To become a proposal engineer, you need to have a college degree and some extensive experience in estimating costs within a particular field of engineering. Specific education requirements for those wanting to become a proposal engineer include a bachelor's degree in engineering and relevant experience. A proposal engineer may work in any number of fields so candidates for this job should concentrate on a specific area of of work. If you want to become a proposal engineer, the specific duties for your particular job will depend upon the area of engineering in which you may work. The general requirements include knowledge of the industry-relevant equipment, processes, standards and materials as well as preparation of commercial proposals for various projects.
Education for those wanting to become a proposal engineer is determined by the field in which they wish to work. The minimum requirement is a bachelor's degree in a specific area of engineering. For example, an electrical systems and equipment proposal engineer will likely have at least a bachelor's degree in electrical engineering. A proposal engineer working in the field of construction will likely need a bachelor's degree in civil engineering. Some companies may require a master's degree or a minimum of several years experience in the particular field.
Experience with and knowledge of the types of equipment and processes associated within a specific engineering discipline is critical in this job. Anyone who wants to become a proposal engineer will need to focus their education into a single, area of engineering. A proposal engineer who works in the oil and gas industry needs training and experience with drilling equipment, pipeline function, geology, and offshore equipment and technology.
Proposal engineers create and develop proposals and related documents that contain cost estimates, and schedules and coordinate with various vendors or contractors in other technical or engineering disciplines, so interpersonal skills are critical. They must work with various types of people, such as executives within their own company as well as service providers. Some proposal engineer positions are also management positions. Knowing a foreign language can also be useful if the company or organization for which you want to work is international in scope.
