Earnings for engineering and natural sciences managers vary by specialty and level of responsibility. Median annual earnings of engineering managers were $90,930 in 2002. The middle 50 percent earned between $72,480 and $114,050. The lowest 10 percent earned less than $57,840, and the highest 10 percent earned more than $141,380. Median annual earnings in the industries employing the largest numbers of engineering managers in 2002 were:
| Navigational, measuring, electromedical, and control instruments manufacturing | $101,290 |
| Management of companies and enterprises | 98,000 |
| Aerospace product and parts manufacturing | 97,420 |
| Federal Government | 90,030 |
| Architectural, engineering, and related services | 89,520 |
Median annual earnings of natural sciences managers were $82,250 in 2002. The middle 50 percent earned between $60,000 and $111,070. The lowest 10 percent earned less than $45,640, and the highest 10 percent earned more than $144,590. Median annual earnings in the industries employing the largest numbers of natural sciences managers in 2002 were:
| Scientific research and development services | $101,690 |
| Federal Government | 77,020 |
A survey of manufacturing firms, conducted by Abbot, Langer & Associates, found that engineering department managers and superintendents earned a median annual income of $89,271 in 2003, while research and development managers earned $86,412.
In addition, engineering and natural sciences managers, especially those at higher levels, often receive more benefits—such as expense accounts, stock option plans, and bonuses—than do nonmanagerial workers in their organizations.
Engineering and natural sciences managers plan, coordinate, and direct research, design, and production activities. They may supervise engineers, scientists, and technicians, along with support personnel. These managers use advanced technical knowledge of engineering and science to oversee a variety of activities. They determine scientific and technical goals within broad outlines provided by top executives, who are discussed elsewhere in the Handbook. These goals may include improving manufacturing processes, advancing scientific research, or developing new products. Managers make detailed plans to accomplish these goals—for example, they may develop the overall concepts of a new product or identify technical problems preventing the completion of a project.
To perform effectively, they also must possess knowledge of administrative procedures, such as budgeting, hiring, and supervision. These managers propose budgets for projects and programs and determine staff, training, and equipment needs. They hire and assign scientists, engineers, and support personnel to carry out specific parts of each project. They also supervise the work of these employees, review their output, and establish administrative procedures and policies—including environmental standards, for example.
In addition, these managers use communication skills extensively. They spend a great deal of time coordinating the activities of their unit with those of other units or organizations. They confer with higher levels of management; with financial, production, marketing, and other managers; and with contractors and equipment and materials suppliers.
Engineering managers supervise people who design and develop machinery, products, systems, and processes; or direct and coordinate production, operations, quality assurance, testing, or maintenance in industrial plants. Many are plant engineers, who direct and coordinate the design, installation, operation, and maintenance of equipment and machinery in industrial plants. Others manage research and development teams that produce new products and processes or improve existing ones.
Natural sciences managers oversee the work of life and physical scientists, including agricultural scientists, chemists, biologists, geologists, medical scientists, and physicists. These managers direct research and development projects and coordinate activities such as testing, quality control, and production. They may work on basic research projects or on commercial activities. Science managers sometimes conduct their own research in addition to managing the work of others.
.Employment of engineering and natural sciences managers is expected to grow about as fast as the average through the year 2012—in line with projected employment growth in engineering and most sciences. However, many additional jobs will result from the need to replace managers who retire or move into other occupations. Opportunities for obtaining a management position will be best for workers with advanced technical knowledge and strong communication skills. In addition, business management skills are important because engineering and natural sciences managers are involved in their firm’s financial, production, and marketing activities.
Projected employment growth for engineering and natural sciences managers should be closely related to the growth of the occupations they supervise and the industries in which they are found. For example, opportunities for managers should be better in rapidly growing areas of engineering—such as electrical, computer, and biomedical engineering—than in more slowly growing areas of engineering or physical science, such as aerospace and petroleum engineering. (See the statements on engineers and on life and physical scientists, elsewhere in the Handbook.) In addition, many employers are finding it more efficient to contract engineering and science management services to outside companies and consultants, creating good opportunities for managers in management services and management, scientific, and technical consulting firms.
.Strong technical knowledge is essential for engineering and natural sciences managers, who must understand and guide the work of their subordinates and explain the work in nontechnical terms to senior management and potential customers. Therefore, these management positions usually require work experience and formal education similar to those of engineers, scientists, or mathematicians.
Most engineering managers begin their careers as engineers, after completing a bachelor’s degree in the field. To advance to higher level positions, engineers generally must assume management responsibility. To fill management positions, employers seek engineers who possess administrative and communications skills in addition to technical knowledge in their specialty. Many engineers gain these skills by obtaining a master’s degree in engineering management or a master’s degree in business administration (MBA). Employers often pay for such training. In large firms, some courses required in these degree programs may be offered on site. Engineers who prefer to manage in technical areas should get a master’s degree in engineering management, while those interested in nontechnical management should get an MBA.
Many science managers begin their careers as scientists, such as chemists, biologists, geologists, or mathematicians. Most scientists or mathematicians engaged in basic research have a Ph.D.; some in applied research and other activities may have a bachelor’s or master’s degree. Science managers must be specialists in the work they supervise. In addition, employers prefer managers with good communication and administrative skills. Graduate programs allow scientists to augment their undergraduate training with instruction in other fields, such as management or computer technology. Given the rapid pace of scientific developments, science managers must continuously upgrade their knowledge.
Engineering and natural sciences managers may advance to progressively higher leadership positions within their discipline. Some may become managers in nontechnical areas such as marketing, human resources, or sales. In high technology firms, managers in nontechnical areas often must possess the same specialized knowledge as do managers in technical areas. For example, employers in an engineering firm may prefer to hire experienced engineers as sales workers because the complex services offered by the firm can be marketed only by someone with specialized engineering knowledge. Such sales workers could eventually advance to jobs as sales managers.
.The work of engineering and natural sciences managers is closely related to that of engineers; mathematicians; and physical and life scientists, including agricultural and food scientists, biological and medical scientists, conservation scientists and foresters, atmospheric scientists, chemists and materials scientists, environmental scientists and geoscientists, and physicists and astronomers. It also is related to the work of other managers, especially top executives.
For information about a career as an engineering and natural sciences manager, contact the sources of additional information for engineers, life scientists, and physical scientists that are listed at the end of statements on these occupations elsewhere in the Handbook.
The initial idea to establish the Forum was made during a meeting at the National Economic Development Office (NEDO), which was formerly part of HM Treasury, until its abolition in 1992. The members include the Institutions of Chemical, Civil, Electrical and Mechanical Engineers and the Association for Project Management. The Chartered Institute of Management Accountants is the latest body to join. Terry Lazenby FREng, FIChemE is the newly appointed president. With the ear of Government, the Institutions, Industry and Academe.
Summary of: http://epmf.iee.org/EPMF/
To many social analysts, politicians, and academics it is the management of environmental and nuclear risks, those technology-generated macro-risks that appear to threaten our existence. It is taking project personnel longer than expected to climb the learning curve. During system integration testing the flight control system becomes unstable because processing of the control function is not quick enough during a specific maneuver sequence. Continuous Risk Management Example When using Continuous Risk Management, risks are assessed continuously and used for decision-making in all phases of a project. An SRE is used to identify and categorize specific program risks emanating from product, process, management, resources, and constraints.
Summary of: http://www.sei.cmu.edu/programs/sepm/risk/
New features on this page are indicated by . ICEC member societies are located in more than 40 countries, and have chapters or sections in many additional countries. Each member society has one vote on the Council. Basak, Senior Vice Chairman, Canada Murtala Oladapo, Administrative Vice Chairman, Nigeria Peter M. Before submitting an enquiry, please review the menu of topics at the top of this page.
Summary of: http://www.icoste.org/
Projected employment growth for engineering and natural sciences managers should be closely related to those for the engineers and scientists they supervise and the industries in which they are found. Opportunities will be best for workers with advanced technical knowledge and strong communication and business management skills. These managers use advanced technical knowledge of engineering and science to oversee a variety of activities. To perform effectively, they also must possess knowledge of administrative procedures, such as budgeting, hiring, and supervision. They spend a great deal of time coordinating the activities of their unit with those of other units or organizations.
Summary of: http://stats.bls.gov/oco/ocos009.htm
Though this journal publishes only peer-reviewed papers and case studies, the focus is the practicing consulting civil engineer. Topics of interest that might be published in this journal include leadership issues such as teamwork, team building, mentoring, coaching, and diversity. Papers that discuss legislative and regulatory issues; corporate and public policy; and the role of civil enginering in the political process at local, state, and national levels are welcomed. This journal offers a means for researchers and practitioners to present their results in an international forum. Normally, theoretical papers submitted for publication should include real world applications of the techniques.
Summary of: http://www.pubs.asce.org/journals/me.html
Kettering University - 1700 W. Having an environmental scanning electron microscope (ESEM) on campus has allowed Kettering and industry researchers to "get down" to the subatomic level. Ford Day Ford Day brings hot cars and inspiring talk to Kettering University. Commencement is June 18 More than 350 graduates will be honored June 18. Chiapparone and Germany's Karl-Heinz Kammerlohr.
Summary of: http://www.kettering.edu/