Duties and responsibilities of the development engineer

Development engineers are responsible for designing, creating and testing new products for businesses. They work in every conceivable industry, developing products that vary drastically. One development engineer can devote his career to creating mechanical toys, while another can create medical devices. They are also known as product development engineers. Most development engineers have experience in an area such as mechanical engineering or bioengineering.

Development engineers can work as a team developing products or they can be hired to create devices or goods independently. While much of the work is done alone, they report to a team leader, project manager, or executive who has the final say on whether or not to develop a product. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, mechanical engineers are expected to see a 5% increase in jobs through 2024. This will add approximately 14,600 jobs to this industry during this period.

Duties and responsibilities of the development engineer

The responsibility of a development engineer can vary widely depending on the type of product they are hired for, but there are some core functions common to the occupation. A review of the current worklists identified the following key duties and responsibilities.

Behavioral investigation

Development engineers often have to conduct research before they start planning a new product. They need to know the target audience, what products are currently on the market, and what problems exist with current models. Their research will allow them to innovate a product or create a new product to satisfy an uncovered need in the target audience. Some development engineers will conduct the research themselves, while others will have a team of researchers to complete this task. Regardless of who conducts the research, development engineers must be able to analyze the data and make interpretations and decisions based on it.

Create prototypes

After researching and deciding which product to create, the development engineer works on building a prototype to show to management. This is a very important step in convincing others that your design is good and functional. It is also how the development engineer determines which aspects of the project will work and which must be modified or adapted.

Determine the production specifications

Development engineers also work on the specifics of the manufacturing process. They need to determine which materials are best for building the product, as well as what the manufacturing process will entail and what techniques will be used. Development engineers will generally consult with other engineers and specialists to create a successful production plan.

Read More: desktop support engineer means