design/product/project engineer title meanings 3

[sgtlethargic]

What are the main diffences between these job titles (most specifically for a mechanical engineer)? My 1st engineering job title was "Product Engineer". I ended up being a DRE (Design Responsible Engineer). I basically wrote validation test plans, pushed to get the product validation tested, and wrote reports. I did very little design work.

Thanks,
Kurt

 

[TheTick]

Job titles mean nothing. Job descriptions mean twice as much. You are what you do.

 

[ctopher]

thread731-173733

Chris
SolidWorks/PDMWorks 08 1.1
AutoCAD 06
ctopher's home (updated 10-07-07)
ctopher's blog

 

[sgtlethargic]

Yeah, I should've used the search function. The search function on another forum I'm on doesn't work well, so I didn't try this forum's search function.

Thanks,
Kurt

 

[sgtlethargic]

How about "entry-level", "Mechanical Engineer I", and "Mechanical Engineer II"?

Thanks,
Kurt

 

[Heckler]

Job titles mean nothing. Job descriptions mean twice as much. You are what you do.

This is the truth....unless you're one that likes to have a flashy title.


Some important things should be do you enjoy your job, the company treats you fairly, & you're respected by your coworkers.

Heckler
Sr. Mechanical Engineer
SWx 2007 SP 4.0 & Pro/E 2001
o
_`\(,_
(_)/ (_)

This post contains no political overtones or undertones for that matter and in no way represents the poster's political agenda.

 

[MadMango]

That just means the company has multi-tiered pay scales in the organization, which can be good or bad. The bad aspects can include position quota limits. As TheTick sez, "Job titles mean nothing. Job descriptions mean twice as much."

ME I and ME II probably do the exact same thing, one just has more experience, typically 2yrs vs 4yrs.

"Art without engineering is dreaming; Engineering without art is calculating."

Have you read faq731-376 to make the best use of Eng-Tips Forums?

 

[KENAT]

The standardized rankings like level 1, 2 , 3 etc are just an HR invention to try and 'standardize' pay (read reduce).

http://www.radford.com/home/surveys/bcr/

Basically they try and fit all jobs into a certain number of categories which then correspond to a pay scale.

Apart from the fact that ME II will probably be a slightly higher pay scale than ME I they are almost meaningless. They certainly don't explain what you'll be doing day to day etc.

If you look at some salary sites their job descriptions use these titles.

My official ranking is something like CAD Engineer IV which bears almost no relation to what I actually do.

KENAT, probably the least qualified checker you'll ever meet...

 

[mshimko]

Labor Categories are a necessary evil in most companies, and the are probably standardized across the entire firm, even though what Office A does has little in common with what Office B does.

I don't dislike Labor Categories, as they have little to no bearing on what we do or how we operate.

What I DO dislike is how labor categories are used withing our vacancy announcement system.

The company's "boilerplate" labor cetegory description has so much BS that it's meaningless. I do have the opportunity to add "position specific" test, but this appears at the end of a very long paragraph, with no separation or distinction. A candidate needs to read all they way through physical fitness and "lifting" requirements before they can see if I'm seekin an ME, a EE, or a software engineer (in the case of the various engineering categories).

 

[Ashereng]

At some companies I was at, we were told to make up our own titles. Hence, most people in my group have different titles.

The group's name was consisten though.

"Do not worry about your problems with mathematics, I assure you mine are far greater."
Albert Einstein
Have you read FAQ731-376 to make the best use of Eng-Tips Forums?

 

[zuccus]

I officially asked HR to change my job title from Design Manager to Firefighter since most of my day is spent solving problems.

Zuccus

 

[ctopher]

I asked mine to be changed to paramedic from always helping others.

Chris
SolidWorks/PDMWorks 08 1.1
AutoCAD 06
ctopher's home (updated 10-07-07)
ctopher's blog

 

[GregLocock]

I prefer to be known as Clue Distributor.



Cheers

Greg Locock

Please see FAQ731-376 for tips on how to make the best use of Eng-Tips.

 

[HgTX]

One of my official titles is Transportation Engineer. Apparently the fact that I'm NOT a transportation engineer is not considered relevant.

Hg

Eng-Tips policies: faq731-376

 

[europipe]

What about Sr. Demolition Engineer.

 

[JamesBarlow]

Petroleum Relocation Engineer has always been my favorite.

 

[SomptingGuy]

Here in the UK the last thing you want in your job title when applying for car insurance is "engineer". I once called myself an "acoustic consultant", these days I just say "computer programmer".

- Steve

 

[Twoballcane]

I think in the UK the Engineer title is at the bottom of the repect o meter. As in your local mechanic is a Mechanical Engineer and so on.

Tobalcane
"If you avoid failure, you also avoid success."

 

[Senselessticker]

I agree with others above. Job titles mean nothing except for internal company use to determine pay grades. Usually Engineer I means fresh outta school. Engineer II means you've not got fired yet and have been working 2-4 years in some form of engineering. Engineer III means you have your license and still haven't got fired. Engineer IV means you've been an Engineer too long...

My favorite is when folks put "Sr. Engineer" on there email signature. Which usually means you have anywhere from 2 years to 40 years of experience and may or may not have a degree or a license...

 

[GregLocock]

I resemble that remark.

I think I was made a senior engineer in 1984, 2 years out of uni, and that's what I've been at every company since then.



Cheers

Greg Locock

Please see FAQ731-376 for tips on how to make the best use of Eng-Tips.