Materials engineer to production engineer
A materials engineer already meets 32% of what the production engineer role asks for. The move turns on 9 required skills not yet in the profile.
66.4/ 100
1 How much of what a production engineer is expected to do is already part of a materials engineer’s work. Directional: the figure for the reverse move differs, because moving into a speciality is not the same problem as moving out of one. 2 Every skill the production engineer role is recorded as needing, required and optional together. What these numbers mean.
Why this move works
A production engineer role treats 7 of its required skills as things a materials engineer already does. You would walk in with these on day one.
- adjust engineering designs
- approve engineering design
- engineering principles
- engineering processes
- manufacturing processes
- perform scientific research
What stands in the way is 9 required skills the profile does not yet cover. Table 3 groups them; Table 4 says which to take first.
Table 2 · What you already bring
Of the 9 skills that carry over, these are the ones fewest other occupations ask for. A production engineer role needs them, and most people applying for one will not have them already. This is the part of a materials engineer background worth leading with.
- already held integrate new products in manufacturing communication, collaboration and creativity
- already held analyse production processes for improvement information skills
- already held approve engineering design communication, collaboration and creativity
- already held manufacturing processes engineering, manufacturing and construction
- already held adjust engineering designs communication, collaboration and creativity
- already held engineering processes engineering, manufacturing and construction
All 9 carried skills, including the 7 the production engineer role treats as required.
Table 3 · What you may need to learn
The 29 missing skills fall into 6 areas of the ESCO skill hierarchy, numbered in the order worth working in. Areas carrying the most required skills come first, and inside each one the required skills sit above the optional ones. Nothing here is a verdict on you: it is a list of what this particular job asks for that your current one does not.
- still to learn production engineering required
- still to learn industrial engineering required
- still to learn production processes required
- still to learn technical drawings required
- still to learn lead process optimisation required
- still to learn optimise production required
- still to learn control production required
- optional, not held implement quality management systems optional
- optional, not held adjust production schedule optional
- optional, not held control financial resources optional
- optional, not held ensure equipment availability optional
- optional, not held ensure equipment maintenance optional
- optional, not held identify training needs optional
- optional, not held manage budgets optional
- optional, not held manage human resources optional
- optional, not held manage staff optional
- optional, not held schedule production optional
- optional, not held set production facilities standards optional
- still to learn assess financial viability required
- optional, not held execute feasibility study on hydrogen optional
- optional, not held control of expenses optional
- optional, not held estimate duration of work optional
- optional, not held inspect quality of products optional
- still to learn use technical drawing software required
- optional, not held develop product design optional
- optional, not held maintain relationship with suppliers optional
- optional, not held advise on machinery malfunctions optional
- optional, not held continuous improvement philosophies optional
- optional, not held lean manufacturing optional
Table 4 · Where to start
The 3 entries a production engineer role is least likely to hire without. The ordering is computed from the skill data, not from what pays.
- 01 lead process optimisation practise this
- 02 optimise production practise this
- 03 production engineering study this
Each entry opens a course search for that skill. Career Overlap earns nothing from these links.
Appendix · The rest of the record
All 9 skills that carry over
- already held adjust engineering designs skill
- already held approve engineering design skill
- already held engineering principles knowledge
- already held engineering processes knowledge
- already held manufacturing processes knowledge
- already held perform scientific research skill
- already held quality standards knowledge
- already held analyse production processes for improvement skill
- already held integrate new products in manufacturing skill
20 supplementary skills, helpful but not required
- optional, not held develop product design optional
- optional, not held execute feasibility study on hydrogen optional
- optional, not held implement quality management systems optional
- optional, not held maintain relationship with suppliers optional
- optional, not held adjust production schedule optional
- optional, not held advise on machinery malfunctions optional
- optional, not held continuous improvement philosophies optional
- optional, not held control financial resources optional
- optional, not held control of expenses optional
- optional, not held ensure equipment availability optional
- optional, not held ensure equipment maintenance optional
- optional, not held estimate duration of work optional
- optional, not held identify training needs optional
- optional, not held inspect quality of products optional
- optional, not held lean manufacturing optional
- optional, not held manage budgets optional
- optional, not held manage human resources optional
- optional, not held manage staff optional
- optional, not held schedule production optional
- optional, not held set production facilities standards optional
38 held skills the production engineer role does not ask for
- not needed by the target role advanced materials knowledge
- not needed by the target role advise on pollution prevention skill
- not needed by the target role advise on waste management procedures skill
- not needed by the target role analytical chemistry knowledge
- not needed by the target role apply health and safety standards skill
- not needed by the target role assess environmental impact skill
- not needed by the target role assess the feasibility of implementing developments skill
- not needed by the target role basic chemicals knowledge
- not needed by the target role chemistry knowledge
- not needed by the target role composite materials knowledge
- not needed by the target role create solutions to problems skill
- not needed by the target role define quality standards skill
- not needed by the target role design prototypes skill
- not needed by the target role develop advanced materials skill
- not needed by the target role develop chemical products skill
- not needed by the target role develop material testing procedures skill
- not needed by the target role electricity knowledge
- not needed by the target role envelope systems for buildings knowledge
- not needed by the target role forecast organisational risks skill
- not needed by the target role green chemistry knowledge
- not needed by the target role integrated design knowledge
- not needed by the target role laboratory techniques knowledge
- not needed by the target role material mechanics knowledge
- not needed by the target role materials engineering knowledge
- not needed by the target role mechanics knowledge
- not needed by the target role perform chemical experiments skill
- not needed by the target role perform laboratory tests skill
- not needed by the target role pollution legislation knowledge
- not needed by the target role properties of textile materials knowledge
- not needed by the target role rubber technology knowledge
- not needed by the target role semiconductors knowledge
- not needed by the target role sustainable building materials knowledge
- not needed by the target role test chemical samples skill
- not needed by the target role test materials skill
- not needed by the target role thermoplastic materials knowledge
- not needed by the target role types of metal knowledge
- not needed by the target role types of plastic knowledge
- not needed by the target role work with chemicals skill
6 gaps that are knowledge rather than practice
Knowledge gaps usually close through study. Practical skill gaps usually need something you can point at.
- still to learn production engineering required
- still to learn industrial engineering required
- still to learn production processes required
- still to learn technical drawings required
- optional, not held continuous improvement philosophies optional
- optional, not held lean manufacturing optional
Common questions about this move
Can a materials engineer become a production engineer?
Yes, and it is a substantial move. A materials engineer already covers 32% of what a production engineer is expected to do: 9 skills carry over, 7 of which the production engineer role treats as required.
What skills does a materials engineer need to become a production engineer?
9 required skills are missing, plus 20 optional ones. They fall into 6 areas of the ESCO skill hierarchy, led by engineering, manufacturing and construction. The single most important is lead process optimisation.
How hard is the move from materials engineer to production engineer?
Its learning distance is 66.4 out of 100, which is the substantial band. That accounts for both how much is missing and how specialised those skills are.
How this record was compiled
Both occupations are taken from ESCO, which lists the skills and knowledge each occupation is expected to have and marks every one required or optional. Nothing here is a prediction about hiring, and nothing here knows that a particular employer wants a particular certificate. Treat Table 3 as a starting point for your own research rather than a syllabus. The full method states what these figures can and cannot tell you.