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Overview
Research engineers use research methods and engineering principles to develop new products or technologies, improve technical processes, and test ideas in offices, laboratories or pilot environments.
In job descriptions, look for experiments, feasibility studies, experimental data, technical requirements, laboratory tests, project management, technical drawings, CAD tools, samples and safety procedures.
Explore this occupation
Search jobsWork context
Research engineers usually work in laboratories, engineering offices or pilot environments. They turn research questions into experiments, feasibility studies, technical requirements, samples, drawings and test evidence for new or improved technology.
Skills and specializations
Useful strengths include scientific research methods, engineering principles, experimental data, laboratory tests, technical drawing software, project management and safety procedures. Depending on the field, work may involve materials, batteries, computational mechanics, bioeconomy or advanced manufacturing.
Salary context
Pay context depends on engineering field, experiment complexity, laboratory responsibility, project ownership, prototype risk, documentation demands and whether the role supports research teams or leads development decisions.
Career paths
People may enter from engineering degrees, laboratory testing, product development, industrial research, materials work or technical project support. Development can lead toward R&D engineering, project leadership, specialist research roles, product development or technical architecture.
Good to know
Check whether vacancies name the engineering field, laboratory setup, experiment type, prototype stage and expected outputs. A clear advert separates research support, test execution, design work and project leadership.
Editorial note
This guide gives editorial career context for research engineer work. It is not official labour-market statistics or salary data.
Where might this occupation occur?
This occupation may occur in several kinds of economic activity. Here are some examples and other occupations that may be found in the same areas.
Engineering activities and related technical consultancy
This is one example. Other occupations in this activity include component engineer, design engineer and compliance engineer.
Explore this activityTechnical testing and analysis
This occupation may also occur in this activity. Other occupations there include compliance engineer, robotics engineer and thermal engineer.
Explore this activityResearch and experimental development on natural sciences and engineering
Another possibility is this activity. Other occupations there include biomedical engineer, bioengineer and nanoengineer.
Explore this activityThese examples offer an overview but do not show every economic activity where the occupation may occur.
About this information
The selection is based on how occupations are connected to economic activities in ESCO and NACE. Only a few examples are shown to make the information easier to use. The occupations were selected because they are close in occupation area and important skills. The examples are not a ranking. They do not show where most people work, where demand is highest, or which occupation is best suited to a particular person.
Map overview
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O*NET relationships
No official O*NET relationship is available for this occupation in the current mapping. You can still use the other occupation details.
NACE Rev. 2.1
Economic activities linked to this occupation.
72.1Research and experimental development on natural sciences and engineering71.12Engineering activities and related technical consultancy71.2Technical testing and analysis
Alternative labels
Occupation group
application engineer (2149.2)
Source facts
| ESCO URI | http://data.europa.eu/esco/occupation/3dab5c3f-84d0-4d52-901d-dd262eaea509 |
|---|---|
| ESCO code | 2149.2.8 |
| ISCO group | 2149 |
| Concept type | Occupation |