Production engineer

As a production engineer you will work in manufacturing, managing the whole production process, making sure everything runs smoothly and effectively. You will be responsible for planning, designing and installing the systems that oversee the manufacturing of a particular product.

Work activities

A production engineer’s role involves:

• Gathering the system requirements.
• Designing the most effective way of meeting these requirements.
• Estimating budgets.
• Programming computer numerical controlled (CNC) machines.
• Using database query language (such as SQL), to explore data and monitor performance.
• Carry out safety check and risk assessments.
• Supporting the training of other engineers.

You will design the system using design software, such as computer aided design (CAD). You must keep your company management team informed and up to date on the status of your design process – are you on track to meet the deadline, and the agreed budget? Is it working as well as it was designed to? Can it be improved upon? It is also your responsibility to make adjustments on the design, based on feedback from colleagues or clients.

Personal qualities and skills

As a Production Engineer, you need:

• IT skills, including programming – particularly in control systems software.
• Network design skills and knowledge of engineering systems.
• System testing skills.
• To be willing to keep up to date with advances in technology in this fast-changing area.
• The ability to work to strict deadlines.
• Personal skills – you will need to be creative and able to solve problems.
• Good communications skills, including the ability to explain technical and complex ideas clearly, so that non-technical people can understand.

You might have responsibility for a team of engineers, so the ability to motivate and encourage others will be an advantage. You will need to be well-organised because may be asked to plan and carry out several different tasks at the same time, and so you will need to prioritise.

You will need to work carefully with people from different areas of the business, including staff who currently operate the machinery, in order to fully understand the process and devise the system accordingly.

Pay and opportunities

As a production engineer, you could earn around £34,000 per year once qualified, with pay rising to as much as £62,000 with experience. This is according to data from jobs site Glassdoor (593 salaries, November 2023).

You will most likely work a standard full-time week, Monday to Friday. Occasional late finishes and weekend work may be required.

Employers include manufacturing firms in the following industries:

• Aerospace
• Automotive
• Building services
• Construction
• Electrical
• Food and drink

Opportunities occur with employers in towns and cities throughout the UK.

Where are vacancies advertised?

Vacancies are advertised in local/national newspapers, trade industry publications, and on the Government’s Find a Job service. Vacancies can also be found through specialist engineering recruitment agencies, internet job boards and the websites of professional engineering bodies.

Entry routes and training 

Most employers require you to have an HND, HNC or a degree before you become a Process Engineer. HNDs, HNCs and degrees in relevant subjects are available at many universities. In order to get onto one of these courses, you will usually need at least two A-levels.

Depending on their qualification, production engineers can progress by taking on more responsibility for the management of engineering projects and teams of engineers. Some engineers choose to become self-employed or take contract work on a freelance basis.

Qualifications

To enter a relevant degree course in this career, the usual requirements are: 

• Two to three A-levels.
• GCSEs in your A-level subjects at grades 9-4.
• A further two to three GCSEs at grades 9-4.

English, maths and a science subject are usually required at GCSE at grades 9-4.

Adult opportunities

Age limits: It is illegal for any organisation to set age limits for entry to employment, education or training, unless they can show there is a real need to have these limits.

If you don’t have the qualifications needed to enter your chosen degree or HND course, a college or university Access course (e.g. Access to Engineering) could be the way in. These courses are designed for people who have not followed the usual routes into higher education. No formal qualifications are usually needed, but you should check this with individual colleges.

Many people enter this career after gaining relevant skills, and perhaps qualifications, in a related area such as:

• Aerospace
• Automotive
• Construction
• Electrical
• Building services
• Food and drink

oil & gas. Industry experience is very highly valued by employers

Information on pathways to registration as a Chartered (CEng) or Incorporated (IEng) Engineer can be found on the Engineering Council’s website.

Funding for postgraduate courses may be available through universities from the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC).

Related careers

• Manufacturing engineer
• Process engineer
• Quality engineer
• Service delivery manager
• Test engineer