There are many ways to become a manufacturing test engineer or a test development engineer. Generally, a person needs experience in a manufacturing facility, and often the employer requires that the experience be in the same field as the job. Employers usually require an applicant to have a college education, but sometimes they will take people who have only a high school diploma and experience. Many companies have educational benefits and offer to pay a percentage or all of an employee's college expenses. This is one of the best ways to become a manufacturing test engineer.
A test engineer creates testing processes and designs test machines in accordance with the company's quality policy. Often it is advantageous to know various quality and manufacturing programs, such as Six Sigma or Lean manufacturing practices. To become a manufacturing test engineer, most applicants need to have working knowledge of machinery, such as the electrical systems and mechanical apparatuses.
Job requirements vary, depending on each company’s preferences and the type of industry. Generally, manufacturers prefer that the applicant have a bachelor's degree or its equivalent, plus experience in manufacturing. A few companies require more education or specialized training, but others are willing to hire entry-level applicants. When a manufacturer requires a college education, generally it prefers the degree be in mechanical, electrical, or computer science. Sometimes it is necessary to have a different degree, such as in chemistry.
Almost every manufacturing company needs a test engineer. A person can choose a career in an area that interests him or her, such as electronics or automotive. Specialty firms need test engineers to make products such as ophthalmic instruments, rubber seals, and paper products. Each of these products is in a different field, and a test engineer needs to have a strong working knowledge of the field in order to create appropriate tests and testing equipment. To become a manufacturing test engineer in a pharmaceutical company, a person needs different skills than a test engineer who works in a factory that makes drive shafts.
A few companies allow a person to become a manufacturing test engineer at an entry level with limited education and experience. This normally varies from company to company. Another determining factor may be the skills that a test engineer needs to process and test the products. Some procedures require minimum equipment skills, while others require extensive knowledge of physics, chemistry, or other expertise.