engine designer
Engine designers carry out engineering duties in designing mechanical equipment such as machines and all types of engines. They also supervise their installation and maintenance.
engine designer engine designers carry out engineering duties in designing mechanical equipment such as machines and all types of engines. They also supervise their installation and maintenance. The role shows moderate AI exposure (0.50 on a 0-1 scale) — some tasks are being automated but the role adapts. The most in-demand skills for the role include motor vehicle parts drawings, vehicle electrical systems, ecological principles, quality standards, CAD software.
Pay in the UK
UK: median £51,110 a year for Mechanical engineers (ONS ASHE 2025, full-time)
Middle half of full-time jobs: £39,125 to £62,237 a year
UK jobs are grouped differently; this is the closest UK occupation group (ONS SOC 2020 2122). ONS rates this estimate precise. 2025 provisional figures; ONS revises them a year later. Source: ONS Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings (Open Government Licence)
Pay in India (occupation group)
Average monthly earnings of salaried employees in the occupation group “Professionals” in India, from the Government of India's Periodic Labour Force Survey (January–December 2025). It covers everyone in this group, not only engine designer, and it is not US pay converted to rupees.
Source: MoSPI (Government of India), Periodic Labour Force Survey Annual Report 2025, Table 51 — average wage/salary earnings of regular wage/salaried employees, NCO-2015 division 2. Official India data gives one average per occupation group: there are no official India figures for single careers, experience levels or cities. Read the report
Top skills
Knowledge you'll build
- Design
- Engineering and Technology
- Production and Processing
- Mechanical
- English Language
- Mathematics
- Public Safety and Security
- Computers and Electronics
What you'd actually do
- Read and interpret blueprints, technical drawings, schematics, or computer-generated reports.
- Research, design, evaluate, install, operate, or maintain mechanical products, equipment, systems or processes to meet requirements.
- Specify system components or direct modification of products to ensure conformance with engineering design, performance specifications, or environmental regulations.
- Confer with engineers or other personnel to implement operating procedures, resolve system malfunctions, or provide technical information.
- Investigate equipment failures or difficulties to diagnose faulty operation and recommend remedial actions.
- Recommend design modifications to eliminate machine or system malfunctions.
Tools & technology you'd use
Frequently asked questions
What does engine designer do?
Engine designers carry out engineering duties in designing mechanical equipment such as machines and all types of engines. They also supervise their installation and maintenance.
What skills does engine designer need?
The most in-demand skills for this role include motor vehicle parts drawings, vehicle electrical systems, ecological principles, quality standards, CAD software, calculate materials to build equipment. These are the skills O*NET identifies as most important for competent performance.
Will AI replace engine designer?
Our AI-durability model gives engine designer a score of 0.50 on a 0-1 scale (higher = more exposure). That places it at moderate AI exposure — some tasks are being automated but the role adapts. Learning to work with AI tools rather than against them is the path forward.