Design engineer | Everything you need to know to become one

Engineering has become an irrefutable concept with the exponential advancements made by human civilization. Everywhere you look, you will find a complete system of technicalities working in sync to present you the world in the 21st century. Amidst such progressions, there is a high demand for skilled personnel to expand the current engineering industry. A design engineer knows how to design and assess a product for human welfare. They use technical knowledge, mathematical caliber, and design expertise to provide cutting-edge solutions to the problems faced by various industries.

What is Design Engineering?

The various engineering disciplines like civil, mechanical, electrical, architectural, and aerospace engineering require a master product design engineer to provide realistic solutions as they go. In simple words, Engineering Design is formulating a system to meet desired necessities. It is a process involving decision-making and the application of fundamental science disciplines like mathematics and engineering to meet an objective.

What does a Design Engineer do?

The role of a design engineer remains primarily the same across all engineering fields but with necessary alterations as per the industry’s demand. The following are some of the critical duties of a product design engineer:

• Utilize Computer Assisted Engineering (CAE) and Computer-Aided Design (CAD) software to create diagrams. 
• The design is run through testing procedures with the functional and non-functional prototypes, and further modifications are made based on its functionality and flaws. 
• The prototype is tested numerous times before the design engineer considers it safe and compliant. 
• These professionals also interact with clients to determine project briefs and present the designs for client approval. 
• Some design engineers also remain associated with the product for as long as it serves its purpose. It is often known as ‘cradle to grave’ engineering. 

These professionals across all fields are entitled to abide by these Design Engineering project norms. But as it is evident, the duties of an Electrical Design Engineer, for instance, will be widely different from that of an Architectural/Structural Design Engineer.

What skills should a Design Engineer possess?

Since the role demands such creativity and nuanced attention from its professionals, it is best to start gearing up with relevant efficiencies. As mentioned earlier, design engineers need to be vehemently familiar with Mathematics, Physics, and coding languages. Given below are some more crucial skills that you must have to stand out as an efficient design engineer:

• Knowledge of the specific branch of engineering and mastery in technical knowledge
• Adept vision for detail and a systematic work process
• Sound knowledge of IT and CAD
• Sharp analytical skills
• Effective communication with clients, team members, and others involved in the design processes
• Negotiation and leadership skills
• A creative mindset to deal with problems

What will I get to learn?

As the job is of extreme precision and flawlessness, the curriculum is made equally thorough to ease the burden while applying for design engineer jobs. 

• Innovative design teaching and the opportunity to assist in ongoing design projects
• To adopt sustainable development, a vivid understanding of social, economic, and environmental issues. 
• Engineering mechanics
• Project management
• Information literacy
• Prototyping
• Decision making
• Ideation and estimation
• Communication skills

Top universities for Design Engineering

With a booming digital age, you can find almost any course you desire with a simple Google search. However, if you have a Bachelor’s degree in engineering or industrial design, try enrolling for a full-time course for a master’s. Given below are some of the reputed universities of the world offering design engineering courses that can be beneficial if you are looking to prepare yourself for design engineer jobs:

• Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)
• Stanford University
• Harvard University 
• Nanyang Technological University
• University of California
• University of Bristol
• Imperial College London
• Arizona State University
• Technical University of Munich
• Carleton University

However, if you do not wish to enroll in a master’s in design engineering, you can join the profession with an HND or HNC degree and an engineering technician (EngTech).

Documents required

Once you have decided on your desired universities, visit their website for a detailed list of requirements for application. Though some universities alter this list depending on their needs, the following components are seen to remain constant throughout the globe:

• CV/Resume
• Bachelor’s Degree in Engineering 
• Statement of Purpose
• Letter of Recommendation
• English Proficiency Test – TOEFL/IELTS/PTE
• Standard Test Scores – GMAT/GRE 

Start collecting these documents at least six months before you start applying. Once you get shortlisted and receive an acceptance letter, you can issue these documents for a student visa and some scholarship programs. 

How much does a degree in Design Engineering cost?

As a matter of fact, studying design engineering courses in the UK or the US is expensive. The tuition fee ranges from 35,000 to 58,000 USD in the UK and 30,000 to 50,000 USD in the USA. If you consider Canada, Germany, or the Netherlands as your desired location, these numbers decrease significantly. 

But studying abroad naturally means having a separate allocation for your food, lodging, transport, entertainment, and daily spending apart from the mentioned tuition fees. If you are looking for an apartment in the heart of the city with ample facilities, consider your budget to expand more than what is estimated.

Try applying for scholarship programs and student aid to reduce living costs and your college tuition fee. You can also try for an engineering apprenticeship alongside your course, which will provide you with relevant experience and financial ease while you work towards your degree.

What are the job opportunities for a Design Engineer?

As a matter of fact, finding a job as a design engineer is relatively easy, because of its high relevance across all engineering fields. Your employment opportunities will significantly improve when you gather practical experience while pursuing the degree. You can also participate in summer internships with big companies and similar working opportunities with small-scale companies. Besides, universities also accommodate placement facilities with high job offers to their candidates. 

Employers are always fishing for a skilled design engineer. All in all, they can be both public and private organizations and prestigious companies to SMEs. However, the employers are mainly from the following places:

• Aerospace industry
• Computing and software companies
• Construction services
• Power and utility companies, including nuclear
• Automotive industry
• Pharmaceutical and Medical engineering
• Industrial and home goods producers
• Transport industry

In addition to this, you can continue further for a Ph.D. and partake as an educator in renowned universities.

Salary of a Design Engineer

Design engineer jobs are typically full-time roles offering salaries based on the applicant’s work experience and skills. The average salary for a design engineer in the US would be around $87,309 per annum, while it can easily range from $56,215 to $135,600 based on experience and job position.

Key takeaways

• As a design engineer, you have tremendous scopes of making an enriching career. 
• What’s more interesting is that the field is very engaging yet challenging, making you become even a better version of yourself. 
• In addition to this, the salary range of design engineers is exceptionally well; especially, if you are working in countries like the USA, Canada, the UK, and so on. 
• Many colleges offer a course on design engineering, where you get to learn not only about the engineering mechanics but also about the ideation and costing.

Becoming a design engineer is a far-fetched dream for many. Though the arena offers strong prospects, people often find themselves puzzled by the many choices. But not you! You can always contact us for more career insights, academic courses, and ever for your daily dose of motivation!

Liked this blog? Read next: Diploma in Engineering | Everything you need to know about the course!

FAQs

Q1. What are the requirements for applying to a design engineering course?

The requirements are pretty standard like your CV or resume, statement of purpose, letter of recommendation, and so on. Additionally, if you are pursuing a master’s, then a bachelor’s degree in engineering is a must. 

Q2. Do we need to answer IELTS/TOEFL for design engineering courses?

As a matter of fact, yes. English proficiency tests like the TOEFL/IELTS/PTE along with the standard test scores of GMAT or GRE are requisites for design engineering courses.

Q3. Where can I get a job as a design engineer?

There are a plethora of industries where you can get a job as a design engineer; some of which are the Aerospace Industry, Automotive Industry, Transport Industry, Construction Services, Power and Utilities Industry, etc.