The Engineering Manager’s Field Guide
As an engineering manager, you’ve got a tough job. Not only do you have to be a competent engineer in your own right, you also need management chops. And how do you get those? Formal training and experience, for the most part. But a growing number of mechanical engineering job postings ask for management skillsets not often taught in the classroom. What’s the best way to mentor a young engineer? How do you stay on top of emerging technology trends? You could ask around, or you could simply browse this field guide. We wrote it for you.
Page 3 - Keeping up with engineering and manufacturing technology
Keep abreast of the latest technology developments to ensure the company sees available opportunities for technical improvements in products and services, and/or cost reductions.
Page 6 - Onboarding junior engineers
Develop subordinates through leadership and mentoring including the creation of clear goals, objec- tives and performance metrics. Guide and mentor engineers through the use of proper tools in all problem-solving situations.
Page 9 - Mentoring junior engineers
Coach and mentor Mechanical Design Engineering staff to deliver excellence to every internal and external customer. Create clear goals, objectives and performance metrics.
Page 13 - Planning for wrongness
Schedule and lead periodic internal design reviews with engineering staff. Schedule and lead periodic external design reviews with other key departments and/or customers. Ensure new designs are validated and tested to all requirements.
Page 16 - Should you hire? NOPE.
Perform manpower planning and Analyzes technology trends, forecasting for personnel
Page 19 - Should you hire? YES!
Analyzes technology trends, forecasting for personnel human resources needs and market demand to plan projects. Acquisi- tion of engineering personnel.
Page 22 - Must reads
A few posts that we didn't write but wish we had.