Automotive engineer
Automotive engineers design, test and build cars, vans, lorries, buses and motorbikes.
Typical Salary
£26,000 – £48,000
per year
Working Hours
38–42
hours per week
Day-to-day tasks
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
Skills needed
- 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 get into this role
You can get into this job through:
- a university course
- an apprenticeship
Career progression
With experience, you could move into:
- lead engineer roles
- project team management
- safety and legal compliance
- crash investigation
- consultancy work
- motorsport