Robotics careers · Career guide

Manufacturing engineerwhat the job involves, pay and who’s hiring

There are 252 open manufacturing engineer roles on Robotics Connected today, at 63 employers. Where roles give pay, the middle figure is $165K a year. Below is what the work involves, the skills employers ask for, how people get in, and the roles open now.

By Olivier Ayache · Figures from the jobs board, updated
252
open manufacturing engineer roles
63
employers hiring
$165K
middle pay a year, from 20 roles
2%
can be done remotely

What does a manufacturing engineer do?

Manufacturing engineers work out how to build robots, drones and their parts reliably and at a sensible cost. They design assembly processes, choose equipment and suppliers, and keep production running as volumes grow.

As robotics companies move from prototypes to production, they need people who know how to build the same machine hundreds or thousands of times, so these roles appear at start-ups as well as large manufacturers.

Also advertised as: Production engineer, Process engineer, Industrial engineer.

A typical week

  • Designing assembly processes, fixtures and work instructions
  • Setting up and improving production lines
  • Working with suppliers on part quality
  • Solving problems on the factory floor

Skills employers ask for

  • Manufacturing processes: machining, moulding, electronics assembly
  • CAD for fixtures and tooling
  • Lean manufacturing and continuous improvement
  • Quality tools and root-cause analysis
  • Getting things done with operators and suppliers

How much do manufacturing engineers earn?

  • $144K to $185K a year for the middle half, $165K in the middle, from 20 roles paid in USD

These figures come from the 22 of 252 open roles that give pay, taking the middle of each role’s range. Most are in US states where job adverts have to show pay, so they lean towards American salaries; roles in the UK and Europe rarely publish a figure.

Who is hiring manufacturing engineers?

The employers with the most open manufacturing engineer roles today:

Where are the jobs?

The cities with the most open manufacturing engineer roles, each with its own page of robotics jobs:

And by country:

What levels are open?

139 of the 252 roles say their level in the title. They split like this:

Entry-level roles are scarce across robotics, not only in this one. I looked at why, and what I’d suggest if you’re starting out, in this article on the entry-level gap.

How to become a manufacturing engineer

A degree in mechanical, manufacturing or industrial engineering is the usual start, and experience from automotive, aerospace or electronics manufacturing transfers well. I'd suggest robotics start-ups heading into production if you want broad responsibility early.

If you’re early on, the robotics internships and entry-level and graduate roles are the places to start.

Open manufacturing engineer jobs

The newest, one an employer:

Search the jobs board for “manufacturing”All Manufacturing, Supply Chain & Operations roles

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