Design engineers develop design plans for various types of things, such as medical devices, airplanes, cars, trains, phones, motorcycles, machines, computer systems, or communications. The work involves reading engineering articles, conferencing with other engineers, analyzing test information, and helping to develop project goals. Work also includes using computers to generate designs on a computer screen, calculating, analyzing models, making modifications, conferring with the project manager, and making products in such a way that the products are safe and cost-effective. If you aspire to become a design engineer, generally you will have to get a college degree and a post-graduate degree.

Getting a bachelor's degree in engineering is generally recommended if you aspire to become a design engineer. You could specialize in areas within engineering such as material science, electrical engineering, or civil engineering. Your college courses will give you the skills you need to function as a design engineer when you get a job after college.

Doing a college internship in design engineering can be helpful. The internship will supplement your classroom learning experiences; however, the internship will also enable you to get real-world experience which will enable you to find out if a career as a design engineer is truly a fit for you as an individual. For instance, being a design engineer requires some individual work but also requires team work. If you are a person who does not feel comfortable with conferencing with other engineers or work as part of a team, this career may not be for you.

You will seek your first job as a design engineer during the last semester of college. Or, by contrast, you could choose to continue and get a graduate degree. Although it is not necessarily required, getting a graduate degree in engineering can make you more competitive in the job market because many entry-level design engineers do not have graduate-level education. The Master of Science (MS) degree in engineering or the Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in engineering are generally recommended if you aspire to become a design engineer.

If you hope to become a design engineer, having good problem solving and three-dimensional visualization skills is helpful. Having good comprehension of math, physics, computer design software, and machinery is also important if you wish to become a design engineer. Also, being able to work patiently under stressful conditions and having awareness of how new products are likely to impact the environment are both important skills to have if you aspire to become a design engineer.