Engineering job titles
Engineering job titles
(OP)
Hope this is the right forum for this...
What is the difference between the following engineering job titles:
1. Lead Engineer
2. Head Engineer
3. Senior Engineer
Is there any difference at all?
We're trying to establish some job titles and having a bit of difficulty.
What is the difference between the following engineering job titles:
1. Lead Engineer
2. Head Engineer
3. Senior Engineer
Is there any difference at all?
We're trying to establish some job titles and having a bit of difficulty.
-Plasmech
Mechanical Engineer, Plastics Industry





RE: Engineering job titles
My opinion on the three that you listed:
Lead Engineer = The engineer responsible for a specific project or product.
Head Engineer = The engineer in charge of the engineering department.
Senior Engineer = An engineer with more than some years of experience.
RE: Engineering job titles
RE: Engineering job titles
RE: Engineering job titles
-Plasmech
Mechanical Engineer, Plastics Industry
RE: Engineering job titles
Within a company, the different titles can have a big impact on scope of control and delegation of authority--a couple of areas that can have a huge impact on job satisfaction.
David
RE: Engineering job titles
"Senior Engineer" just means everyopone knows you are over the hill and soon out the door.
"Lead Engineer"? I always thought that was the metalurgist.
Mike McCann
MMC Engineering
RE: Engineering job titles
At this, his buddy, asks the clerk, "how is it that we work on the same production line, right next to each other and he gets 5x more money?"
The clerk responds that it is because as a diesel fitter his job is a skilled trade and that pays more.
The guys then jumps out of his chair and says, "Are you kidding? I sew the elastic on, he holds em up and says, 'Yep, des' will fit her'!"
The moral is, in some cases title can make a huge difference in salary for the same job.
RE: Engineering job titles
There are some slightly more standardized titles, the engineer 1, 2, 3 etc titles as used on I think it's Salary.com.
These do correspond to some kind of job categorization which in turn are linked to pay scales. The name of the organization that come up with these categories escapes me right now. These are typically used by HR/management to justify not giving raises.
KENAT, probably the least qualified checker you'll ever meet...
RE: Engineering job titles
I'm mechanical by schooling, aero by career field, and composites by specialty. So I pretty much choose my own title, depending on the day.
RE: Engineering job titles
We never had one before then. He was neither the engineer with the most experience nor the most knowledgeable. There was no responsibilities for his new position. So it was merely a political title.
I have never put too much credence on a position title (but maybe that might change if I ever get a nice one !!)
RE: Engineering job titles
corus
RE: Engineering job titles
RE: Engineering job titles
"Art without engineering is dreaming; Engineering without art is calculating."
Have you read FAQ731-376: Eng-Tips.com Forum Policies to make the best use of Eng-Tips Forums?
RE: Engineering job titles
RE: Engineering job titles
Funny thing is, I sign my documents and forms with P.E. after my name. I was looking at other documents written by other project engineers here, and they started doing the same - thinking that P.E. stood for project engineer. These are fellow engineers who don't even know what P.E. means, or the benefits of licensure even in an industry exempt world.
Worst of all, the quick crash course in the meaning of P.E. and the legal liabilities you take by falsely representing yourself as one fell on deaf ears.
--Scott
http://wertel.eng.pro
RE: Engineering job titles
RE: Engineering job titles
Tobalcane
"If you avoid failure, you also avoid success."
RE: Engineering job titles
Technically, it is in this one, as the law says that any title or designation meant to imply that one is a professional engineer is illegal and punishable. However, the law's pretty vague as written, and it doesn't explicitly list "P.E.". So, a good lawyer could claim that "P.E." was not meant to mean "professional engineer" and maybe get someone cleared... or killed.
RE: Engineering job titles
I've noticed a general trend of self-promotion in the industry of AEC. There are just too many fancy titles.
RE: Engineering job titles
RE: Engineering job titles
KENAT, probably the least qualified checker you'll ever meet...
RE: Engineering job titles
TTFN
FAQ731-376: Eng-Tips.com Forum Policies
RE: Engineering job titles
"P.E."
"PE"
and I think a third derivation to designation Professional Engineer. Thus the reason I had a quick memo to educate my coworkers to stop using it. Apparently, I'm going to have to expand that to a corporate memo and include class training as well.
--Scott
http://wertel.eng.pro
RE: Engineering job titles
-Plasmech
Mechanical Engineer, Plastics Industry
RE: Engineering job titles
KENAT, probably the least qualified checker you'll ever meet...
RE: Engineering job titles
Perhaps a guest speaker from the AZ Board of Technical Registration would also help - along with sponsored legal counsel.
--Scott
http://wertel.eng.pro
RE: Engineering job titles
SCORE!
RE: Engineering job titles
RE: Engineering job titles
All companies should be full of license ignorance. I could make a career out of it.
--Scott
http://wertel.eng.pro
RE: Engineering job titles
Matt Lorono
CAD Engineer/ECN Analyst
Silicon Valley, CA
Lorono's SolidWorks Resources
Co-moderator of Solidworks Yahoo! Group
and Mechnical.Engineering Yahoo! Group
RE: Engineering job titles
If you play by the Radford rules then yeah, 'Senior Engineer' means something.
However, a lot, perhaps most' places don't play by those rules. In this case the title only has meaning at that company, if even then.
KENAT, probably the least qualified checker you'll ever meet...
RE: Engineering job titles
-Plasmech
Mechanical Engineer, Plastics Industry
RE: Engineering job titles
Like I said the job categories on salary.com seem to follow the Radford system.
Ask HR, although they may not want you to know!
KENAT, probably the least qualified checker you'll ever meet...
RE: Engineering job titles
TTFN
FAQ731-376: Eng-Tips.com Forum Policies
RE: Engineering job titles
70 people, "thereabouts".
-Plasmech
Mechanical Engineer, Plastics Industry
RE: Engineering job titles
At 70 people, there are enough bodies that HR will need to keep stuff straight, about salary ranges, and the job categories that go with that.
TTFN
FAQ731-376: Eng-Tips.com Forum Policies
RE: Engineering job titles
Assistent Engineer I - with BS but <2 yrs exp and/or no EIT
Assistent Engineer II - With 2+ yrs and EIT
Engineer - with PE
Senior Engineer - PE with 8+ years
Project Engineer - usually 12+ years, & most senior engineer doing calcs on project
Project manager - usually 12+ years & senior most engineer on project
Department Manager - Boss of all projects in his discipline
Office Manager - Boss of the profit center (may also be a VP)
Vice President, ...
RE: Engineering job titles
Be careful with titles where the licensing laws prohibit the use of some titles by non-licensed individuals.
RE: Engineering job titles
'Office Manager' is usually the person responsible for the day to day running of the office - ie, supervising the clerical staff, looking after the photocopiers, stationery, mail, etc. Nothing to do with engineering whatsoever.
RE: Engineering job titles