Becoming an engineering manager is no easy task. It not only requires years of specialized training and experience, but it also demands great leadership. In this guide, we’ll help you create a top-tier resume that shows employers why you’re the best choice for engineering management jobs.
Engineering managers are responsible for planning projects, overseeing teams of engineers, managing inventory, creating timelines, and ensuring project completion. Engineering managers also help hire and train new employees, create worker schedules, develop budgets, manage costs, eliminate waste, allocate resources, and serve as a source of knowledge and guidance for their teams. If you’re an experienced engineer with strong project management and leadership skills, this job is for you.
Writing a resume can be challenging, especially if you’re applying for your first management job. It’s not easy to fit all of your relevant skills, accomplishments, and experience into a concise, well-formatted document. Fortunately, we’re here to help.
In this resume example, you’ll see that the formatting is simple. It makes it easy for the hiring manager to quickly find the info they’re looking for. Further, while there is a splash of color, it is subtle and doesn’t take away from the content of the resume. The engineering manager here already has over 10 years of experience, so the employment history comes before the education. For a new grad, education would come first.
Read on for more useful tips. With a little guidance, you’ll be able to write a resume that grabs the attention of recruiters.
Here are a few steps that you can take to improve your existing resume or create a new one:
Formatting is essential to making your resume professional, attractive, and easy to read. If you need help formatting your document, use our example.
Keep your professional summary short by highlighting your most notable contributions. In this example, a paragraph summary gives a broad overview, while an Areas of Expertise table highlights key skills. Use the rest of your resume to flesh out these ideas.
When listing your work experience, highlight your abilities as a leader and project manager. These are important skills for engineering management roles. Be sure to tailor your job description paragraphs to the specific job posting.
Don’t forget achievements! At this stage in your career, you probably have several to choose from. These can go in a bulleted list after each job description paragraph. Whenever possible, use metrics to show the impact of your accomplishments.
Make sure to include an education section that highlights your degree(s), along with other sections for any relevant certifications or professional affiliations.
Engineering managers require serious engineering chops but also need to be effective team leaders. Here are some core competencies that you can list on your resume:
Risk management
Cost control and budgeting
Team leadership
Project management
Hiring and training
Resource allocation
Product design and development
Summary example
Visionary engineering leader with unique blend of technical and business acumen coupled with proven ability to direct on-shore and off-shore teams of multidisciplinary engineers. Track record for inspiring teams to design, develop, and optimize innovative, marketable products for consumer goods, semiconductors, medical devices, and other products. Talent for devising creative solutions for complex design, manufacturing, and business challenges to deliver high-quality results, drive revenue, and achieve a competitive advantage.
Employment history example
Engineering Manager at Allegiance Group, Phoenix, AZ
2017 - Present
Conceptualized and led implementation of sales, operations, and business strategy to position practice for sustainable growth. Directed engineering group managers and program managers, while leading a dispersed team of engineers in the United States and India. Managed recruitment, staffing, separations, and performance evaluations.
Increased revenue over three years via 60% growth in the top three strategic accounts.
Steered scheduling, scope, and delivery of 80+ client projects.
Aligned solutions with specific client needs to maximize value for 60+ multinational and mid-level client accounts.
Leveraged servant leadership approach to build high-caliber team, facilitate continual training and development, and create positive culture aligned with best practices.
Senior Project Engineer & Manager at Red Bird Corporation, Tucson, AZ
2014 - 2017
Oversaw large-scale projects to streamline irrigation system product design and manufacturing processes to meet evolving client needs and capture new business. Motivated and led a cross-functional project team, facilitating collaboration and supporting problem-solving to remove obstacles, mitigate risks, and ensure on-time project completion.
Managed a large equipment packaging project that proved instrumental in winning a $15M+ deal from a major client.
Championed continuous improvement and slashed the defective rate of return (DRR) for a multimillion-dollar product line by more than 50% in less than 12 months.
Product Engineer at Free Style Semiconductor, Austin, TX
2010 - 2014
Conducted design reviews and approved final board designs. Provided variables and conditions for thermal analysis and confirmed results, as well as specified changes for layout designers. Created ECOs using Agile, production board assembly instructions, drawings, product assembly instructions, temporary deviations, and other documentation. Collaborated on projects with printed circuit board (PCB) design engineers, layout designers, fabrication manufacturer, and assembly contract manufacturer.
Improved manufacturing process by revamping schematics, layouts, drawings, and board/assembly specifications, while assessing complex testing and development of PCB assembly products.
Reduced costs 20% by consulting with shipping and logistics managers to streamline manufacturing procedures and materials while preserving quality.
Designed sheet metal and plastic chassis for large, complex boards and handled component packaging design.
Education example
Master of Science in Mechanical Engineering at Northeastern University, Boston, MA
Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering at Northeastern University, Boston, MA
Skills example
Strategic Planning
Multidisciplinary Team Leadership
Project & Program Management
Product Design & Development
Staffing & Resource Allocation
Training & Professional Development
Continuous Improvement
Risk Management & Mitigation
Revenue Generation