Combining creative design skills with technical knowledge, design engineers can work in a number of industries and are responsible for researching, designing and developing new products / systems. Design engineers are employed largely within the construction, electrical, automotive, manufacturing and mechanical sectors and apply engineering skills to areas such as product, industrial and computer aided design (CAD). The position requires skilled candidates and a specialist engineering recruitment agency is often used to source the most suitable design engineers in the market.
Salary and Qualifications
A design engineer will typically work a standard 40 hour week with the majority of this time spent in an office or meeting clients. Earnings can vary depending on experience but new entrants can expect a starting salary of £20K-£25K per annum, with the potential for this to rise above £30K. The best locations in the UK for job opportunities and pay are usually London or the South East, where senior design engineers can earn in excess of £50K.
A degree, HND or HNC are generally expected of candidates trying to enter the job role and these could be in a range of areas including CAD Engineering, Materials Science and Engineering Product Design. The Institute of Engineering Designers (IED) also provides a number of accredited courses whereas employers may also accept candidates with credentials in mechanical or civil engineering.
Specialist engineering recruitment agencies will be best equipped to supply quality design engineers for a range of industries. As well as bespoke candidate databases and experienced consultants, they will also have pre-assessment procedures that will allow them to recruit the most innovative and technical professionals for their clients' permanent, part-time and temporary vacancies.