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What is a senior director of engineering and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read
Quoted Expert
Yi Yang PhD

A senior director of engineering runs all of the engineering activities and projects within an organization. They make sure everything is aligned with the established policies and objectives of the organization. They can work in a variety of fields such as aerospace, construction, etc. They are responsible for making sure that goals are met, standards of quality are upheld, and legal regulations are adhered to.

The tasks and responsibilities that you will perform include creating plans and systems, overseeing developmental processes, analyzing metrics and financers, and ensuring safety. Essential skills needed include strategic, analytical, innovation, leadership, and communication. These are required to direct projects with cross-functional teams, manage budgets and resources, and make well-informed decisions under pressure.

Educational requirements include a master's degree in engineering, business administration, or a similar field. Furthermore, a senior position such as this will require over eight years of experience in management. This senior position comes with great monetary compensation. The average hourly salary is $87.74 for a traditional workweek, which amounts to $182,508 annually. The career is expected to grow further in the near future.

What general advice would you give to a Senior Director Of Engineering?

Yi Yang PhDYi Yang PhD LinkedIn Profile

Associate Professor, Pennsylvania State University - Abington

For new graduates beginning their careers in engineering, I would advise them to consider the broader impact of their work and look for opportunities to expand their management potential. While engineering is a highly technical field, it's important to recognize the value of leadership roles in preserving a culture of innovation. By taking on these positions, you can help ensure that companies prioritize long-term innovation over short-term gains (cutting R&D to boost the balance sheet), thus preserving the engineering culture that drives meaningful progress.
ScoreSenior Director Of EngineeringUS Average
Salary
9.6

Avg. Salary $177,949

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability Level
7.4

Growth Rate 2%

Growth Rate 0.3%

Diversity
1.5
Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 0.16%

Asian 17.01%

Black or African American 2.97%

Hispanic or Latino 8.40%

Unknown 4.60%

White 66.85%

Gender

female 6.72%

male 93.28%

Age - 48
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 - 48
Stress Level
7.4

Stress level is high

7.1 - high

Complexity Level
10.0

Complexity Level is advanced

7 - challenging

Work Life Balance
3.5

Work Life balance is poor

6.4 - fair

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Senior Director Of Engineering career paths

Key steps to become a senior director of engineering

  1. Explore senior director of engineering education requirements

    Most common senior director of engineering degrees

    Bachelor's

    68.6 %

    Master's

    20.9 %

    Associate

    3.8 %
  2. Start to develop specific senior director of engineering skills

    SkillsPercentages
    Cloud7.19%
    Architecture6.19%
    Continuous Improvement5.22%
    Software Development4.75%
    Infrastructure4.60%
  3. Complete relevant senior director of engineering training and internships

    Accountants spend an average of 6-12 months on post-employment, on-the-job training. New senior directors of engineering 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 senior director of engineering based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real senior director of engineering resumes.
  4. Research senior director of engineering duties and responsibilities

    • Define the architecture of the next generation telecommunication products and lead the new technology introduction.
    • Define, develop and implement a manage cloud services architecture approach that is based on modular processes and continual integration/deployment interactions.
    • Spearhead industry-first embed Java VM, embed DCOM products.
    • Lead on multiple cross-functional quality initiatives for improve QA process improvements.
  5. Get senior director of engineering experience

    Generally, it takes more than 10 years to become a senior director of engineering. The most common roles before becoming a senior director of engineering include engineering director, senior software engineer team lead and engineering manager.
  6. Prepare your senior director of engineering resume

    When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your senior director of engineering 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 senior director of engineering resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.

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  7. Apply for senior director of engineering jobs

    Now it's time to start searching for a senior director of engineering job. Consider the tips below for a successful job search:

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

How Did You Land Your First Senior Director Of Engineering Job

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Average senior director of engineering salary

The average Senior Director Of Engineering salary in the United States is $177,949 per year or $86 per hour. Senior director of engineering salaries range between $120,000 and $262,000 per year.

Average Senior Director Of Engineering Salary
$177,949 Yearly
$85.55 hourly

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Senior Director Of Engineering reviews

profile
A zippia user wrote a review on Oct 2022
Pros

Able to see ideation to fruition and achieve success together as a team.

Cons

If company is not supportive of new technology advancement.


profile
A zippia user wrote a review on Jan 2020
Pros

Being able to solve technical problems and manage staff for work

Cons

Less pay and not being able to freely speak what's on my mind


profile
A zippia user wrote a review on Dec 2019
Pros

Solving problems with the utmost educated confidence

Cons

Indecisive colleagues and related problems because if their lack of ability and skills


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Updated January 8, 2025

Zippia Research Team
Zippia Team

Editorial Staff

The Zippia Research Team has spent countless hours reviewing resumes, job postings, and government data to determine what goes into getting a job in each phase of life. Professional writers and data scientists comprise the Zippia Research Team.

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