Popular engineering resume samples
Engineering is a versatile career path with lots of different disciplines and job titles. To better understand what a resume looks like in your specific field, check out some of our engineering resume examples. For even more resume examples, visit our resume examples page.
Are you looking for a different job title? Check out these engineering resume examples:
How to write an engineering resume
Whether you’re a seasoned engineer with decades of experience, or a total newcomer fresh out of school, an engineering resume will almost always consist of the same basic building blocks. How you use these building blocks is up to you, but it’s important to make informed decisions based upon your experience, your industry and the specific job listing.
The perfect resume is one that is tailor-made to suit the job that you’re after. As you build your resume, be aware of opportunities to emphasize your engineering skills that stand out from the competition!
A solid resume outline is a great place to start. In this section, we’ll take a closer look at the five parts that make up a resume and some optional sections that can be used to spice things up. These sections are:
Let’s take a look at what belongs in each of these resume sections.
STEP 1
Add your contact info
Your resume header is where you list your contact information. Your name, phone number, email address and even your LinkedIn page should be included in this section. It is crucial that recruiters can easily tell how best to get in touch with you for an interview.
In this section, include:
- Your name
- A professional email address
- Your phone number
- Links to your LinkedIn profile and portfolio, if applicable
STEP 2
Draft a professional summary or resume objective
A resume objective or professional summary is a great way to introduce yourself to potential employers. Candidates with significant engineering experience should use a professional summary.
Professional summaries for engineering resumes should be a concise description of the applicant’s work history, qualifications, skills and accomplishments. A professional summary is all about demonstrating how and why your experience makes you the right candidate.
A resume objective is the perfect alternative for applicants with less relevant experience. Instead of highlighting experience, a resume objective introduces an applicant’s skills, passions and goals. A strong resume objective for engineering applicants is an opportunity to introduce yourself and what makes you unique as an engineer and a candidate.
Professional summary for an engineering resume:
Results-driven and versatile engineer with nine years of experience in diverse industries, including automotive, aerospace and manufacturing. Proven track record in project management, process improvement and complex problem-solving, with a strong focus on quality, safety and innovation. Adept at collaborating with cross-functional teams and utilizing excellent communication skills to optimize project outcomes. Seeking a challenging opportunity to leverage technical expertise and leadership skills to contribute to an organization’s success and continuous growth.
Sample objective for an engineering resume:
Dedicated and highly motivated chemical engineer with a bachelor’s degree in chemical engineering and valuable internship experience in the pharmaceutical and petrochemical industries. Possessing a strong foundation in process design, optimization and safety protocols. Eager to contribute innovative solutions, strong analytical skills and a passion for sustainable development to a growth-oriented organization. Seeking a challenging full-time position where I can further develop my expertise.
STEP 3
List your most relevant skills
Whether you are a seasoned engineer with decades of experience or a newcomer fresh out of school, skills are one of the most important things to communicate on your engineering resume. You may be wondering how to write a skills section, but worry not! It’s simpler than you think.
Resume experts often divide skills into two categories: hard skills and soft skills. Hard skills are the product of learning and experience. You earn hard skills through technical know-how. Soft skills are more subtle. They are the character traits and personal strengths that make you a good fit for the position, such as collaboration and communication skills. Your resume should allow both to shine.
Writing Tip
Use the job listing to inspire the skills that you choose to include on your engineering resume. In the age of applicant tracking systems (ATS), matching the listing is a smart way to help your resume make it into the right hands.
Hard and soft skills for a sales resume
STEP 4
Detail your work experience
The work experience section of your resume is where you get to show your potential employer concrete examples of your skills in action. Describing your work history shows hiring teams that you’re capable of doing work that impacts your organization.
The work experience section of your resume should include a brief summary of your work history, beginning with the most recent position and working backwards. Be sure to include the projects you’ve worked on and the skills that you’ve demonstrated in each position.
Writing Tip
No recruiter wants to read a repetitive laundry list of “responsible for.” Avoid resume cliches and use persuasive action words instead. Describe your responsibilities in terms of the active roles that you’ve played and the impact that you’ve had on the organization. Include real numerical data to make that impact even more tangible for recruiters.
Sample engineering work experience entry:
Mechanical Engineer, Evergreen Technology Solutions
Walnut Creek, CA 05/2021 to Present
- Collaborated with cross-functional teams, including electrical engineers, software developers and product managers, to develop and refine product specifications and requirements.
- Utilized CAD software (SolidWorks, AutoCAD) to design and analyze complex mechanical components, ensuring compliance with industry standards and company guidelines.
- Conducted Finite Element Analysis (FEA) to optimize designs for strength, durability and weight reduction while minimizing manufacturing costs.
- Developed and executed test plans to validate performance, reliability and safety of mechanical systems, using both simulation tools and physical prototyping.
- Identified and resolved design issues through root cause analysis, resulting in a 15% improvement in overall product reliability.
STEP 5
Highlight your education and credentials
The education section of your resume is — you guessed it! — where you should summarize your education.
Begin with your most recent education and work backward. Include information regarding your degree, major and institution. If you have a college education, including your high school diploma is unnecessary. You can also list nontraditional education, like vocational programs or apprenticeships, but these can be put in their own special section instead.
Fellowships, apprenticeships and other nontraditional educational experiences can either be listed here or in a special section.
Sample engineering education entries:
How to include your completed degree:
- Master of Chemical Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA – 2022
- Bachelor of Science in Engineering, Amherst College, Amherst, MA – 2021
How to list a degree that is still in progress:
- Bachelor of Science in Engineering, Amherst College, Amherst, MA – Expected in 06/2024
Writing tip
If your most recent education was more than a few years ago, hold off on including the dates. They may introduce age bias into your resume and they don’t add anything particularly helpful. For recent graduates, those dates are important because they explain the lack of work experience that a recent grad is bound to have.
STEP 6
Add special sections
Depending on both your career progression and your individual story, there may be all sorts of different qualifications that you should include on your resume that don’t fit neatly into other sections. Things like volunteer work, certifications, and awards and achievements can be a terrific asset which helps your resume to stand out. Here are some to consider:
Certifications: In the course of your education, training and career, you may find yourself needing certain certifications to proceed. Even optional certifications are common in many careers and are a great way to show hard proof of your expertise. As long as they’re relevant to the position you’re applying for, certifications should be listed on your engineering resume. Some examples include:
- Professional Engineer (PE)
- Project Management Professional (PMP)
- Certified Quality Engineer (CQE)
- Certified Systems Engineering Professional (CSEP)
Language proficiency: Speaking multiple languages shows both cultural awareness and mental agility. Learning two languages is difficult and those who can use this skill to demonstrate their ability to learn on their resume should take advantage of the opportunity.
Volunteer work: Volunteering is a great way to help your community and demonstrate initiative and character on your resume. The best choices for a volunteering section for your resume are instances where you have volunteered relevant expertise or skills. In the case of an engineer, this may look like volunteering to teach a coding camp to elementary school students at your local community center.
Hobbies & interests: Hobbies and interests add character to your resume. If your hobbies use similar skills to your career, this demonstrates your passion for exercising these abilities. A wide variety of hobbies demonstrates well-roundedness.
Writing tip
Try to limit extra sections to things that are relevant to your career. An interest in action movies is not a great choice for an engineering hobby section, but a passion for digital design is. Never forget to tailor your resume to the specific job that you’re seeking.
Engineering resume examples by experience level
Formatting your resume is a crucial part of the writing process. Your resume should be well-organized and easy to read, while also leaning into your strengths. There are three main resume formats that each offer different advantages.
Let’s take a look at each of these formats in action.
Functional resume format: Entry-level engineering resume example
What makes this a great engineering resume example
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Impressive career objective
Because their experience is shorter, this applicant has chosen a resume objective to introduce their abilities, achievements and career goals.
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Perfect format for an entry-level applicant
Professional experience is scant for most entry-level candidates. Instead, it’d be best to focus on the skills you’ve acquired in school, internships, part-time jobs and volunteer work. Here, the skills are featured in various distinct sections, giving them more space than the experience section.
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Multiple skills sections
This applicant has emphasized their professional skills with not one, but two skills sections. Focusing on skills bridges the gap left by a lack of concrete work experience.
Combination resume format: Midcareer engineering resume example
What makes this a great engineering resume example
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A prominent skills section
The skills section of this resume includes soft skills, like “detail-oriented,” and hard skills, like “data analysis.”
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Work history shows a clear trajectory
Because this individual is more experienced, job history plays a bigger role in their resume. Giving both experience and skills their own space allows this applicant to showcase their work history as well as their expertise.
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The professional summary is well-written
First impressions count, and this candidate opens with a detailed, skills-focused summary that will catch the eye of hiring managers.
Chronological resume format: Experienced engineering resume example
What makes this a great engineering resume example
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Perfect resume format choice
Because this applicant is very experienced, they’ve opted for a chronological format which allows their extensive work history to shine.
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The spotlight is on work experience
Later in your career, work history becomes the focus of a your resume. The experience section of this resume uses the work experience section to drive home the impact of their work through the use of data and metrics.
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Use of additional sections
Including a certifications section is a great call and concretely demonstrates this applicant’s skills.
Add a cover letter
After putting in all that work to write your engineering resume, writing a cover letter on top of that may feel tedious or even redundant. This is not the case. A cover letter is a fantastic opportunity to communicate with hiring managers and recruiters. Your resume is an outline of your skills, competencies, experience and achievements. Your cover letter ties this all together by giving you the chance to explain why these things make you the perfect choice for the job! It is an opportunity that shouldn’t be neglected.
For a better idea of how to tackle a cover letter, check out our library of cover letter examples, as well as our guide to making a cover letter. If the idea of writing your very own cover letter still feels daunting, you can also give our Cover Letter Builder a try. The Cover Letter Builder’s AI uses the information you input to create a customized cover letter in a matter of minutes.
Hailey Brophy is an experienced writer with a diverse career in digital publication. She is passionate about using her unique skills and experiences to help job seekers find the information that they need to succeed.
