TOP PAYING CAREERS IN THE AUTOMOTIVE ENGINEERING INDUSTRY

Automotive engineers work by designing, manufacturing, and distributing cars, motorbikes, and other commercial automobiles. Their work focuses on the aesthetics, technical performance, electronics, and software involved in automotive. This engineering field is research-intensive, requiring professionals to be educated and committed to their automotive engineering specialities. If you are fond of cars, this might be the best profession. And if you’re wondering what type of jobs you can take as an automotive engineer, here’s a list of the top-paying careers in automotive engineering.

Quality Assurance (QA) Manager

With a degree in Automotive Engineering, you can work as Quality Assurance (QA) Manager in automotive. If interested in this job, you must familiarize yourself with the company’s quality standards. You will be responsible for managing employees in production and promoting a high-
quality work culture.

Some of your duties include overseeing the production line and ensuring that workers adhere to proper processes to maintain product quality. As a QA Manager, part of your role is helping to establish quality regulations per the company’s compliance standards. In addition, you will manage the production team and their schedules according to production deadlines. Sometimes, Automotive QA managers work directly with suppliers to acquire suitable components and materials for production. You will also be responsible for analyzing data to identify any quality issues.

Quality control is an essential aspect of automotive manufacturing. Therefore, Quality Assurance Managers have significant roles to play in the production of automobiles. To ensure the safety of drivers and passengers, the vehicles must be of good quality and produced as per the highest quality standards.

Automotive Designer

If you are fond of cars and dream of designing a vehicle someday, you should take Automotive Engineering and become an automotive designer. As the name suggests, an automotive designer is a designer of automobiles, including interiors, exteriors, and overall body. In this role, you must tap into your engineering, mechanical, and manufacturing skills to design vehicles. The main goal is to create practical designs that also meet industry standards. However, you must also ensure to create something distinctive from your competitors.

One of the biggest challenges in automotive design is combining the principles of aesthetics, aerodynamics, and ergonomics while also meeting the standards of safety regulations. To ensure that the vehicle is aerodynamic, the exterior design should feature shapes like curves, shoulders,
wedges, etc.

Meanwhile, an automotive interior designer has to deal with the challenges of fitting all car components together while maintaining comfort and aesthetics. Designers will also be responsible for choosing the materials required for the various parts of the vehicle, such as plastic, metal, fabric, and even the trim package. The trim package refers to the car’s adornments, such as bumpers, paint patterns, wood trims, etc.

Automotive Software Engineer

If you don’t mind working with vehicle software, you can work as an automotive software engineer, where you will be responsible for designing and developing software systems for car technologies. The software controls the car’s various environmental systems, such as automatic parking, wheels, etc. As an automotive software engineer, your job will include designing and programming software solutions for automobiles and troubleshooting software-related issues.

To work as an automotive software engineer, you need a bachelor’s degree in engineering. Although, some employers would look to hire automotive software engineers with a master’s degree. You will have a higher chance of getting the job if you have experience working with software or system development in the automotive field and have excellent technical and analytical problem-solving skills. As an automotive software engineer, you must thoroughly understand software design methods, programming languages, and operating systems.

The primary qualifications for an automotive software engineer are a bachelor’s degree and at least three years of experience in automotive software development. Most automotive engineers in this field will spend time working in a related position to acquire some experience before becoming an automotive software engineer. You should be familiar with the processes involved in developing vehicles and other automotive-related technologies. Prior experience developing new vehicle technologies will increase your chances of getting accepted for this role.

Diesel Engine Calibration Engineer

Diesel engine calibration refers to the process of optimizing the vehicle settings for optimal engine performance, such as minimum fuel consumption, less pollutant gas emissions, and maximum power output.

Diesel engine calibration engineers have essential roles to play in the automotive industry. They help to ensure that diesel vehicles have engines to transport cargo and heavy loads. A diesel engine calibration engineer is one of those jobs you can take up with a degree in automotive engineering.

As a diesel engine calibration engineer, your role requires fine-tuning machines, instruments, and components using diagnostic software. You must ensure that the settings and features align with industry standards in diesel motor vehicles. Sometimes, you will be responsible for inspecting, repairing, and maintaining the vehicle’s gauges and meters.

Powertrain Engineer

One of the most high-paying jobs for automotive engineers is a powertrain systems engineer. For this role, your job is focused on powertrain components, such as transmission, engine, driveshaft, differentials, transfer case, axles, etc. It also requires working with supporting software and
electronics in a modern vehicle.

Powertrain engineers are also involved in designing and testing the powertrain setups, which includes overseeing different projects, managing budgets, running tests, creating schematics, and more.

The requirements for a powertrain engineer will vary, depending on the role. However, most jobs that powertrain systems engineers take have some things in common. One of the requirements is to have a bachelor’s degree in automotive engineering. A few majors are acceptable, such as mechanical engineering and electrical engineering. The degree ensures you have the knowledge required for the job, making it a crucial aspect that most employers
consider.

As a powertrain engineer, your focus should be on the vehicle’s technical performance and aesthetic appearance. Depending on the project’s goal, you may also need to work on the software of modern vehicles. Other roles of a powertrain engineer can include interpreting data, building prototypes, choosing high-quality materials, and conducting research.

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