Automotive engineer
Automotive engineers design, test and build cars, vans, lorries, buses and motorbikes.
- Starter salary£26,000 a year
- Experienced£48,000 a year
- Typical hours38 to 42 a week
What you'll do
You might work in design, development or production on:
- body, chassis and engine systems
- electrical and electronic instrumentation and controls
- thermodynamics, aerodynamics and fluid mechanics
- zero emission fuel technologies
You could:
- develop new exterior and interior design concepts
- test ideas using simulations, virtual reality (VR) and physical models
- research the environmental impact of different designs
- modify machine tools and processes to improve production
- assess components' strengths, weaknesses, performance and safety
- monitor quality, costs and production schedules
Working environment
You could work in an office, at a research facility or at a manufacturing plant.
Skills and knowledge you'll need
You'll need:
- maths knowledge
- knowledge of engineering science and technology
- design skills and knowledge
- knowledge of physics
- to be thorough and pay attention to detail
- complex problem-solving skills
- the ability to use your initiative
- the ability to work well with others
- to have a thorough understanding of computer systems and applications
How to become a automotive engineer
You can get into this job through:
- a university course
- an apprenticeship
University
You could do a foundation degree, higher national diploma or degree in automotive engineering.
Employers will often accept related subjects, such as:
- manufacturing engineering
- mechanical engineering
- electrical or electronic engineering
- design engineering
- software engineering
- sustainable automotive engineering
Many universities offer courses that combine a degree with a postgraduate master's engineering (MEng) qualification.
Choosing a course that includes an internship or industry placement can give you an advantage when looking for jobs. It can also help if you want to join a company's graduate training scheme.
Entry requirements
You'll usually need:
- 1 or 2 A levels, or equivalent, for a foundation degree or higher national diploma
- 2 or 3 A levels, or equivalent, including maths and a science for a degree
Apprenticeship
You could apply for a place on a degree apprenticeship scheme, with a vehicle manufacturer, for example:
- Manufacturing Engineer Level 6
- Product Design and Development Engineer Level 6
These take around 4 to 5 years to complete and combine on-the-job training with university study.
If you already have a degree in a science, technology, engineering or maths (STEM) subject, you may be able to do a Postgraduate Engineer Level 7 Apprenticeship with an automotive employer.
Entry requirements
You'll usually need:
- 4 or 5 GCSEs at grades 9 to 4 (A* to C) and A levels, or equivalent, for a degree apprenticeship
- a degree in a relevant subject
Career path and progression
With experience, you could move into:
- lead engineer roles
- project team management
- safety and legal compliance
- crash investigation
- consultancy work
- motorsport
Career tips
Keeping up to date with developments in vehicle technology and manufacture could help you with applications and interviews. Trends include:
- the shift to electric vehicles, and research into alternative fuels
- digital design and manufacturing of parts by 3D printing
- research into semi-autonomous and self-driving vehicles
- connectivity within and between vehicles, and traffic management systems
Guides for this industry
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