What is a plant engineer and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025

4 min read

Quoted Experts

Marco Schoen Ph.D.,

Brian Denton Ph.D.

Plant engineers design, develop, and maintain equipment and systems used in manufacturing plants. They are responsible for ensuring that all equipment and systems are operating efficiently, safely, and in compliance with regulatory requirements. Plant engineers work on a wide range of projects and collaborate with other engineers and professionals to identify and solve problems related to production processes and equipment. Additionally, they provide technical support to plant staff, develop maintenance schedules, oversee repairs, and implement safety protocols.

What general advice would you give to a Plant Engineer?

Marco Schoen Ph.D.

Professor of Mechanical Engineering, Director of the Measurement and Control Engineering Research Center (MCERC), Idaho State University

Stay current. Engineering evolves continuously; new tools, new technologies, and new areas where engineers can contribute, learn, and work. When graduating, students have the feeling they are set for their careers. However, this is not true; they might be set to start their careers. To be consistently successful in their pages, they need to stay informed and updated.

ScorePlant EngineerUS Average

Salary

7.3

Avg. Salary $93,949

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability Level

10.0

Growth Rate 3%

Growth Rate 0.3%

Diversity

2.1

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 0.51%

Asian 9.16%

Black or African American 3.84%

Hispanic or Latino 13.18%

Unknown 3.87%

White 69.45%

Gender

female 7.67%

male 92.33%

Age - 48

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%

Asian 7.00%

Black or African American 14.00%

Hispanic or Latino 19.00%

White 57.00%

Gender

female 47.00%

male 53.00%

Age - 48

Stress Level

10.0

Stress level is very high

7.1 - high

Complexity Level

9.4

Complexity Level is advanced

7 - challenging

Work Life Balance

4.4

Work Life balance is poor

6.4 - fair

What are the pros and cons of being a Plant Engineer?

Pros

High demand for skilled plant engineers
Chance to work in a variety of industries
Continuous learning and professional development opportunities
Opportunities for innovation and problem-solving
Chance to work on projects with a tangible outcome

Cons

High-pressure work environment with tight deadlines
Risk of injury or accidents when working with heavy machinery
Long hours and on-call responsibilities
High level of responsibility and accountability for the performance of the plant
Requires a high level of technical knowledge and expertise

Key steps to become a plant engineer

Explore plant engineer education requirements

Most common plant engineer degrees

Bachelor's

74.2 %

Associate

10.1 %

Master's

10.0 %

Start to develop specific plant engineer skills

Skills	Percentages
HVAC	5.96%
Project Management	4.64%
Plant Operations	4.62%
Continuous Improvement	4.37%
Plant Maintenance	3.92%

Complete relevant plant engineer training and internships

Accountants spend an average of 6-12 months on post-employment, on-the-job training. New plant engineers learn the skills and techniques required for their job and employer during this time. The chart below shows how long it takes to gain competency as a plant engineer based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real plant engineer resumes.

Gain additional plant engineer certifications

Plant engineer certifications can show employers you have a baseline of knowledge expected for the position. Certifications can also make you a more competitive candidate. Even if employers don't require a specific plant engineer certification, having one may help you stand out relative to other applicants.

The most common certifications for plant engineers include Engineer In Training Certification (EIT) and Six Sigma Green Belt.

More About Certifications

Research plant engineer duties and responsibilities

Lead work cells to become a team; Harmonize/unite/motivate assembly personnel using Kaizen approach.
Provide guidance and training on NFPA 70E guidelines & conduct short circuit analysis for high voltage circuits.
Develop company Wiki pages for API 610 cryogenic pumps, API 620 tanks, and chill water systems.
Manufacture SolidWorks design parts using 3D printing, sheet metal tools, welders, mill, and lathe.

Prepare your plant engineer resume

When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your plant engineer resume.

You can use Zippia's AI resume builder to make the resume writing process easier while also making sure that you include key information that hiring managers expect to see on a plant engineer resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.

Choose From 10+ Customizable Plant Engineer Resume templates

Build a professional Plant Engineer resume in minutes. Browse through our resume examples to identify the best way to word your resume. Then choose from 10+ resume templates to create your Plant Engineer resume.

Apply for plant engineer jobs

Now it's time to start searching for a plant engineer job. Consider the tips below for a successful job search:

Browse job boards for relevant postings
Consult your professional network
Reach out to companies you're interested in working for directly
Watch out for job scams

How do plant engineers rate their job?

-/5

5 Stars

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1 Star

Plant Engineer reviews

A zippia user wrote a review on Aug 2019

Pros

Schedules my co worker where to work each day and making sure the process is flowing with the machines, materials and the needed information to make the products and service come out right.