Design Engineer
Also advertised as: Design Engineer, designing engineer, industrial design expert, industrial design specialist, industrial expert, industrial specialist
Develops new products and mechanical designs from concept through to manufacture.
What the job involves
Design engineers take a product brief and work it through concept sketches, detailed CAD models and prototyping until it is ready to be manufactured. You balance function, cost and manufacturability, often iterating designs after testing reveals problems. The role sits at the creative end of engineering, combining technical skill with problem solving.
Typical responsibilities
- Develop concept and detailed designs using CAD
- Select materials and components for manufacturability
- Build and test prototypes
- Liaise with manufacturing on design for production
- Update designs based on test results and feedback
Common employers
- Manufacturing companies
- Consumer product firms
- Engineering consultancies
- Automotive and aerospace suppliers
- Medical device companies
Pay, hours and working environment
Typical pay
£24,000 – £30,000 a year
With experience
£38,000 – £52,000 a year
Typical hours
37-40 hours
Working environment
Office and workshop, with prototype testing
Remote working
hybrid
Demand for this work
steady
Pay ranges are indicative guidance drawn from advertised UK vacancies and published careers information. They are not an offer, and actual pay varies by employer, location and experience.
Skills and qualifications
Core skills
- 3D CAD modelling
- Design for manufacture principles
- Prototyping
- Materials selection
- Problem solving
Transferable skills you may already have
- Creative problem solving
- Technical drawing interpretation
- Iterative testing mindset
Requirements employers ask for
- 3D CAD modelling
- Design for manufacture principles
- Prototyping
- Materials selection
- Problem solving
- HNC/HND or degree in mechanical or product design engineering
- technical drawings
- execute feasibility study
- mathematics
- perform scientific research
- design principles
- execute analytical mathematical calculations
- engineering principles
- present detailed design proposals
- CAD software
- manage engineering project
- project management
- engineering processes
Useful but not essential
- Creative problem solving
- Technical drawing interpretation
- Iterative testing mindset
- Incorporated Engineer status
- Experience with rapid prototyping techniques
- analyse test data
- design power plant systems
- prepare production prototypes
- product data management
- thermohydraulics
- create a product's virtual model
- conduct performance tests
- design prototypes
Helpful qualifications
- Incorporated Engineer status
- Experience with rapid prototyping techniques
Ways into this career
A degree is only one route. Where an apprenticeship, work-experience or qualification route exists, it is listed here alongside the academic option.
Apprenticeships and work-based routes
- Product Design and Development Engineer (Degree, Level 6)
Degree and college routes
- Related subject: Design and technology
- Related subject: Mathematics
- Related subject: Product design
Where this career can lead
next
Senior Design Engineer
next
Principal Design Engineer
next
Engineering Manager
The good parts and the hard parts
What people enjoy
- Creative and technical work combined
- See ideas become physical products
- Wide range of industries to choose from
What people find hard
- Design iterations can be repeated many times
- Deadlines around product launches can be tight
Common questions
- Do you need a degree to become a design engineer?
- No. As well as degree routes, this career can be entered through an apprenticeship or by building experience and qualifications on the job. preferred
- How much does a design engineer earn in the UK?
- Typical advertised pay runs from £24,000 to £30,000 a year, rising towards £52,000 with experience. Figures are indicative guidance rather than an offer.
- What skills transfer into this career?
- Skills that transfer well include Creative problem solving, Technical drawing interpretation, Iterative testing mindset.
Related careers
Electrical Engineer
Designs and tests electrical systems, circuits and power distribution.
Aerospace Engineer
Designs, tests and certifies components and systems for aircraft or spacecraft.
CAD Technician
Produces detailed technical drawings and models from engineers' designs.
Mechanical Engineer
Designs, tests and improves mechanical components, machines and systems.
Structural Engineer
Calculates and designs the structural frame that keeps buildings and bridges standing.
Building Services Engineer
Designs the heating, ventilation, lighting and power systems inside buildings.
Where this information comes from
- National Careers Service
- Institute for Apprenticeships
Last reviewed 16 September 2026.
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