Automotive Engineers

Employers

Approximately 13,300 engineers are employed in the motor vehicle manufacturing sector in the United States, while others work for companies that provide services to this sector. Automotive engineers can find employment with one of the Big Three U.S. automobile makers (General Motors, Ford Motor Company, and Fiat Chrysler Automobiles), major foreign automakers that have factories or divisions in the United States (Honda, Nissan, Toyota, Hyundai, BMW, Volkswagen, and Mercedes-Benz), the battery electrical vehicle (BEV) automobile makers Tesla Motors and Rivian, as well as any of the thousands of private manufacturing companies for components parts of an automobiles.

Other possibilities for engineers can be found in academia as instructors or researchers or as writers for engineering-oriented publications. Some mechanical engineers work as test drivers for automotive companies and publishers.

Starting Out

College and graduate school programs can help newly degreed automotive engineers locate jobs. These schools are often in touch with prospective employers who are in need of engineers. Conferences, trade shows, and engineering career fairs can also be good places for new engineers to begin meeting employers and setting up interviews.