Manufacturing engineer job description templates by level and focus, with BLS salary data, the FLSA exempt classification, and duties for hiring managers.
6 templates by level and focus: standard, junior, senior, process, quality, and small shop, with BLS salary data and the FLSA exempt classification that separates engineers from operators. Download as DOCX.
A manufacturing engineer is the person who decides how your products get made efficiently, consistently, and to quality. It is a degreed, salaried, professional role, which sets it apart from nearly every other job on a factory floor, and it has real consequences for how you write the posting, set the pay, and classify the role. Get the framing wrong and you either underpay and miss good candidates or misjudge a role that is really a technician position.
This page gives you six templates by level and focus, plus the one thing that matters most and that generic templates skip: a clear read on why a manufacturing engineer is an exempt professional, and how that differs from the operators and technicians a shop hires far more often. At FirstHR, we build hiring and onboarding tools for small operators, including manufacturers. For the fundamentals behind any posting, the guide to writing a job description is a useful companion.
TL;DR
A manufacturing engineer designs and improves how products are made: process methods, tooling, efficiency, and quality. It is a degreed, exempt, salaried role under the FLSA learned professional exemption, which sets it apart from the hourly, non-exempt operators and technicians on the floor. The closest federal occupation reports a median of $101,140 a year (BLS, May 2024). This page has six templates by level and focus; download all as one DOCX.
What a Manufacturing Engineer Does
A manufacturing engineer designs, improves, and supports the processes used to make products. The core work is developing and optimizing manufacturing methods, improving efficiency, yield, and quality, supporting new product introduction, specifying tooling and equipment, and solving production problems on the floor, often using lean and Six Sigma methods.
The role sits between product design and production: the engineer makes sure a product can be built efficiently, consistently, and to standard. The closest federal occupation is industrial engineers (SOC 17-2112), under which manufacturing engineering is classified. It is a degreed, professional role, distinct from the operators and technicians who run the line, and that distinction drives both the pay and the classification.
Manufacturing Engineer Duties and Responsibilities
Manufacturing engineer duties cluster into four areas: process design and improvement, production support, tooling and quality, and continuous improvement. A strong job description picks the responsibilities from each area that match the level and the focus rather than listing every possible task.
Process design and improvement
Design, evaluate, and improve processes
Develop routings and work instructions
Improve efficiency, yield, and throughput
Production support
Solve production problems on the floor
Lead root-cause analysis and corrective action
Support new product introduction
Tooling, quality, and equipment
Specify tooling, fixtures, and equipment
Support quality plans and process controls
Justify and support capital projects
Continuous improvement
Drive lean and Six Sigma initiatives
Analyze production and quality data
Standardize and document best methods
The balance shifts by role: a process engineer leans into parameters and variation, a quality engineer into control plans and corrective action, and a senior engineer into complex projects and mentoring. For a structured way to scope the role, the guide to defining job responsibilities walks through the process.
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Pick the template by level and focus. The process-engineering core runs through all six, but each frames the duties, qualifications, and pay band for a specific level or specialty. Use this guide to choose the closest fit, then adjust.
Manufacturing Engineer (Standard)
Most manufacturers
The baseline version: process design and improvement, new product support, and floor problem-solving. Start here for a mid-level engineer.
Junior / Entry-Level
Early career
For a new or early-career engineer: supporting and learning processes under senior mentorship, with growth into full ownership.
Senior Manufacturing Engineer
Experienced lead
For a senior individual contributor: complex process and equipment projects, lean leadership, and mentoring junior engineers.
Process / Production Engineer
Process-focused
For a process-centered role: optimizing parameters, reducing variation and waste, and improving yield and throughput.
Quality Engineer
Quality-focused
For the engineering-quality intersection: quality plans, inspection methods, corrective action, and quality systems.
Small Shop (First Hire)
Small manufacturer
For a small manufacturer making its first engineering hire: a broad, hands-on role close to the floor, with the owner instead of a department.
Match the Template to the Role
A general mid-level hire uses the Standard template. A new graduate uses Junior. An experienced lead uses Senior. A process-focused role uses Process / Production. A quality-focused role uses Quality Engineer. A small manufacturer making its first engineering hire uses Small Shop. Every version is exempt and salaried; set the pay band to the level.
Download all six as a single Word document or copy individual templates. Each follows the same structure: company and job summary, key responsibilities, qualifications, the exempt classification, pay, and how to apply, with an EEO statement. Fill in the brackets and post.
Download All 6 Job Description Templates
Standard, junior, senior, process, quality, and small shop. All in one DOCX.
Template 1: Manufacturing Engineer (Standard)
The baseline version: process design and improvement, new product support, and floor problem-solving. Start here for a mid-level engineer.
Manufacturing Engineer Job Description (Standard)
MANUFACTURING ENGINEER JOB DESCRIPTION
Company: __ ([City, State])
Reports to: __ (Engineering / Operations Manager)
Employment type: [ ] Full-time
FLSA status: Exempt (salaried professional)
Pay: $_____ to $_____ per year
ABOUT [COMPANY NAME]
[One or two sentences about your company: what you make, the size of the
operation, and what the manufacturing engineer will own.]
JOB SUMMARY
[Company Name] is hiring a Manufacturing Engineer to design, improve, and
support our production processes. You will develop and optimize
manufacturing methods, improve efficiency and quality, support new
product introduction, and solve production problems on the floor. This
role combines engineering analysis with hands-on process improvement.
KEY RESPONSIBILITIES
•Design, evaluate, and improve manufacturing processes and methods
•Develop work instructions, routings, and process documentation
•Improve efficiency, yield, throughput, and product quality
•Support new product introduction and design for manufacturability
•Specify tooling, fixtures, and equipment; support installation
•Lead root-cause analysis and corrective action on the floor
•Drive continuous improvement (lean, Six Sigma) initiatives
•Ensure processes meet safety and quality standards
REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS
•Bachelor's degree in manufacturing, mechanical, or industrial engineering
•Experience in a manufacturing or production environment
•Knowledge of lean manufacturing and process improvement
•CAD and data-analysis skills; familiarity with CAM a plus
•Strong problem-solving and cross-functional communication
•Ability to work on the production floor as needed
For the engineering-quality intersection: quality plans, inspection methods, corrective action, and the quality management system.
Manufacturing Quality Engineer Job Description
MANUFACTURING QUALITY ENGINEER JOB DESCRIPTION
Company: __ ([City, State])
Reports to: __ (Quality / Engineering Manager)
Employment type: [ ] Full-time
FLSA status: Exempt (salaried professional)
Pay: $_____ to $_____ per year
JOB SUMMARY
[Company Name] is hiring a Manufacturing Quality Engineer to ensure our
products and processes meet quality standards. You will develop quality
plans and controls, lead inspection and testing methods, drive corrective
action, and support continuous improvement of product quality. This role
sits at the intersection of engineering and quality assurance.
KEY RESPONSIBILITIES
•Develop quality plans, control plans, and inspection methods
•Lead root-cause analysis and corrective and preventive action
•Support supplier quality and incoming inspection
•Analyze quality data and drive improvement
•Maintain quality documentation and support audits
•Define and validate inspection and test methods
•Support the quality management system (such as ISO 9001)
•Partner with production and engineering on quality issues
REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS
•Bachelor's degree in engineering or a related field
•Quality engineering experience in manufacturing
•Knowledge of quality tools (FMEA, SPC, root-cause analysis)
•Familiarity with quality systems (ISO 9001 or similar)
•Strong data-analysis and documentation skills
COMPENSATION AND HOW TO APPLY
Pay: $_____ to $_____ per year [+ benefits]
To apply, email __ with your resume.
[Company Name] is an equal opportunity employer.
Template 6: Manufacturing Engineer for a Small Shop
For a small manufacturer making its first engineering hire: a broad, hands-on role close to the floor, working with the owner rather than a department.
Manufacturing Engineer for a Small Shop (First Engineering Hire)
We are a small manufacturer hiring our first dedicated Manufacturing
Engineer. This is a broad, hands-on role: you will own process
improvement across the shop and work directly with the owner and the
production team, without a large engineering department behind you.
JOB SUMMARY
[Company Name] is hiring a Manufacturing Engineer to improve how we make
our products. You will document and improve processes, solve production
problems, specify tooling and equipment, support quality, and help us run
more efficiently. This role suits a versatile engineer who likes
ownership and working close to the floor in a small operation.
KEY RESPONSIBILITIES
•Document, design, and improve our manufacturing processes
•Solve day-to-day production and quality problems on the floor
•Specify and source tooling, fixtures, and equipment
•Improve efficiency, yield, and throughput across the shop
•Support quality, inspection, and basic process controls
•Help introduce new products and new processes
•Drive practical continuous improvement
•Wear several hats as part of a small team
REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS
•Bachelor's degree in manufacturing, mechanical, or industrial engineering
•Hands-on manufacturing or production experience
•Versatile across process, tooling, quality, and equipment
•Practical, resourceful, and comfortable on the shop floor
•Strong problem-solving and communication skills
COMPENSATION AND HOW TO APPLY
Pay: $_____ to $_____ per year [+ benefits]
To apply, email __ or stop by.
We are an equal opportunity employer.
FLSA, the Degree, and Classification
This is what makes a manufacturing engineer different from almost every other factory-floor role, and what generic templates skip: the role is an exempt professional, salaried and not overtime-eligible, and the degree requirement is the line that makes it so. Get this right and you classify and budget the role correctly.
FLSA: a manufacturing engineer is an exempt professional
Unlike most production and trades roles, a manufacturing engineer is typically exempt from overtime under the learned professional exemption. The Department of Labor lists engineering among the recognized fields of science or learning, and the exemption applies where the primary duty is advanced, intellectual work and a bachelor's degree in engineering is the standard prerequisite for the job. A degreed manufacturing engineer paid on a salary above the federal threshold generally meets this test. That makes the role salaried and not overtime-eligible, which is the opposite of how you classify a machine operator or assembler. Confirm the actual duties and degree requirement, since exemption is duties-based, not title-based. This is general information, not legal advice.
The degree requirement is the dividing line
The learned professional exemption hinges on advanced knowledge customarily acquired through a prolonged course of specialized intellectual instruction, which for engineering means a bachelor's degree as the standard entry requirement. This is what separates a manufacturing engineer from a manufacturing technician or production operator: the technician executes and maintains, often without a degree and as a non-exempt hourly worker, while the engineer designs and improves processes as a salaried professional. If a role you are calling an engineer does not actually require a degree and is mostly hands-on production work, it may be non-exempt despite the title. Write the requirements honestly so the classification matches the work. This is general information, not legal advice.
Seniority shapes pay, not classification
Manufacturing engineer roles run from entry-level through senior, and pay rises sharply with experience, but the exempt classification generally holds across levels because the professional nature of the work does not change. Entry-level engineers sometimes sit near the lower end of the salary band, while senior engineers command well into six figures. The federal salary threshold for exemption is low enough that even junior engineers clear it. What changes with seniority is scope and pay, not whether the role is salaried. Set the pay band to the level you are hiring, and keep the exempt classification consistent with the degreed, professional duties. This is general information, not legal advice.
Safety and quality still apply to the role
Even as a salaried professional, a manufacturing engineer works in a production environment and shares responsibility for safety and quality. Processes the engineer designs must meet OSHA safety standards and the plant's quality system, and the engineer often leads or supports safety reviews, machine guarding decisions, and corrective actions tied to incidents. While the engineer is not classified like an hourly worker, the role carries real safety and compliance weight on the floor. Make safety and quality expectations explicit in the posting, since a good manufacturing engineer designs them in rather than treating them as someone else's job. This is general information, not legal advice.
Engineering Is a Learned Profession
The Department of Labor lists engineering among the fields of science or learning that qualify for the learned professional exemption, where the primary duty is advanced intellectual work and a bachelor's degree is the standard prerequisite. That makes a degreed manufacturing engineer exempt and salaried, unlike the hourly operators and technicians on the floor.
Manufacturing engineers are well paid, which is consistent with the exempt, professional classification. Anchor your range to government data and the level you are hiring.
Median $101,140 a Year (BLS)
The closest federal occupation, industrial engineers, had a median wage of $101,140 a year as of the May 2024 data, with the lowest 10 percent under $70,000 and the highest 10 percent over $157,140 (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics). Entry-level roles can run lower, often in the high sixties to high seventies.
Level
Typical range
Classification
Junior / entry-level
Around $65K to $80K
Exempt, salaried
Mid-level
Around $80K to $105K
Exempt, salaried
Senior
Around $105K to $145K
Exempt, salaried
Process / quality engineer
Around $85K to $120K
Exempt, salaried
Pay rises sharply with experience and varies by industry and region, but the exempt classification holds across levels because the professional nature of the work does not change. Benchmark your range to the level and the local market, and post it.
Small Manufacturers and the Floor
Most US manufacturers are small, and a small shop usually hires the production floor long before it hires a dedicated engineer. It is worth being honest about that, because the role you most need to fill, and fill repeatedly, may not be an engineer at all.
Most small manufacturers hire technicians and operators long before they hire an engineer
The vast majority of US manufacturers are small: industry figures put roughly three-quarters of manufacturing firms under twenty employees and over ninety percent under one hundred. A dedicated manufacturing engineer, though, is usually a hire that middle and larger plants make, while at a small shop the owner or an operations lead often covers the engineering function themselves. The roles a small manufacturer hires repeatedly are on the floor: machine operators, CNC machinists, assemblers, welders, and production associates. Industry surveys consistently show the sharpest shortages are for these skilled production and core production workers, well above the demand for degreed engineers. If you are a small shop, hiring the floor well usually matters more, and sooner, than hiring an engineer.
When a small shop does hire its first engineer, the role is broad and hands-on
A small manufacturer that has grown enough to need a dedicated engineer is hiring something different from a corporate manufacturing engineer with a narrow specialty. The first engineering hire at a small shop owns process improvement across the whole operation, solves problems directly on the floor, specifies tooling and equipment, supports quality, and works shoulder to shoulder with the owner and the production team. The small-shop template here is written for that reality: a versatile, practical engineer who likes ownership, not a specialist slotting into a large department. Write the posting to attract someone who wants breadth and impact rather than a narrow lane.
Engineer or operator, the onboarding and compliance still land on you
Whether you are hiring a salaried engineer or an hourly operator, a small manufacturer without an HR department handles the same people work: the offer, the I-9 and tax forms, safety training, and document management for SOPs and work instructions. The engineer is exempt and salaried; the operator is non-exempt and hourly, with overtime, so getting classification right matters. FirstHR fits this people side for a small manufacturer: e-signature for offers and safety and policy acknowledgments, training modules for OSHA and safety onboarding, document management for SOPs and work instructions, task workflows for the new-hire and PPE-issue checklist, and an onboarding wizard that turns a job description into a plan. The flat monthly price suits a small shop. To be clear about scope, FirstHR is an onboarding and HR platform, not an MES, ERP, or payroll system, and it does not run payroll or administer benefits, so pair it with those providers. Applicant tracking is coming soon.
For the floor roles a small manufacturer hires most, the machine operator and CNC operator templates cover the hourly, non-exempt hires that typically come first. When you do add an engineer, the small-shop template above fits.
From Hiring to Onboarding
The job description is step one. Once a candidate accepts, the same document becomes the basis for the offer and onboarding. The paperwork comes first: the offer in writing with the exempt classification and salary spelled out, the I-9 with documents verified, and the W-4 and state tax forms per the new hire paperwork guide, alongside the safety and floor orientation even a salaried engineer needs.
Send the offer in writing
Confirm the role, the salary, the exempt classification, and the start date in writing, so a salaried engineer knows exactly what they accepted.
Plan the first 90 days
A manufacturing engineer needs to learn the product, the equipment, and the team. A structured 30-60-90 plan turns a broad role into clear early wins.
Cover safety and the floor
Even a salaried engineer needs OSHA and floor-safety orientation, PPE, and a tour of the processes and equipment they will own.
Store the records
Keep the signed offer, the I-9 and tax forms, and any certifications organized and audit-ready in one place.
To build out the wider team, the production manager and welder templates cover adjacent manufacturing hires.
FirstHR connects the offer, paperwork, e-signatures, safety training, document management for SOPs, and the onboarding workflow in one place so a small manufacturer can manage the full process from one system. FirstHR is an onboarding and HR platform, not an MES, ERP, or payroll tool, and it does not run payroll or administer benefits, so connect those separately. Applicant tracking is coming soon to FirstHR.
Key Takeaways
A manufacturing engineer designs and improves how products are made: process methods, tooling, efficiency, and quality.
It is a degreed, exempt, salaried role under the FLSA learned professional exemption, unlike the hourly operators and technicians on the floor.
The bachelor's degree requirement is the dividing line between an engineer and a technician, and the basis for the exempt classification.
Use the template that matches the level and focus: standard, junior, senior, process, quality, or small shop.
The closest federal occupation reports a median of $101,140 a year (BLS, May 2024); pay rises sharply with seniority.
Most small manufacturers hire floor roles, operators, machinists, and assemblers, long before they hire a dedicated engineer.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does a manufacturing engineer do?
A manufacturing engineer designs, improves, and supports the processes used to make products. The core work is developing and optimizing manufacturing methods, improving efficiency, yield, and quality, supporting new product introduction, specifying tooling and equipment, and solving production problems on the floor. The role blends engineering analysis with hands-on process improvement, often using lean and Six Sigma methods. It sits between product design and production: the engineer makes sure a product can be built efficiently, consistently, and to quality standards. Day to day, a manufacturing engineer might document a process, run a root-cause analysis on a defect, justify a new piece of equipment, and lead a continuous improvement project, all in the same week. It is a degreed, professional role distinct from the operators and technicians who run the line.
Is a manufacturing engineer exempt or non-exempt under the FLSA?
A manufacturing engineer is typically exempt under the learned professional exemption, which means salaried and not eligible for overtime. The Department of Labor lists engineering among the recognized fields of science or learning, and the exemption applies where the employee's primary duty is advanced, intellectual work and a bachelor's degree in engineering is the standard prerequisite for the role. A degreed manufacturing engineer paid on a salary above the federal threshold generally meets this test. This is the opposite of how you classify a machine operator, assembler, or manufacturing technician, who are non-exempt and paid hourly with overtime. Because classification is based on actual duties and the degree requirement rather than the title, confirm that the role genuinely requires a degree and involves professional engineering work. This is general information, not legal advice.
What is the difference between a manufacturing engineer and a manufacturing technician?
The difference is education, duties, and classification. A manufacturing engineer holds an engineering degree, designs and improves processes, and is a salaried, exempt professional. A manufacturing technician supports and executes: running equipment, performing tests, maintaining processes, and assisting engineers, usually without a degree and as a non-exempt, hourly worker paid overtime. The engineer decides how something should be made; the technician helps make it and keeps it running. Pay reflects this: engineers typically earn well above technicians. For a small manufacturer, this distinction matters for both budgeting and classification, since calling a hands-on hourly role an engineer does not change the overtime rules. Many small shops need technicians and operators long before they need a dedicated engineer.
What qualifications does a manufacturing engineer need?
The standard requirement is a bachelor's degree in manufacturing, mechanical, or industrial engineering, or a closely related field. Beyond the degree, employers look for experience in a production environment, knowledge of lean manufacturing and process improvement, CAD and data-analysis skills, and strong problem-solving. Familiarity with CAM, statistical process control, Six Sigma, and quality systems such as ISO 9001 is commonly valued, and specific industries may want experience with their processes, such as machining, injection molding, or assembly. For senior roles, a track record of measurable process improvements and project leadership matters more than additional credentials. For entry-level roles, an internship or co-op and a willingness to learn on the floor often suffice. The degree is the consistent baseline, since it underpins both the work and the exempt classification.
How much does a manufacturing engineer make?
Manufacturing engineers are well paid, which is part of why the role is exempt. The closest federal occupation, industrial engineers, had a median wage of $101,140 a year as of the May 2024 data, with the lowest 10 percent under $70,000 and the highest 10 percent over $157,140. Job-posting and survey sources vary by method but generally place manufacturing engineers from the mid-eighties into the low-to-mid hundreds of thousands, with entry-level roles sometimes in the high sixties to high seventies and senior roles well into six figures. Pay rises sharply with experience and varies by industry and region. Because the role clears the federal salary threshold easily, the exempt classification holds across levels. Benchmark your range to the level and the local market you are hiring in. This is general information, not legal advice.
Do small manufacturers hire manufacturing engineers?
Sometimes, but less often than larger plants, and usually later in their growth. Most US manufacturers are small, with roughly three-quarters under twenty employees, and at that size the owner or an operations lead often covers the engineering function rather than hiring a dedicated engineer. A dedicated manufacturing engineer is more typically a hire that middle-market and larger plants make. The roles a small manufacturer hires repeatedly are on the floor: machine operators, CNC machinists, assemblers, welders, and production associates, where industry surveys show the sharpest and most persistent shortages. When a small shop does hire its first engineer, the role is broad and hands-on rather than a narrow specialty, which is what the small-shop template on this page is written for. For most small shops, hiring the floor well comes first.
What is the difference between a manufacturing engineer and a process engineer?
The roles overlap heavily and titles vary by company, but there is a general distinction. A manufacturing engineer owns the broad question of how a product is made: methods, tooling, equipment, layout, and overall manufacturability. A process engineer focuses more narrowly on the performance of specific production processes: optimizing parameters, reducing variation and waste, and improving yield and throughput, often with statistical process control. In some companies the titles are used interchangeably, while in others, especially in chemical, food, or pharmaceutical manufacturing, process engineer is a distinct and prominent role. Both are degreed, exempt professional roles. Production engineer is another common variant, often closest to manufacturing engineer. Match the title to your industry's convention and the focus of the actual work.
What should a manufacturing engineer job description include?
A strong manufacturing engineer job description includes a short company overview, a job summary that captures the process design and improvement focus, and responsibilities grouped into process design, production support, tooling and quality, and continuous improvement. It should state the degree requirement clearly, since a bachelor's in engineering is both the standard qualification and the basis for the exempt classification, along with the experience and skills the level requires, such as lean, CAD, and data analysis. Name the seniority level, the reporting line, and the exempt, salaried classification with a pay range benchmarked to that level. For a small manufacturer, frame the breadth of the role honestly. Close with safety and quality expectations, an equal opportunity statement, and clear apply instructions. This is general information, not legal advice.
