While the specific responsibilities of project engineers differ across various industry sectors, some common tasks include: planning and coordinating projects: you coordinate projects in the mining, construction or manufacturing industries by bringing together all aspects of production. You assemble teams to work on the project, create a budget and prepare a timeline. Planning and coordinating require meetings with relevant stakeholders to determine the project phase and how to ensure its success. interpreting project specifications: you review project proposals and plans and use them to determine the construction methods and materials. Some project engineers draft project specifications and draw up plans or designs, while others are experts in reviewing the specifications. You direct site labour and establish detailed procedures for coordinating manufacturing or construction activities from the specifications. The plans also assist in coordinating the delivery of materials and equipment. maintaining quality control: as a project engineer, your job involves implementing processes to maintain quality control throughout the project. For instance, you ensure the teams are well suited for their roles and regularly monitor personnel performance and efficiency. You also set the standards for maintaining quality control. ensuring compliance with regulations: project engineers are responsible for the activities on a worksite. Hence, you establish rules and regulations to promote the safety and security of workers. You also monitor adherence to the safety standards to keep the team members safe and ensure high-quality production processes and project outcomes. reviewing engineering deliverables: you oversee the entire project to ensure the technical specifications are met. That involves monitoring design changes and making necessary adjustments to accommodate new client requirements. When the design changes, you assess the impact on the project's timeline and costs. Since you regularly review engineering deliverables, you initiate corrective actions when a project doesn't meet the required standards. reporting: you submit regular reports to the management on the status of projects. In the report, you recommend potential alterations to the current plan to meet the delivery timeline or improve quality.

A project engineer works in various industries, from government agencies to construction and mining industries. Hence, the work environment differs depending on your business sector. For instance, in manufacturing industries, project engineers coordinate work processes in production facilities, which involves working on production floors. The work environment is usually indoors in climate-controlled buildings and may require using safety equipment like protective clothing. In construction and mining, you coordinate work processes outdoors. These work environments expose you to dust and can be noisy. The role may involve working in an office setup during the planning stage and travelling to the worksites to supervise the project teams.

who are your colleagues?

Depending on your employer and the industry you work in, your colleagues might include project managers , construction managers and architects. You might also be working close to civil engineers , data engineers , cost estimators , and other specialists that could include, but not be limited to, quantity surveyors, mechanical fitters and chemical engineers.

You work over 40 hours a week as a project engineer when you have a full-time schedule. However, some projects provide flexible timelines allowing you to work less than 40 hours weekly. While most project engineers work regular business hours, sometimes the role requires working overtime, including weekends and evenings. Project engineers usually rush to beat time constraints when a deadline is looming. Sometimes, you also meet with clients outside regular business hours to update them on a project's status. Most project engineers work full-time since part-time opportunities are rare. However, some work on short-term contracts.

Project engineering is a promising career in Aotearoa as roles offer opportunities for excellent career progression depending on the industry sector. For instance, project engineers can become project managers before progressing to construction management and other specialised construction roles. Some project engineers improve their education and become civil or manufacturing engineers. In manufacturing, you can become a factory manager or production manager.

advantages of finding a project engineer job through randstad

Finding your project engineer job through Randstad provides essential benefits such as: a wide variety of training and development opportunities an experienced contact person to provide help if needed a range of opportunities in your area get paid weekly or monthly, depending on the job temporary and permanent contracts Want a permanent contract? A temporary job as a project engineer is often a stepping stone to an attractive permanent job. Thousands of people earn a permanent contract with great employers every year thanks to a temporary job found through Randstad. What's more, many companies recruit their permanent employees through Randstad too.

what does a project engineer do?

As a project engineer, you organise, oversee and plan construction or manufacturing projects. You are in charge of all aspects of a project and assist the project manager in meeting the engineering and technical specifications.

are project engineers real engineers?

You bring technical knowledge and engineering science to construction or manufacturing projects as a project engineer. Your job is to ensure the team understands the technical specifications and meets the quality standards.

how do you become a project engineer?

A project engineer requires an engineering degree and postgraduate education in project management. Most employers also prefer candidates with work experience.

what skills does a project engineer needs?

A successful project engineer has a range of skills, including organisational skills, confident decision-making abilities and project management skills. Communication skills are also crucial for explaining design ideas.

how do I apply for a project engineer vacancy?

Applying for a project engineer job is easy: create a Randstad profile and search our project engineer job offers . Then simply send us your CV and cover letter. Need help with your application? Check out all our job search tips here.

project engineer

what is a project engineer?

As a project engineer, you oversee the design and implementation of projects. Most of the projects you handle are engineering and technical. Hence, you require specialised knowledge of the industry you are working in. Your expertise helps you design and schedule the project plan and ensure it meets the quality standards. As a project engineer, you act as the coordinating figure who interprets the needs and expectations of stakeholders to develop actual projects. You also manage personnel and complete administrative tasks like budgeting and scheduling.

where do project engineers work?

Project engineers work on diverse projects in various industries. For instance, some project engineers work in government agencies guiding the completion of projects. You update government buildings, install new traffic systems and complete bridges and railways. Some project engineers work in architecture or construction firms providing design and concept stage input. You also ensure the construction projects follow a timeline.

In manufacturing industries, project engineers refine the production process and manage teams to ensure the company produces high-quality items. You ensure the production process follows the safety regulations and complies with quality control. In mining, you provide technical support like conducting risk assessments for mining operations and calculating budgets.

project engineer jobs

1

types of project engineers

Some of the types of project engineers include:

construction project engineer: you assist the project manager in overseeing project teams during construction. For instance, you study the specifications and building drawings and create work schedules and a project timeline. With your technical knowledge of building plans, you can ensure that safety protocols and requirements are adhered to during construction.
manufacturing project engineer: as a manufacturing project engineer, you focus on producing products or items for manufacturing companies. Your job is to refine the manufacturing process and improve efficiency. For instance, you determine the supplies and materials required for the job and find ways to improve efficiency. You also ensure the production processes adhere to the regulations.
mining project engineer: as a mining project engineer, you coordinate the project in consultation with relevant stakeholders and ensure the timelines, budget and quality standards are met. You also conduct risk assessments and maintain compliance with site safety procedures. The role involves monitoring performance targets against operational costs to ensure the project is within budget.

2

average project engineer salary

The median remuneration package of project engineers is $90,000 annually. The salaries depend on experience and the industry you work in. For instance, when you are relatively new to the role or fresh out of university, you earn less than $70,000 annually. Improving your skills increases your salary and benefits, which is why senior project engineers take home over $120,000 annually. Some employers provide additional benefits as part of the remuneration package, including car allowance, medical insurance and house allowances.

what factors affect the salary of a project engineer?

As a project engineer, your remuneration package depends on your experience and qualifications. Extensive expertise and better educational qualifications allow you to take senior project engineer roles with higher remuneration. Your area of specialisation also influences your earnings. For instance, working in the mining, resources and energy sectors attracts the highest remuneration packages due to the complexity of the roles. However, working for government agencies attracts lower salaries.

Sometimes, the location also influences your remuneration package. Companies in metro areas and large cities tend to pay higher remuneration packages to reflect the cost of living. The demand for project engineers in an area also affects the salaries.

Womale operating a touch-screen display.

3

working as a project engineer

Working as a project engineer requires excellent organisational skills since you juggle multiple tasks. Here is a closer look at project engineers' specific responsibilities, work schedules and job outlooks:

job description
While the specific responsibilities of project engineers differ across various industry sectors, some common tasks include:
- planning and coordinating projects: you coordinate projects in the mining, construction or manufacturing industries by bringing together all aspects of production. You assemble teams to work on the project, create a budget and prepare a timeline. Planning and coordinating require meetings with relevant stakeholders to determine the project phase and how to ensure its success.
- interpreting project specifications: you review project proposals and plans and use them to determine the construction methods and materials. Some project engineers draft project specifications and draw up plans or designs, while others are experts in reviewing the specifications. You direct site labour and establish detailed procedures for coordinating manufacturing or construction activities from the specifications. The plans also assist in coordinating the delivery of materials and equipment.
- maintaining quality control: as a project engineer, your job involves implementing processes to maintain quality control throughout the project. For instance, you ensure the teams are well suited for their roles and regularly monitor personnel performance and efficiency. You also set the standards for maintaining quality control.
- ensuring compliance with regulations: project engineers are responsible for the activities on a worksite. Hence, you establish rules and regulations to promote the safety and security of workers. You also monitor adherence to the safety standards to keep the team members safe and ensure high-quality production processes and project outcomes.
- reviewing engineering deliverables: you oversee the entire project to ensure the technical specifications are met. That involves monitoring design changes and making necessary adjustments to accommodate new client requirements. When the design changes, you assess the impact on the project's timeline and costs. Since you regularly review engineering deliverables, you initiate corrective actions when a project doesn't meet the required standards.
- reporting: you submit regular reports to the management on the status of projects. In the report, you recommend potential alterations to the current plan to meet the delivery timeline or improve quality.
work environment

A project engineer works in various industries, from government agencies to construction and mining industries. Hence, the work environment differs depending on your business sector. For instance, in manufacturing industries, project engineers coordinate work processes in production facilities, which involves working on production floors. The work environment is usually indoors in climate-controlled buildings and may require using safety equipment like protective clothing. In construction and mining, you coordinate work processes outdoors. These work environments expose you to dust and can be noisy. The role may involve working in an office setup during the planning stage and travelling to the worksites to supervise the project teams.
who are your colleagues?

Depending on your employer and the industry you work in, your colleagues might include project managers, construction managers and architects. You might also be working close to civil engineers, data engineers, cost estimators, and other specialists that could include, but not be limited to, quantity surveyors, mechanical fitters and chemical engineers.
work schedule

You work over 40 hours a week as a project engineer when you have a full-time schedule. However, some projects provide flexible timelines allowing you to work less than 40 hours weekly. While most project engineers work regular business hours, sometimes the role requires working overtime, including weekends and evenings. Project engineers usually rush to beat time constraints when a deadline is looming. Sometimes, you also meet with clients outside regular business hours to update them on a project's status. Most project engineers work full-time since part-time opportunities are rare. However, some work on short-term contracts.
job outlook

Project engineering is a promising career in Aotearoa as roles offer opportunities for excellent career progression depending on the industry sector. For instance, project engineers can become project managers before progressing to construction management and other specialised construction roles. Some project engineers improve their education and become civil or manufacturing engineers. In manufacturing, you can become a factory manager or production manager.
advantages of finding a project engineer job through randstad
Finding your project engineer job through Randstad provides essential benefits such as:
- a wide variety of training and development opportunities
- an experienced contact person to provide help if needed
- a range of opportunities in your area
- get paid weekly or monthly, depending on the job
- temporary and permanent contracts
Want a permanent contract? A temporary job as a project engineer is often a stepping stone to an attractive permanent job. Thousands of people earn a permanent contract with great employers every year thanks to a temporary job found through Randstad. What's more, many companies recruit their permanent employees through Randstad too.

4

education and skills

You require an engineering degree to work as a project engineer. Some relevant qualifications for the role include:

bachelor's degree: to become a project engineer, you should complete a bachelor's degree in engineering in a relevant field. For instance, you can pursue a degree in civil or building engineering, such as a Bachelor of Engineering (Civil) (Honours).
postgraduate degree: after acquiring your engineering degree, consider improving your project management skills through a postgraduate degree. Most project engineers pursue a master of engineering management or a master of business administration.
work experience: you should gain experience through internships, work placements and entry-level jobs in the field. Most project engineers start their careers as project team members.