Design Engineer

A design engineer uses engineering and design principles to create products and systems. A design engineer has an advanced understanding of engineering disciplines, including civil, mechanical, electrical and chemical, but also has a keen eye for design.

Design engineers tend to work on very high-end products and services. They are often called in to work on large-scale engineering projects as their understanding of engineering physics can prove invaluable to architects and project managers.

Responsibilities

The responsibilities of a design engineer will differ depending on who you are working for. The most common responsibilities of a design engineer are:

• Carry out detailed industry and scientific research.
• Carry out user and product testing.
• Complete detailed reports and presentations for clients.
• Liaise with architects, designers and finance departments.
• Present scientific analysis and findings so the general reader can understand.
• Speak to clients.
• Use CAD, CAM and CAN systems to design and visualise projects.
• Use new software and programmes to design products.

These responsibilities may change as you grow in your role. For instance, if you move into a senior management role, you may be asked to manage budgets and teams of staff and to liaise with different department heads.

Qualifications

It is very unlikely that you will be able to apply for any design engineer jobs without a degree of some kind. A degree is not necessarily a requirement for some companies, but given that you will be working with highly-complex scientific and engineering principles, it is recommended that you study for one.

The best subjects to study for a design engineer are:

• Art degrees
• Biology degrees
• Chemical engineering degrees
• Chemistry degrees
• Civil engineering degrees
• Electrical engineering degrees
• Mechanical degrees
• Physics degrees

A postgraduate course is a very welcome asset when applying too. Those with an undergraduate degree in a design-related course and a science-based postgraduate degree, or vice-versa, will find work much easier to come by.

Those who do not want to study for a degree can find alternate routes. These routes will not be as attractive to employers as those who have an undergraduate or postgraduate degree; however, studying for a higher national diploma (HND) or foundation degree is a viable alternative.

Skills

A design engineer needs several skills to be successful in their role. You will also need management skills as you rise into more senior roles.

The most common skills needed to become a design engineer are:

• Advanced analytical skills.
• Advanced technical knowledge.
• An ability to work with others.
• Excellent CAD skills.
• Excellent IT skills.
• Excellent communication skills.
• Excellent numeracy skills.
• Fantastic problem-solving skills.
• Good negotiation skills.
• Good time-management skills.
• Self-motivation.
• The ability to work on your own.

These skills can be further honed through training and development. Training and development will also teach you new skills essential to the profession.

Career prospects

The career prospects for a design engineer can be highly lucrative. There is no fixed path for designers, however, there is a wide range of jobs that you can look into.

Rising into senior roles is the most common. Managing a team of other designers or architects can prove to be a good way of rising through a company. Many successful chartered or senior design engineers can also move into board positions after years of service and experience.

It is also possible to move into other work areas. Depending on what level of engineering or science you have under your belt, you can also look into work as an architect, a software design engineer, a mechanical engineer, a product designer, or even moving into the world of teaching.

Consultancy roles can be another potential avenue to explore. This is generally recommended when you have experience in the industry and have built up an array of contacts.