Automotive Engineers
Develop new or improved designs for vehicle structural members, engines, transmissions, or other vehicle systems, using computer-assisted design technology. Direct building, modification, or testing of vehicle or components.
Most important skills
- Critical Thinking
- Complex Problem Solving
- Reading Comprehension
- Writing
- Speaking
- Mathematics
- Judgment and Decision Making
- Active Listening
Key knowledge
- Engineering and Technology
- Physics
- Mathematics
- Mechanical
- Design
- Computers and Electronics
- Transportation
- English Language
What the work involves
- Read current literature, attend meetings or conferences, or talk with colleagues to stay abreast of new automotive technology or competitive products.
- Establish production or quality control standards.
- Prepare or present technical or project status reports.
- Develop or implement operating methods or procedures.
- Write, review, or maintain engineering documentation.
- Conduct research studies to develop new concepts in the field of automotive engineering.
- Coordinate production activities with other functional units, such as procurement, maintenance, or quality control.
- Provide technical direction to other engineers or engineering support personnel.
Strongest interest areas (O*NET): Realistic, Investigative, Conventional.
Qualifications and licensing
- Most common education
- Bachelor's Degree (71.4% of respondents)
- Related experience
- None (23.8%)
- On-the-job training
- Over 3 months, up to and including 6 months (42.9%)
- Preparation level
- O*NET job zone 4: Job Zone Four: Considerable Preparation Needed
- Licensing
- Not yet verified. Check your state licensing board.
Check before planning
- Licensing for Automotive Engineers is not yet verified for any state: check the state licensing board before planning.
- Projection education uses SOC 17-2141 (detailed_parent); it may describe a broader group.
Limits
- Distributions show what current workers or occupational experts report, not legal minimums.
- Requirements vary by employer and state; time to qualify is not estimated.
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database (USDOL/ETA, CC BY 4.0); BLS Employment Projections · dataset 2026.10.8 · method e3-qualification-1.0.0
Work environment
How the typical conditions of this occupation compare with 911 occupations in O*NET (very low = the lowest fifth).
Levels are relative. Most occupations involve a lot of contact with people, for example, so “very low” can still mean regular contact; the last column shows what workers actually reported.
| Condition | Level | Compared with other occupations | Most common answer (O*NET survey) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Contact with others | Very low | Lower on contact with others than 83% of occupations compared | 43% of surveyed respondents chose “Contact with others most of the time” |
| Dealing with the public | Low | Lower on dealing with the public than 61% of occupations compared | 38% of surveyed respondents chose “Important” |
| Teamwork | Very high | Higher on teamwork than 85% of occupations compared | 70% of surveyed respondents chose “Extremely important” |
| Freedom to make decisions | Low | Lower on freedom to make decisions than 63% of occupations compared | 52% of surveyed respondents chose “Some freedom” |
| Time pressure | Moderate | Lower on time pressure than 50% of occupations compared | 48% of surveyed respondents chose “Once a week or more but not every day” |
| Conflict situations | Moderate | Lower on conflict situations than 59% of occupations compared | 60% of surveyed respondents chose “Once a year or more but not every month” |
| Dealing with unpleasant or angry people | Low | Lower on dealing with unpleasant or angry people than 73% of occupations compared | 50% of surveyed respondents chose “Once a year or more but not every month” |
| Consequence of error | Moderate | Lower on consequence of error than 54% of occupations compared | 43% of surveyed respondents chose “Fairly serious” |
Work-pressure profile
- Time pressure: moderate
- Conflict situations: moderate
- Dealing with unpleasant or angry people: low
- Consequence of error: moderate
Each part is shown on its own. There is no combined stress score, and conditions vary by employer and role.
Full answer distributions
Contact with others
- No contact with others: 0%
- Occasional contact with others: 4.76%
- Contact with others about half the time: 28.57%
- Contact with others most of the time: 42.86%
- Constant contact with others: 23.81%
n = 21, Occupational Expert 08/2022
Dealing with the public
- Not important at all: 0%
- Fairly important: 33.33%
- Important: 38.1%
- Very important: 9.52%
- Extremely important: 19.05%
n = 21, Occupational Expert 08/2022
Teamwork
- Not important at all: 0%
- Fairly important: 0%
- Important: 5%
- Very important: 25%
- Extremely important: 70%
n = 20, Occupational Expert 08/2022
Freedom to make decisions
- No freedom: 0%
- Very little freedom: 0%
- Limited freedom: 23.81%
- Some freedom: 52.38%
- A lot of freedom: 23.81%
n = 21, Occupational Expert 08/2022
Time pressure
- Never: 0%
- Once a year or more but not every month: 0%
- Once a month or more but not every week: 33.33%
- Once a week or more but not every day: 47.62%
- Every day: 19.05%
n = 21, Occupational Expert 08/2022
Conflict situations
- Never: 0%
- Once a year or more but not every month: 60%
- Once a month or more but not every week: 20%
- Once a week or more but not every day: 10%
- Every day: 10%
n = 20, Occupational Expert 08/2022
Dealing with unpleasant or angry people
- Never: 15%
- Once a year or more but not every month: 50%
- Once a month or more but not every week: 20%
- Once a week or more but not every day: 10%
- Every day: 5%
n = 20, Occupational Expert 08/2022
Consequence of error
- Not serious at all: 4.76%
- Fairly serious: 42.86%
- Serious: 14.29%
- Very serious: 33.33%
- Extremely serious: 4.76%
n = 21, Occupational Expert 08/2022
Is this career right for me? Find jobs with conditions you prefer
Where people with this background could move
Find more alternativesCompare skills with another job
O*NET-SOC 17-2141.02 · SOC 17-2141 (detailed_parent, medium confidence) · dataset 2026.10.8