0 years
Senior Designer 4.0 years
Senior Designer/Project Manager 3.9 years
Lead Mechanical Designer 3.7 years
Product Designer 3.6 years
Head Designer 3.3 years
Lead Designer 3.3 years
Senior Web Designer 3.2 years
Designer 3.0 years
Design Coordinator 2.9 years
Creative Designer 2.9 years
Contract Designer 2.5 years
Freelance Designer 2.3 years
Junior Designer 1.6 years
Assistant Designer 1.6 years
Design Internship 0.6 years

Senior Designer Education

Schools

Fashion Institute of Technology
16.5%
Savannah College of Art and Design
7.1%
Purdue University
5.9%
School of Visual Arts
5.4%
Macomb Community College
5.0%
Pratt Institute-Main
5.0%
Rochester Institute of Technology
4.9%
Michigan Technological University
4.6%
Rhode Island School of Design
4.4%
Drexel University
4.2%
Virginia Commonwealth University
4.1%
Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University
4.0%
Art Center College of Design
4.0%
University of Delaware
4.0%
University of Houston
3.8%
Parsons the New School for Design
3.6%
University of Connecticut
3.5%
University of Illinois at Chicago
3.4%
Georgia Institute of Technology -
3.4%
Colorado State University
3.3%

Majors

Degrees

Bachelors
49.6%
Other
19.6%
Associate
13.2%
Masters
11.6%
Certificate
3.9%
Diploma
1.0%
Doctorate
0.9%
License
0.1%

Senior Designer

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Real Senior Designer Salaries

Job Title	Company	Location	Start Date	Salary
Senior Designer	Festina Lente LLP	New York, NY	Sep 11, 2016	$240,000
Senior Experience Designer	Adobe Systems Incorporated	San Francisco, CA	Sep 19, 2016	$197,000
Senior Designer 2	Paypal, Inc.	San Jose, CA	Sep 05, 2015	$184,000
SR. Pdms Instrumentation Designer	Duke Marine Technical Services USA	Houston, TX	Aug 26, 2015	$170,000 - $205,000
Senior Designer	Microsoft Corporation	San Francisco, CA	May 07, 2016	$168,200 - $188,200
Senior Designer	Microsoft Corporation	San Francisco, CA	Aug 29, 2016	$168,200
Engineer Senior Physical Design	Nvidia Corporation	Santa Clara, CA	Dec 23, 2016	$166,601 - $193,521
SR. Pdms Instrument Designer	Duke Marine Technical Services USA	Houston, TX	Oct 15, 2015	$162,786
Senior Pdms Instrument Designer	Duke Marine Technical Services USA Inc.	Houston, TX	Jul 09, 2016	$162,240
Senior Designer	Karma Automotive, LLC	Costa Mesa, CA	Jan 08, 2016	$160,000
Senior Designer	EBAY Inc.	San Francisco, CA	Sep 26, 2016	$160,000
Senior Design Lead	Microsoft Corporation	Redmond, WA	Aug 25, 2016	$159,900 - $179,900
Senior Design Lead	Microsoft Corporation	Redmond, WA	Apr 11, 2015	$159,900
SR. Solutions Designer	Inserity Services, L.P.	Houston, TX	Aug 09, 2016	$120,607
Engineer SR. Physical Design	Nvidia Corporation	Austin, TX	Aug 20, 2016	$120,016 - $161,400
Engineer, SR. Staff-IC Design	Broadcom Corporation	Austin, TX	May 19, 2016	$120,016
Senior Designer	Collins Partners LLC	San Francisco, CA	May 09, 2016	$120,000
Senior Integration Designer	Zebra Technologies Corporation	Lincolnshire, IL	Apr 24, 2016	$120,000 - $130,000
Senior Designer	Stranger & Stranger Inc.	Emeryville, CA	Oct 31, 2015	$120,000
Senior Designer, Knitwear	Marc Jacobs International, LLC	New York, NY	Jan 10, 2016	$120,000 - $140,000
Senior Designer	American Express Company	New York, NY	Oct 17, 2016	$120,000
Senior Designer	Cashmere House, Inc.	New York, NY	Jan 21, 2015	$95,000
Senior Designer	Genband Us LLC	Billerica, MA	Feb 03, 2016	$95,000 - $110,000
Senior Designer	Collins Partners LLC	New York, NY	Sep 21, 2015	$95,000
Senior Urban Designer	Harriman Associates, Inc.	Boston, MA	Jul 11, 2016	$95,000
Senior Designer	Cashmere House, Inc.	New York, NY	Feb 02, 2015	$95,000
Senior Urban Designer	Harriman Associates, Inc.	Boston, MA	Jul 12, 2016	$95,000
Senior Designer	Cashmere House, Inc.	New York, NY	Jan 28, 2015	$95,000
Senior Designer	VOX Media, Inc.	New York, NY	Sep 25, 2015	$95,000 - $105,000

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Top Skills for A Senior Designer

Top Senior Designer Skills

Design Development
Autocad
Layout

You can check out examples of real life uses of top skills on resumes here:

Analyzed multiple structural, mechanical, and architectural design options on a conceptual level and in final design development.
Work was performed on Autocad Release 13.
Managed high profile projects in all aspects of art direction, design, page layout, photography and illustration.
Managed communications with manufacturers to direct, revise and expedite product development in U.S. and Asia.
Work with Cad Manager in insuring all graphics and prints are made in house.