Engineer Job Profile
What Is an Engineer?
As an engineer, you work in various technical fields and are significantly involved in the research, development, design, and production of products and technical processes. The professional title “engineer” has been protected since the 1970s and requires a successfully completed engineering degree.
When choosing a field of study, engineers lay the foundation for a specific specialisation — industrial engineering, mechanical engineering, electrical engineering, or chemical engineering are common paths. Emerging specialisations such as robotics, renewable energy, and aerospace engineering are also gaining importance. The search for innovative, economical, and sustainable solutions based on current scientific and technical knowledge is at the heart of the engineering profession.
What Does an Engineer Do?
The engineering profession is extremely diverse — and the specific tasks vary significantly by specialisation. Common across all areas:
- Research, development, design, analysis, production, and construction of technologies, products, and services
- Ensuring assignments are completed on time and within scope
- Overseeing teams and assessing which tasks can be accomplished within a given timeframe
- Evaluating and optimising processes for speed and efficiency
- Team leadership — motivating the team and ensuring good working conditions
- Making economically significant decisions with strategic implications, such as investments
The world of engineering professions is diverse and offers numerous opportunities based on education, industry, and areas of expertise. As a trained mechanical engineer, for example, you could work in machine manufacturing, research and development, design, or sales.
The VDI (Association of German Engineers) categorises engineering professions into eight groups:
- Construction, surveying, building services, and architecture
- Energy and electrical engineering
- Mechanical and automotive engineering
- Metal processing
- Plastics manufacturing and chemical industry
- Raw material production and extraction
- Technical research and production control
- Computer science (typically classified under engineering sciences at universities)
How to Become an Engineer
An engineering degree is required — from a university, technical college, vocational college, private university, or professional academy. The path requires genuine interest in natural sciences and a fundamental understanding of technology. Engineering programmes are highly demanding and have one of the highest dropout rates in academia (~50%).
Common engineering degree programmes:
- Industrial engineering
- Mechanical engineering
- Electrical engineering
- Chemical engineering
- Civil engineering
- (Business) informatics
Specialised programmes:
- Aerospace engineering
- Robotics
- Automation engineering
- Biotechnology
- Medical engineering
A general higher education entrance qualification (Abitur) is required for university; the subject-specific qualification (Fachabitur) is sufficient for a technical college. Dual study programmes combining university and company work are also available.
What Competencies Does an Engineer Need?
Technical:
- Strong mathematical aptitude — not just understanding relationships, but calculating them
- Ability to develop mathematical algorithms for software (increasingly in demand)
- Understanding of technical devices and systems
- Broad interdisciplinary knowledge base
- Knowledge of lean production and performance evaluation
- Economic knowledge for investment decisions: machines vs. labour, market pricing, budget planning, KPIs
Soft skills:
- Logical and conceptual thinking — analysing and optimising processes
- Teamwork and communication — working effectively with cross-functional colleagues
- Creativity — improving processes and developing new products
- English fluency — essential in increasingly international engineering environments
- Willingness to develop additional competencies through targeted training
In Which Industries Do Engineers Work?
The workplaces for engineers are as diverse as their fields of activity. You can work in civil engineering or construction and specialise in installation or design. There are also opportunities to work in research or engage in purchasing and sales within companies. A career in the public sector is also possible. Currently, industries such as energy supply, medicine, biotechnology, IT, mechanical engineering, and the automotive industry are booming and offer promising perspectives.
How Do Consulting or Freelance Engineers Work?
A special type of engineer is the consulting engineer. This title is exclusively reserved for certified members of the engineering chamber or the professional association VBI. To carry this title, several years of professional experience are also required. Consulting engineers practise their profession independently and provide independent consulting services in development, planning, and control. They are also capable of creating technical concepts or overseeing the implementation of construction projects.
What Does an Engineer Earn?
As an engineer, you can expect to earn an above-average salary. Your starting salary primarily depends on your academic degree and the chosen industry. The chemical and pharmaceutical industry, telecommunications, and management consulting are among the most lucrative. Construction, textiles, and the public sector tend to pay less. Company size also plays a role — larger companies generally pay more. Regional differences also exist, with average salaries in eastern Germany being lower than in the west.
According to a salary study by Ingenieur.de, engineers with a vocational degree earn an average gross salary of €46,800 per year at the start of their careers. With a university degree, the average starting salary is €48,996. Experienced engineers earn an average of around €65,000 per year, according to Gehalt.de.
What factors influence salary?
- Work experience: Engineers with less than 3 years of experience earn €52,919 gross per year. With 3–6 years it rises to €55,218, with 7–9 years to €58,266, and with over 9 years it can reach €67,921.
- Specialisation: Certain engineers with sought-after specialisations achieve higher salaries than others.
- Federal state: Salary levels vary by region — some states pay consistently higher engineering salaries.
- Company size: Larger companies typically offer higher salaries.
What Are the Prospects for Engineers?
It can be assumed that demand for engineers will grow strongly in the medium and long term. Digital transformation, the transition to a low-carbon economy, and demographic change all require numerous technical experts to actively drive change.
According to the VDI, approximately 700,000 engineers will retire between 2015 and 2029. Without immigration, it would be extremely difficult to fill the resulting skills gap. The number of foreign-nationality engineers in social-security employment rose by an impressive 92.2% from end of 2012 to end of September 2020.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is an Engineer?
What skills does an Engineer need?
What does an Engineer earn?
