A project engineer manages the engineering (i.e., technical) aspects of a project. That demands a variety of technical and “soft” skills, including stakeholder management and a solid grasp of a project’s engineering principles. If that wasn’t enough, project engineers are often tasked with keeping an eye on a project’s scope and making sure the scope doesn’t creep.
An ideal project engineer resume will effectively display all those skills and allow a project engineer to demonstrate to any interested hiring manager that they have the aptitude for a complex job. But how do you create a project engineer resume? Let’s break down the necessary skills and aptitudes for the job, along with a project engineer resume template.
What does a project engineer do?
On a day-to-day basis, a project engineer handles the following:
- Planning the project alongside other stakeholders (such as engineers).
- Mapping out project scope and making sure the project remains in-scope.
- Overcoming technical challenges.
- Estimating project budgets.
- Managing the engineering aspects of the project at every stage.
On a skills level, that requires:
- Analytical skills
- Problem-solving abilities
- Communication skills
- Project management
- Technical and engineering skills
- Team management skills
When crafting the skills section of a project engineer resume, consult the original job posting and note the skills it lists; place any of those skills you’ve mastered on your resume. Many companies rely on automated resume-scanning software that uses those skills as keywords; not having them on your resume could result in the system accidentally rejecting your resume.
In the experience section of your resume, show how you’ve used those skills in your previous positions to help engineering teams overcome challenges and satisfactorily accomplish goals. Use data and statistics whenever possible—for example, “Delivered project on deadline and 25 percent under budget,” or “Project resulted in 50 percent revenue rise for the company.”
What education or training do I need to become a project engineer?
Many project engineers obtain a four-year or advanced degree in engineering. Some background in project management or business could also come in useful; some project engineers find it helpful to obtain a certification such as Project Management Professional (PMP).
In the education section of your project engineer resume, include all degrees and certifications relevant to the job. If you’ve obtained formal on-the-job training, list that, too, and expect that you’ll talk about it with the recruiter or hiring manager during the interview process.
What does a project engineer resume template look like?
Glad you asked!
JOSEPH SMITH |
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2 Dice Street | New York, NY 11111 | 000-000-0000 | joseph.smith@dice.com |
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Project Engineer with 8 years experience completing projects on time and within budget |
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SUMMARY OF QUALIFICATIONS |
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TECHNICAL SKILLS |
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Applications: | Microsoft Office Suite, MS Project, AutoCAD, Visio, MATLAB | ||||||
Languages: | Java, HTML, XML, C, C++, Visual C++ | ||||||
Operating Systems: | Windows, Macintosh, Linux | ||||||
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ABC COMPANY, NEW YORK, NY |
2016 - Present
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Project Engineer for major medical equipment manufacturer. | |||||||
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DEF INC., NEW YORK, NY |
2013 - 2016
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Project Engineer for leading energy company. | |||||||
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HJK COMPANY, NEW YORK, NY |
2011 - 2013
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Assistant Project Engineer for prestigious real estate development firm. | |||||||
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EDUCATION |
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Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering (BSEE); State University of New York, Albany, NY (2011)
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