Jump to a section:
A design engineer is a multi-faceted and dynamic professional who focuses on the design aspect of the engineering process across many industries. The design engineer works with others on the engineering team to develop detailed and comprehensive designs that function, perform well, and meet the needs of the project at hand. They use software to create scalable and feasible designs, which other engineers will reference to build the item.
To become a design engineer, you will need a degree in engineering. Degrees with engineering specialties such as mechanical engineering or electrical engineering are popular for this role. Hiring managers will be looking for someone with experience creating complex designs. This experience can come in the form of academic projects, internships, or prior work experience. Previous job experience as a CAD drafter or assistant engineer can help you land this role. The ideal candidate for this position will be highly knowledgeable in design principles and software, as well as a great communicator.
Sometimes, it’s better to show than tell. If you’ve completed previous engineering designs in school, at an internship, previous job, or even just on your own time - it’s wise to include these designs, how you created them, and what you accomplished on your resume.
Design engineers of today lean on technology to create precise and accurate designs. A popular software to use for design is autoCAD. It’s important to highlight your knowledge of design software on your resume.
Design engineers are tasked with conceptualizing, developing, and managing projects — which doesn’t mean their role is a purely creative one. As well as design prowess, you’ll need solid technical know-how and market understanding, as the role involves mathematical modelling and designing products that are profitable and meet the needs of your clients. As a design engineer, you’ll be working on different types of projects, from electronics to textile manufacturing.
Starting each bullet point with a strong action verb keeps the focus exactly where it should be — on what you accomplished. Verbs like Designed, Developed, Analyzed, and Reviewed clearly state exactly what you did, making it easy for hiring managers to understand your skills and experience and evaluate whether you’re a good fit for the design engineering role.
If you’re applying for a mid-level or more senior responsibilities, recruiters are going to be looking for evidence of career progression. You can show that you’ve been promoted by listing your titles separately under a single company heading. If your title hasn’t changed but your responsibilities have, make sure you emphasize that through your bullet point accomplishments.
Here are examples of popular skills from Design Engineer job descriptions that you can include on your resume.
This word cloud highlights the important keywords that appear on Design Engineer job descriptions and resumes. The bigger the word, the more frequently it appears on job postings, and the more likely you should include it in your resume.
Use our free resume checker to get expert feedback on your resume. You will:
• Get a resume score compared to other Design Engineer resumes in your industry.
• Fix all your resume's mistakes.
• Find the Design Engineer skills your resume is missing.
It's instant, free and trusted by 1+ million job seekers globally. Get a better resume, guaranteed.
Upload your resume
