The following article discusses the career path of Director of Engineering. Learn about how to become one, education requirements, job duties, traits and qualities, national salary outlook as well as top national employers of Director of Engineerings.
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Job Duties
Directors of engineering are responsible for the coordination and management of the full engineering department of the company. Their role is supervisory in nature but they often also engage in project work. Typically, they manage engineering staff and only interact with clients and managers on an irregular basis, although exceptions always exist. Usually, their role is office based, although some travel may be required, particularly to project sites. They usually work full time during business hours but may have to work longer hours to meet deadlines.
Other job duties of are:
- To direct and coordinate all engineering projects
- To assist technical and professional staff
– To direct engineer and technical activities’ integration in projects
- To supervise and direct engineering departments
Where We Work
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, there were 180,100 architectural and engineering managers in 2016, the profession most closely related to that of the director of engineering. The largest employers of these professionals were:
- Manufacturing: 36%
- Architectural, engineering, and related services: 24%
- Government: 9%
- Management of companies and enterprises: 6%
- Scientific research and development services: 5%
How to Become
A bachelor’s degree is generally the minimum requirement for a director of engineering, usually in an engineering field. This field should be relevant to the business in which they want to work. No specialized certifications are needed for these positions, but substantial field experience is generally required.
Education Requirements
An engineering bachelor’s degree and substantial work experience are required for this position. Some hold a master’s degree in architecture as well, and others have an MEM or MsEM (Master of Science in Engineering Management) degree. The MSTM (Master of Science in Technology Management) or the MBA (Master of Business Administration) are also relevant. Often, these degrees are obtained on the job. The MsEm and MSTM are more technical in nature, whereas the MBA focuses more on management.
Typically, these professionals have completed classes in engineering economics, accounting, industrial management, financial management, quality control, and human resources management. They also complete programs in operations and production management, computer applications, project management, health and safety issues, quality control, general management principles, and statistics.
Work experience is vital. Most have worked as architects or engineers for many years, often working on high complex design projects where they had to resolve difficult problems and make executive decisions. They also must have lead engineering teams in the past.
Traits & Qualities
The most effective directors of engineering have the following traits to some degree or other:
- Analytical skills
- Communication skills, both verbal and written
- Detail orientation
- Mathematical skills
- Organizational skills
Minimum Education
Bachelor’s Degree
The national average salary estimate for Director of Engineering was $138,182. This number is estimated from over 717,924 employees, users past and present job advertisements from Indeed.com. This equates to an hourly salary of $71.97 and monthly of $11,515.
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$51,000
$266,000
The following section lists Director of Engineering salaries in each state around the country. The figures are based on the total number of job postings through Indeed.com. For example, California had the largest quoted salary of $162,817 while Alabama had the smallest quoted salary of $94,508.
According to Indeed.com, the following states had employers looking to hire a Director of Engineering. The quoted salary figure represents the average salary from all job postings by this employer.
| Employer Name | Location | Average Salary |
|---|---|---|
| Quest Subsea Solutions | Texas | $259,712 |
| PRI Technology | New York | $213,220 |
| Strategic Employment Partners | California | $209,838 |
| Intelletec | California | $209,749 |
| NextPhase Recruiting | California | $200,323 |
| Faststream Recruitment, INC | Texas | $199,007 |
| Coachella Valley Water District | California | $196,829 |
| DaVinciTek | New York | $196,690 |
| Twenty Recruitment | New York | $195,535 |
| Diedre Moire | California | $190,517 |
| HireClout | California | $187,295 |
| Hirewell | Illinois | $180,535 |
| Corporate Concepts – A search firm | California | $180,000 |
| Motion Recruitment Partners Prod | Massachusetts | $180,000 |
| Workbridge Associates | Illinois | $177,004 |
| The Job Jobber | California | $175,994 |
| Metro Recruiting | Maryland | $175,000 |
| Elite Placement Solutions | Texas | $173,241 |
| Executive Staff Recruiters | Texas | $173,241 |
| Jobspring Partners | Virginia | $172,930 |
Learn More
- Director of Engineering Job Opening in Bellevue …
- Director of Engineering | IllinoisJobLink.com
- Oklahoma Department of Transportation – Tim Tegler …
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