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What is a senior engineering associate and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025
3 min read
Quoted expert
Joseph Reichenberger PE [CA AZ HI NM NV], BCEE, F.ASCE
The average senior engineering associate salary is $86,193. The most common degree is a bachelor's degree degree with an electrical engineering major. It usually takes more than 10 years of experience to become a senior engineering associate. Senior engineering associates with a Six Sigma Green Belt certification earn more money. Between 2018 and 2028, the career is expected to grow 2% and produce 4,400 job opportunities across the U.S.

What general advice would you give to a senior engineering associate?

Joseph Reichenberger PE [CA AZ HI NM NV], BCEE, F.ASCEJoseph Reichenberger PE [CA AZ HI NM NV], BCEE, F.ASCE LinkedIn profile

Professor of Civil Engineering and Environmental Science, Website

I can only speak to a civil engineering graduate. Investigate all employment opportunities that are looking for entry-level civil engineers, even if it is not your "preferred subdiscipline." Work through the university career center; subscribe to blogs and organization newsletters (Linked-in etc. too) that contain industry news and job notices. Before you apply, research the company on the web. What new projects have they picked up? Or "I noticed you do a lot of xxx type projects. I'd really like to work on this type, and have focused my education toward those types of projects." Make sure this is in your cover letter and focus the resume toward that. This means that each resume and cover letter you send out has to be customized.

If you get to an interview, do more research so you can speak intelligently about the company or organization you are interviewing with. Be attentive; look the interviewer in the eyes and be confident. If you get the job and it's close to what you were looking for, accept it and try it out. The important thing for an entry-level engineer is to get experience. I believe it is important to not try to find the "perfect job" because that may leave you in the cold.

I had a mechanical engineering graduate come to me as part of an honor society faculty interview a number of years ago. After chatting a while, I asked the student what he wanted to do when he graduated. He told me he wanted to design roller coasters. I told him I think that's great, but there are probably only about 3 or 4 jobs like that in the U.S. Don't be that particular. Then I went on to tell him that when I got out of school I worked for the County of Los Angeles designing drains and channels and there was a colleague with about the same experience I had and he told me he was leaving and taking a job near Lake Tahoe. I told him sounds like a great location; what are you going to do? He told me he was going to a firm that designs ski lifts, something he was fascinated with. The advice here is to never lose sight of your goal, but there may be a few "stops" along the way.
ScoreSenior Engineering AssociateUS Average
Salary
6.7

Avg. Salary $86,193

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability level
7.4

Growth rate 2%

Growth rate 0.3%

Diversity
1.6
Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 0.16%

Asian 14.66%

Black or African American 3.01%

Hispanic or Latino 8.52%

Unknown 4.62%

White 69.03%

Gender

female 14.41%

male 85.59%

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

Senior engineering associate career paths

Key steps to become a senior engineering associate

  1. Explore senior engineering associate education requirements

    Most common senior engineering associate degrees

    Bachelor's

    59.1 %

    Associate

    22.0 %

    Master's

    14.4 %
  2. Start to develop specific senior engineering associate skills

    SkillsPercentages
    Java11.72%
    SR9.82%
    Infrastructure9.11%
    C++8.02%
    Windows7.22%
  3. Complete relevant senior engineering associate training and internships

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

    • Manage project to be in compliance with GMP, NFPA, IFC, IBC, DEP, and OSHA.
    • Manage a team of software/hardware engineers and PC board layout /lab technicians.
    • Achieve a 5-STAR cleanliness rating for laboratory areas by implementing a 5S process.
    • Lead team involving a product recall, determine root cause and resolve to FDA satisfaction.
  5. Get senior engineering associate experience

    Generally, it takes more than 10 years to become a senior engineering associate. The most common roles before becoming a senior engineering associate include engineering associate, electronics technician team lead and internship.
  6. Prepare your senior engineering associate resume

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

    Choose from 10+ customizable senior engineering associate resume templates

    Build a professional senior engineering associate 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 senior engineering associate resume.
    Senior Engineering Associate Resume
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    Senior Engineering Associate Resume
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    Senior Engineering Associate Resume
    Senior Engineering Associate Resume
  7. Apply for senior engineering associate jobs

    Now it's time to start searching for a senior engineering associate 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 engineering associate job

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Average senior engineering associate salary

The average senior engineering associate salary in the United States is $86,193 per year or $41 per hour. Senior engineering associate salaries range between $60,000 and $123,000 per year.

Average senior engineering associate salary
$86,193 Yearly
$41.44 hourly

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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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