The design engineer is often referred to as the creative one among the technicians. The reason for this is that they mainly deal with the design, development and construction of products, devices and systems. Machines which are then manufactured in series production in the industry. The field of application is very wide and there are many different sectors in which you can work as a design engineer.

What are the tasks of a design engineer?

Of course, it depends on the employer which tasks a design engineer carries out. It can be the design of series products that are manufactured in large quantities. But it can also be the production of special machines in small quantities or even unique customised products. 

There are companies in which designers are employed as team members with a limited range of tasks and only serve a narrowly defined area. In others The company you can manage an entire team and work together with other departments.

In smaller companies, the tasks are often more varied and can include not only purchasing and sales, production and quality control, but also management tasks.

You will design, develop and construct marketable products. You produce construction drawings and observe the factory and DIN standards. You are responsible for adhering to precisely specified dimensions in the design and adjusting these within the tolerances if necessary.

You also check workshop drawings and check the standard specifications here. Overall, you have a lot of contact with your clients and customers. 

How do you become a design engineer?

The profession of design engineer is not a protected profession in Germany. There are therefore many ways in which you can enter the profession of design engineer. This can be an apprenticeship, a degree, but also a lateral entry.

There is the standard of further training to become a "state-certified design engineer". This is a technical apprenticeship with several years of professional experience. This qualification is recognised in Germany and is equivalent to that of a technician. 

However, you can also complete the design engineering degree programme and go straight into the profession. The degree programme is dual, so you will receive theoretical training at the university and practical training in the company. 

Lateral entry is also possible. Here it is often engineers or technicians who can work as design engineers without an examination.

How much can you earn as a design engineer?

There are several factors that influence the salary of a design engineer. These are:

  • The size of the company
  • The company location
  • The Industry
  • The professional experience
  • Possible additional capabilities

Because it is not a protected profession, the salary of a design engineer can vary greatly. It is very difficult to say how much you can earn as a design engineer. It can be said that after training and further education, the salary is around 32,000 and 40,000 euros gross per year. 

If you have a degree, you can expect to earn around 37,000 to 51,000 euros gross per year.

After some professional experience and a higher level of responsibility, the salary of a design engineer can rise to up to 72,000 euros gross per year.

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