What Does a Project Engineer Do?

Project engineers are skilled professionals who oversee a project’s day-to-day operations, ensure the relevant regulations are being met, act as a liaison between contractors and other professionals and make sure that the project is running on time and within budget.

For individuals interested in working as a project engineer in any of a variety of industries, earning a degree such as a Bachelor of Science in Organizational Leadership and Learning can help them build the foundation they need to qualify for a managerial role. By learning how to become an effective leader and building strong organizational skills, future graduates can confidently enter the workforce, knowing they can successfully steer projects.

What Is a Project Engineer?

Engineering and construction projects are complicated endeavors. From meeting building and engineering regulations to managing the logistics of materials, supervising personnel, coordinating with contractors and working within a timeline and budget, there are a variety of responsibilities that must be handled seamlessly for a project to be successful.

Often working in the field and in coordination with project managers and supervisors, project engineers are involved throughout the life cycle of a project, from the designing and planning stages all the way through project fulfillment and delivery.

Project Engineer Duties and Responsibilities

Project engineers typically work for organizations involved in engineering, technical projects, construction, or manufacturing. In their role as supervisors and managers, they are often involved in every stage of a project, traveling to and from the on-site location until the project is completed.

Throughout the life cycle of a project, project engineers can have a wide variety of duties and responsibilities, including the following:

Designing and conceptualizing the project
Ensuring the project meets engineering and safety regulations and guidelines
Coordinating with supervisors and contractors
Preparing, scheduling, coordinating and allocating resources and materials
Overseeing quality control
Tracking budgets and deadlines
Delegating tasks and troubleshooting challenges

With the right education and experience, project engineers are prepared to ensure projects are completed efficiently, allowing them to reach their personal goals and help their organization succeed.

How to Become a Project Engineer

The role of a project engineer can be complex and requires nuanced leadership and organizational skills. Many organizations look for candidates with work experience and a higher education degree such as a bachelor’s level degree in a related field. While some candidates may choose to pursue an engineering degree, others may complete a program more focused on management or business such as a Bachelor of Science in Organizational Leadership and Learning program.

Depending on the type of project engineering a candidate would like to pursue, an industry specific education or certification may be required. By pursuing a degree, gaining certification and accumulating workplace experience, individuals can work toward coveted senior level or management roles in project engineering.

Project Engineer Salary and Career Outlook

Skilled and well-educated project engineers can play an instrumental role in the success of both the projects they oversee and the bottom line of their organization. Across the country, there are many projects that both engineering firms and contractors are looking to complete with the help of experienced project engineers.

Project engineers’ individual salaries can vary depending on their education, level of work experience and location. According to Payscale, project engineers had a median annual salary of around $76,300 in October 2024. More specifically, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reports that professionals working in architecture and engineering occupations who specialize in project management had a median annual salary of $98,580 as of May 2023.

Additionally, the BLS expects that overall employment of these professionals will grow faster than the average growth projected for all occupations between 2023 and 2033.

Build a Fulfilling Career as a Project Engineer

Organizations both large and small rely on the guidance and expertise of skilled project engineers to ensure their projects are completed efficiently and effectively. By overseeing the many details of a project — including ensuring design specifications are met, teams have the supplies they need and jobs run on time and on budget — project engineers have the opportunity to help their organization meet its strategic goals.

Completing a higher education program such as the Bachelor of Science in Organizational Leadership and Learning (BOL)program from App State Online can provide aspiring project engineers with the foundation they need to take on leadership roles. With meaningful mentorship opportunities, a focus on applicable skills and full support throughout your educational journey, the online program from App State Online was designed to help you enter the workforce with confidence.

Explore how you can begin a fulfilling career in project engineering with App State Online’s BOL program.

Sources:

Indeed, “How to Become a Project Engineer (With Salary and Skills)”

Indeed, “What Does a Project Engineer Do? (With Average Salary)”

Indeed, “What Is Project Engineering? A Comprehensive Guide”

Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, Career Map: Project Engineer

Payscale, Average Project Engineer Salary

U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Architecture and Engineering Occupations

U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Project Management Specialists