Employers

Manufacturing engineers work for aerospace product and parts manufacturing; architectural, engineering, and related services; motor vehicle parts manufacturing; and semiconductor and other electronic components manufacturing companies and firms.

Starting Out

Manufacturing engineers start their careers through internships, apprenticeships, and entry-level positions in manufacturing engineering companies. They work under the supervision of senior engineers and receive on-the-job training. Ask your schools career services office for help with the job search. Also find employment opportunities by searching the career sections and job boards of companies Web sites. Information on job openings is also available on Web sites such as LinkedIn, state employment offices, and at the federal Office of Personnel Managements USAJOBS Web site, https://www.usajobs.gov.

Manufacturing engineers with several years of experience can advance to become senior engineers. They take on larger projects and handle more complex design and engineering issues. They may become managers, responsible for hiring and overseeing the work of teams of manufacturing engineers. Some advance to top executive management positions. They also advance by receiving certification in specialized areas and going back to school for a masters degree in engineering. Some leave full-time positions to start their own consulting firms. Others become college professors.

Participate in an internship or cooperative education program in manufacturing engineering while in college to obtain valuable experience. This will help you gain experience in the field and make valuable work connections. It could also lead to a job offer upon graduation.

Join professional associations such as SME (https://www.sme.org) for access to education programs, networking events, industry news, and job referrals.

Keep up with news and developments in the manufacturing engineering field by reading industry publications, such as Manufacturing Engineering, https://www.advancedmanufacturing.org/manufacturing-engineering/eedition.

Find job listings and learn more about manufacturing engineering companies by searching online employment Web sites such as Engineering.com, as well as Indeed, Monster, and LinkedIn, among many others.

Visit the following Web sites for job listings: https://www.nspe.org/resources/career-center/job-board/job-board and https://careers.swe.org.