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Manufacturing systems engineer

Manufacturing systems engineers design and install manufacturing machinery and production lines.

Annual Salary

£26,000 to £50,000

Average UK salary in 2022 was £33,200
(source Office for National Statistics)

Working hours

37 to 41 a week

You could work: weekends; on a rota

2.4%
Future employment

There will be 2.4% more Manufacturing systems engineer jobs in 2027.

Day to day tasks

As a manufacturing systems engineer, you could:

  • produce design and engineering plans for new installations and equipment
  • build models using computer aided design (CAD) and manufacturing (CAM) software
  • test systems and analyse data to improve production methods
  • manage projects, budgets and a team of engineers and technicians
  • give progress reports to senior managers

Working environment

You could work in a factory, in an office or in a laboratory.

You can get into this job through:

  • a university course
  • a college course
  • an apprenticeship
University

You could do a foundation degree, higher national diploma or degree in a subject like:

  • manufacturing systems engineering
  • electrical or electronic engineering
  • mechanical engineering
  • production or manufacturing engineering

If you've got another engineering qualification, you could take a postgraduate master's course in manufacturing systems engineering.

Entry requirements

You'll usually need:

  • 1 or 2 A levels, or equivalent, for a foundation degree or higher national diploma
  • 2 to 3 A levels, or equivalent, for a degree
  • a degree in a relevant subject for postgraduate study
For more information
College

You could start by completing a college course before going on to do a higher level engineering qualification or an apprenticeship.

Courses include:

  • mechanical engineering
  • electrical and electronic engineering
  • automation and control engineering
  • T Level in Design and Development for Engineering and Manufacturing

Entry requirements

Entry requirements for these courses vary.

  • 4 or 5 GCSEs at grades 9 to 4 (A* to C), or equivalent, including English and maths for a T Level
For more information
Apprenticeship

There are a lot of engineering apprenticeships available and the one you take will depend on your area of interest.

Examples include:

  • Food and Drink Engineer Level 5 Higher Apprenticeship
  • Manufacturing Engineer Level 6 Degree Apprenticeship
  • Space Systems Engineer Level 6 Degree Apprenticeship
  • Robotics Engineer Level 6 Degree Apprenticeship
  • Science Industry Process and Plant Engineer Level 6 Degree Apprenticeship

Entry requirements

You'll usually need:

  • 4 or 5 GCSEs at grades 9 to 4 (A* to C) and A levels, or equivalent, for a higher or degree apprenticeship
For more information

More information

Further information

You can find more advice about careers in manufacturing systems engineering from:the Institution of Mechanical Engineers; Tomorrow's Engineers; The Institution of Engineering and Technology

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You could work in any branch of manufacturing, like:vehicles; food and drink; pharmaceuticals; electronics; aerospace

With experience, you could become a lead or senior engineer on projects.

You could also work towards incorporated or chartered engineer status with the professional body associated with your branch of engineering.

This would give you industry recognition of your skills and knowledge and open up further opportunities for career development.

You'll find more advice about careers in systems engineering from the Institution of Mechanical Engineers and Tomorrow's Engineers.

Skills required and how your skills match up

What skills are required?

You'll need:

  • knowledge of engineering science and technology
  • maths knowledge
  • knowledge of manufacturing production and processes
  • complex problem-solving skills
  • design skills and knowledge
  • to be thorough and pay attention to detail
  • excellent verbal communication skills
  • the ability to use your judgement and make decisions
  • thinking and reasoning skills
  • to be able to use a computer and the main software packages confidently
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