What does a Product Engineer do?
A product engineer is responsible for the design and creation of products. Duties include performing constant market analysis of competing products to determine and establish customer needs and requirements. Efforts are then placed into exceeding customer expectations for the benefit of the company brand. The typical career progression for product engineers is in an executive role.
A bachelor's degree in engineering or a related field is required of this position with most companies preferring a master's degree. Due to the job expectations of a product engineer, extensive experience as a product engineer in the industry is much valued. Candidates who excel as a product engineer are those who are familiar with the entire product development cycle and possess current knowledge of technological advancements to implement during the engineering phase.
- Develop product ideas based on customer audience interests
- Identify customer problems and create functional prototypes offering a solution
- Coordinate prototype submissions with relevant personnel for approval
- Perform market analysis on competing products and brands
- Analyze market and industry trends and conditions
- Analyze feasibility, cost, and return on investment for product ideas
- Manage the budget requirements for projects
- Oversee the mass production of successful prototypes
- Master's degree in a related field preferred
- Extensive experience in the area is desired
- Portfolio of successful past projects required
- Excellent verbal and written communication skills
- Strong knowledge of the industry and market trends
- Creative and passionate about creating solutions to customer problems
- Able to work efficiently with minimal supervision
- Able to work in seated in front of a computer for long hours at a time
- Flexible to travel to suppliers as required of the job
Product Engineer Salaries
Average Base Pay
Product Engineer Career Path
Learn how to become a Product Engineer, what skills and education you need to succeed, and what level of pay to expect at each step on your career path.
Years of Experience Distribution
Product Engineer Insights
Air Squared“Everyone was enthusiastic to learn and grow and I am still very close with many of those individuals today.”
3D Systems“It was a really good experience and you get a lot of autonomy in your projects.”
Spire Collective“Any group activities or clubs deemed “optional” are mandatory if you prefer job security (i.e.”
RapiPay Fintech“Great company to start your career as a fresher as it provides many learning opportunities.”
Delmaine Fine Foods“There are no career growth or development opportunities despite all the claims in the job advertisements.”
Colosseum Athletics“I have gained a great understanding and knowledge about the industry and what it takes to maintain a successful company and clothing line.”
Clothier Design Source“I was made to feel that my voice and opinion mattered and I was given the opportunities and tools to make improvements in my department.”
Maven Clinic“I felt personally bullied by the CEO and the people she kept in her close circle”
Frequently asked questions about the role and responsibilities of a Product Engineer
When working as a Product Engineer, the most common skills you will need to perform your job and for career success are CAD, Systems Development, Written Communication, Interface and Scripting Languages.
- Engineer
- Project Engineer
- Production Engineer
- Process Engineer
The most common qualifications to become a Product Engineer is a minimum of a Bachelor's Degree and an average of 0 - 1 of experience not including years spent in education and/or training.