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Manufacturing engineer

Manufacturing engineers are responsible for the technical management, maintenance and development of new and existing production lines within a wide range of manufacturing companies.

While many food and drink manufacturers are relatively small scale, a small number are broad large-scale businesses that control the vast majority of the UK market.

Manufacturing engineer job description: Typical employers | Qualifications and training | Key skills | Useful links | Find jobs and courses

Typical responsibilities of the job include:

planning
managing budgets
maintaining statistical and financial records
supervising engineering and technical staff
purchasing and installing equipment
responding to breakdowns
diagnosing faults
investigating production problems
repairing equipment
planning and organising maintenance
liaising with suppliers, customers and research and development staff
developing new processes
making improvements to current operations to improve efficiency.

Shift and ‘on-call' work may be required, particularly where manufacturing equipment is in continual 24-hour operation. Career progression often happens through moves into managerial positions or related areas of employment such as plant/production engineering.

Typical employers of manufacturing engineers

Manufacturing engineers are employed by production and process companies (for example food/drink/car manufacturers).

Vacancies are advertised by careers services and recruitment agencies, in local and national newspapers and a number of technical and manufacturing journals such as TARGETjobs Engineering, The Engineer, CADCAM and Manufacturing Engineering.

Qualifications and training required

To become a chartered manufacturing engineer you will need an MEng in electrical, mechanical, manufacturing or production engineering, following by four years' vocational training with an accredited employer. Relevant experience or a postgraduate qualification, while not essential, can be helpful.

Professional bodies also produce vacancy lists that are normally available to registered members. You can gain useful experience and insights into the profession through presentations, sponsorship, vacation work and 'year out' placements.