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What is a senior manufacturing engineer and how to become one
A senior manufacturing engineer is an individual responsible for designing, developing, and maintaining manufacturing processes and systems to ensure efficient production of goods. They oversee the production process from start to finish, identifying areas for improvement and implementing solutions to increase productivity and reduce costs. Senior manufacturing engineers work closely with other departments, such as quality control and supply chain management, to ensure that products meet customer specifications and are delivered on time.
What general advice would you give to a senior manufacturing engineer?
James Swisher
Director of Continuing Education, Institute of Industrial and Systems Engineers
Avg. Salary $93,853
Avg. Salary $59,228
Growth rate 10%
Growth rate 0.3%
American Indian and Alaska Native 0.29%
Asian 17.12%
Black or African American 4.23%
Hispanic or Latino 10.58%
Unknown 4.73%
White 63.06%
Genderfemale 7.38%
male 92.62%
Age - 42American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%
Asian 7.00%
Black or African American 14.00%
Hispanic or Latino 19.00%
White 57.00%
Genderfemale 47.00%
male 53.00%
Age - 42Stress level is high
7.1 - high
Complexity level is advanced
7 - challenging
Work life balance is poor
6.4 - fair
What are the pros and cons of being a senior manufacturing engineer?
Pros
High salary and benefits
Opportunities for career growth and advancement
Chance to work on challenging and innovative projects
Ability to make a tangible impact on product development
Exposure to cutting-edge technology and machinery
Cons
High levels of stress and pressure to meet tight deadlines
Long hours and demanding work schedule
Need for extensive technical knowledge and skills
Possibility of job outsourcing or automation
Limited variety in daily tasks.
Senior manufacturing engineer career paths
Key steps to become a senior manufacturing engineer
Explore senior manufacturing engineer education requirements
Start to develop specific senior manufacturing engineer skills
Skills Percentages Lean Manufacturing 7.01% Continuous Improvement 6.14% Sigma 5.39% Project Management 4.49% CAD 4.39% Complete relevant senior manufacturing engineer training and internships
Accountants spend an average of 3-6 months on post-employment, on-the-job training. New senior manufacturing engineers 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 manufacturing engineer based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real senior manufacturing engineer resumes.Gain additional senior manufacturing engineer certifications
More About CertificationsSenior manufacturing engineer certifications can show employers you have a baseline of knowledge expected for the position. Certifications can also make you a more competitive candidate. Even if employers don't require a specific senior manufacturing engineer certification, having one may help you stand out relative to other applicants.
The most common certifications for senior manufacturing engineers include Six Sigma Green Belt and Certified Manufacturing Engineer (CMfgE).
Research senior manufacturing engineer duties and responsibilities
- Implement a KANBAN system for manufacturing which reduce wasteful production activities and achieve labor reductions.
- Plan and manage process-improvement projects and support production methods and processes for manufacturing center and CNC processes.
- Utilize the latest techniques in J.I.T., KANBAN, and KAIZEN philosophies.
- Facilitate technical information and background support to KAIZEN events.
Get senior manufacturing engineer experience
Generally, it takes 1-2 years to become a senior manufacturing engineer. The most common roles before becoming a senior manufacturing engineer include manufacturing engineer, process engineer team lead and project engineer.Prepare your senior manufacturing engineer resume
When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your senior manufacturing engineer 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 manufacturing engineer 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 manufacturing engineer resume templates
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Apply for senior manufacturing engineer jobs
Now it's time to start searching for a senior manufacturing engineer job. Consider the tips below for a successful job search:
- Browse job boards for relevant postings
- Consult your professional network
- Reach out to companies you're interested in working for directly
- Watch out for job scams
How did you land your first senior manufacturing engineer job
Are you a senior manufacturing engineer?
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Average senior manufacturing engineer salary
The average senior manufacturing engineer salary in the United States is $93,853 per year or $45 per hour. Senior manufacturing engineer salaries range between $71,000 and $123,000 per year.
What am I worth?
How do senior manufacturing engineers rate their job?
Senior manufacturing engineer reviews
Being part of the core team, making desicions and having a positive impact on my team daily , Expressing my abilities to grow as a leader face new challenges day to day. Put all my expierences and acknowlegment into action creating a postive enviroment to work.
Improve 5's & increase productivity, manpower reduction...n+/- concept..
Can be managed accordingly situation.
The diversity of tasks, interaction with all stakeholders, continuous learning process, communication. Allows great progression in many technical skills
Stakeholders missing deadlines
Updated January 8, 2025
