Certification or Licensing
Manufacturing engineers who wish to work directly with the public must be licensed in all 50 states and Washington, D.C. Those who are licensed are called professional engineers (PE). Licensing requirements include a bachelor's degree from a school accredited by ABET, the accrediting board for engineering and technology, four years of relevant work experience, and passing the state examination. States often recognize licenses from other states. Licensing is a two-stage process. New engineers may take the Fundamentals in Engineering examination after graduating from college, after which they are considered engineers in training (EIT) or engineer interns (EI). Once they achieve the work experience requirement, an EIT or EI then takes the Principles and Practice of Engineering exam. In most states engineers must meet continuing education requirements to maintain their license. The exams are offered by the National Council of Examiners for Engineering and Surveying (https://ncees.org).
The SME offers certification programs in various areas of manufacturing engineering. Some employer may prefer to hire engineers who are certified. Find information at https://www.sme.org/certification.
Other Requirements
Manufacturing engineers who work in certain specializations, such as aerospace manufacturing or nuclear manufacturing engineering, may require security clearance from the federal government to work for defense contractors.
- 3-D Printing Specialists
- Advanced Manufacturing Engineers
- Advanced Manufacturing Technicians
- Aeronautical and Aerospace Technicians
- Aerospace Engineers
- Aerospace Medicine Physicians
- Air Quality Engineers
- Aircraft Mechanics
- Apparel Industry Workers
- Appliance Service Technicians
- Astronauts
- Astronomers
- Astrophysicists
- Audio Recording Engineers
- Automation Engineers
- Automobile Collision Repairers
- Automobile Sales Workers
- Automobile Service Technicians
- Automotive Dealership Owners
- Automotive Dealership Sales Managers
- Automotive Designers
- Automotive Engineering Technicians
- Automotive Engineers
- Automotive Industry Workers
- Automotive Technology Teachers
- Autonomous Vehicle Safety and Test Drivers
- Avionics Engineers
- Avionics Technicians
- Bindery Workers
- Biochemical Engineers
- Biochemists
- Bioenergy/Biofuels Workers
- Biofuels Processing Technicians
- Biofuels Production Managers
- Biofuels/Biodiesel Technology and Product Development Managers
- Bioinformatics Specialists
- Biologists
- Biomass Plant Technicians
- Biomass Power Plant Managers
- Biomedical Engineers
- Biomedical Equipment Technicians
- Biotechnology Patent Lawyers
- Biotechnology Production Workers
- Biotechnology Research Assistants
- Boilermakers and Mechanics
- Broadcast Engineers
- Building Automation Systems Engineers
- Building Performance Diagnosticians
- Ceramics Engineers
- Chemical Engineers
- Chemical Technicians
- Chemists
- Chief Robotics Officer
- Civil Engineering Technicians
- Civil Engineers
- Clinical Pharmacist Practitioners
- Clinical Research Coordinators
- Computer-Aided Design Drafters and Technicians
- Continuous Improvement Managers
- Coremakers
- Corporate Climate Strategists
- Cost Estimators
- CRISPR Scientists
- Diesel Mechanics
- Digital Workplace Experience Engineers
- Drafters
- Driverless Car Engineers
- Drone Engineers
- Drone Manufacturing Workers
- Drone Pilots
- Drone Repair Technicians
- Drug Developers
- Electrical Engineering Technologists
- Electrical Engineers
- Electromechanical Engineering Technologists
- Electronics Engineering Technicians
- Electronics Engineers
- Electronics Service Technicians
- Electroplating Workers
- Embedded Systems Engineers
- Energy Efficiency Engineers
- Engineering Technicians
- Engineers
- Environmental Engineers
- Ethical Sourcing Officer
- Fiber Optics Technicians
- Fleet Maintenance Technicians
- Flight Instructors
- Fluid Power Technicians
- Forensic Engineers
- Forge Shop Workers
- Fuel Cell Engineers
- Furniture Designers
- Furniture Manufacturing Workers
- Futurists
- Genetic Engineers
- Genetic Scientists
- Geotechnical Engineers
- Glass Manufacturing Workers
- Green Products Manufacturers
- Hardware Engineers
- Health Data Analysts
- Heat Treaters
- Hydropower and Marine Energy Industry Workers
- Hypersonics Engineers
- Hypersonics Technicians
- Industrial Chemicals Workers
- Industrial Designers
- Industrial Ecologists
- Industrial Engineering Technicians
- Industrial Engineers
- Industrial Machinery Mechanics
- Industrial Radiographers
- Industrial Safety and Health Technicians
- Industrial Traffic Managers
- Information Technology Infrastructure Engineers
- Instrumentation Technicians
- Internet of Things Developers
- Job and Die Setters
- Laboratory Technicians and Technologists
- Laboratory Testing Technicians
- Laser Technicians
- Layout Workers
- Leather Tanning and Finishing Workers
- Logging Industry Workers
- Logistics Analysts
- Logistics Engineers
- Manufacturing Engineering Technologists
- Manufacturing Production Technicians
- Manufacturing Supervisors
- Marine Engineers
- Materials Engineers
- Mechanical Engineering Technicians
- Mechanical Engineers
- Mechatronics Engineers
- Metallurgical Engineers
- Metallurgical Technicians
- Microelectronics Technicians
- Millwrights
- Mining Engineers
- Molders
- Molecular and Cellular Biologists
- Nanosystems Engineers
- Non-Destructive Testing Specialists
- Nuclear Engineers
- Numerical Control Tool Programmers
- Occupational Safety and Health Workers
- Optical Engineers
- Optics Technicians
- Packaging Engineers
- Packaging Machinery Technicians
- Paper Processing Workers
- Petroleum Engineers
- Petroleum Technicians
- Pharmaceutical Industry Workers
- Pharmacists
- Pharmacologists
- Pharmacy Technicians
- Physicists
- Pilots
- Plastics Engineers
- Plastics Products Manufacturing Workers
- Plastics Technicians
- Precision Machinists
- Precision Metalworkers
- Prepress Workers
- Product Designers
- Product Development Directors
- Product Management Directors
- Product Managers
- Quality Control Engineers
- Quality Control Technicians
- Radio Frequency Engineers
- Radio Frequency Identification Device Specialists
- Remote Health Care Engineers
- Renewable Energy Engineers
- Robotics Engineers
- Robotics Integrators
- Robotics Technicians
- Rubber Goods Production Workers
- Sales Representatives
- Semiconductor Technicians
- Senior Care Pharmacists
- Sheet Metal Workers
- Silverware Artisans and Workers
- Software Designers
- Software Engineers
- Solar Engineers
- Space Lawyers
- Space Pilots
- Space Tourism Managers
- Spacecraft Test Technicians
- Sporting Goods Production Workers
- Stationary Engineers
- Steel Industry Workers
- Supply Chain Managers
- Test Drivers
- Textile Manufacturing Workers
- Tobacco Products Industry Workers
- Toxicologists
- Toy Industry Workers
- Traffic Engineers
- Traffic Managers
- Transportation Engineers
- Welders and Welding Technicians
- Wind Energy Engineers
- Wood Science and Technology Workers