Project engineer starting salary
Engineering projects require management by someone who can understand the technical aspects. This specialised kind of project manager is called a project engineer and their level of expertise and responsibility can mean they have excellent salary prospects.
Job description
Project engineers serve as the project managers on engineering or technical projects and focus solely on the technical aspects from an engineering perspective. Some projects only have project engineers while others have both project managers and project engineers since project managers may have limited engineering knowledge. Project engineers are responsible for coordinating the various people involved and elements of the project as well as overseeing the budget, quality control, regulatory compliance and scheduling. They also liaise with everyone involved in the project, from the client or company to any suppliers and everyone in between.
Skills and qualifications
Project engineering is considered an engineering job, given the technical knowledge required. This means Bachelor’s degree in engineering or a similar field is required, and a related Master’s may also be preferred or required by some employers. Training and experience in project management is an important element of project engineering, since degrees in engineering won’t typically provide this. There are dedicated project management certifications you can take. For certain industries, obtaining special certifications and licences may also be necessary.
Project engineers need to have a strong knowledge of engineering practices and principles. They should be expert communicators with excellent leadership, time management and problem-solving skills. An attention to detail and the ability to think on your feet are also an advantage.
Starting salary and earning potential
Project engineers have a lot of responsibility and are often under a lot of pressure with managing deadlines, personnel and unexpected delays and circumstances, which can make project engineer jobs quite challenging. This, combined with their expertise in engineering, means project engineers can command a very good salary. The average project engineer salary is around £40,000. Entry-level positions start around £30-35,000 and experienced project engineers can earn upwards of £50,000.
Salary sources: uk.talent.com, glassdoor.co.uk