Start Your Engineering Project Management Career

If you’re an engineer or someone with engineering skills who wants to take on a leadership role, start a career in engineering project management. This type of career path is perfect for someone who enjoys organizing and leading complex projects.

In this article, we’ll discuss what this position entails, the steps you need to take to become one, and where you can apply for this type of role.

Let’s start first with what an engineering project manager does.

What Does an Engineering Project Manager Do?

Engineering managers are responsible for many different tasks in the workplace. First, they are required to use their expertise to direct and coordinate projects from start to finish.

Secondly, they are responsible for creating project plans, proposing budgets to higher-ups, managing employees and team members, and determining staffing and equipment needs. 

Lastly, an engineering project manager will need to report on the status of the project and meet the project objectives as set by the company or client.

How to Qualify for an Engineering Project Manager Job

Before you start your engineering project management career, you need certain educational and skill requirements. Let’s look through some of the common qualifications that are specifically needed for engineering project manager jobs.

Education Requirements

To qualify for engineering project manager jobs, you must have a bachelor’s and master’s degree in engineering or a related field. Additionally, you may need to obtain a license, but this requirement varies per state. You’ll also need to have a certain number of years of engineering experience before employers will consider you for a management position. 

Lastly, some companies might also want additional expertise in the specific industry that you are applying for, like automotive or construction. They might also want some specific training certifications or requirements, but those will vary from employer to employer.

Skills You Need Going Into This Career

In addition to aforementioned educational requirements, engineering project managers will also need to successfully demonstrate different skill sets, including:

• Problem Solving: You’ll need to be able to handle any questions that come to you regarding project details and issues.
• Communication: As a manager, you are responsible for handling the communication between teams, employees, upper management, and other involved parties.
• Organization: Engineering projects must run seamlessly from start to finish. Project managers are responsible for ensuring that projects meet any deadlines and budgetary restrictions. Additionally, project managers must be prepared to both address and resolve any issues that come up. 

Project Managers Versus Project Engineers

There is often confusion around project managers and project engineers. You may see both positions come in during job searches, but they are completely different roles. 

Think of a project engineer as a subject matter expert and a project manager as the leader.

To break it down further: project engineers handle the daily tasks of a specific project on a very technical level, and typically have more industry experience, while a project manager focuses on the big picture and oversees major aspects of the project, including billing, client relations, employee management, and general communication.

Where Can You Start Your Engineering Project Management Career?

If you’re ready to start looking into engineering project manager jobs, there’s no better place to start than DSI.

We prioritize employee satisfaction and success, and strive to create a family-like environment that our team can thrive in. Some of the benefits of working for DSI include: 

• Great Company Culture
• Fun, Unique, & Diverse Projects & Opportunities
• Personal & Professional Development Opportunities
• Team-Building Events
• Competitive Salaries
• 401k Plans
• Health, Vision, & Dental Insurance 
• Tuition Assistance
• Vacation & Personal Time

Explore Job Opportunities Today

Engineering project management is a unique role that requires a high level of concentration, organization, and problem solving. If you think that engineering project management is the right path for you, there’s no time like the present to get started. 

Start your engineering project management career at DSI—we’d love to have you on our team! Click here to view our current opportunities. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact us via phone or email.