Production and Process Engineer

Production and process engineers work in factories and workshops to make sure things are made well and quickly. They find ways to make the process faster and cheaper, spot problems, and help factories run smoothly.

Production and Process Engineer

28

Engineering and Technology

AI IMPACT
AI CAN DO28%moving to73%
THE DOOR, NOWB
THE DOOR, 20 YRSD
STARTING PAY£30,000 - £38,000
MOAT NOT YET CLASSIFIEDA real score, but the moat is not yet classified. No claim either way.
AI can do very little of this work today
Hands-on work, caring for people and dealing with the real world are among the hardest things to automate, and this job leans on them. We have not yet formally classified its moat, so we make no claim either way, but the exposure score speaks for itself.

Career progression path

1FIRST STEPJunior Production EngineerAs a Junior Production Engineer, you will assist in the analysis of production processes and support senior engineers in implementing improvements. This role is ideal for recent graduates looking to gain hands-on experience in a fast-paced environment.£30,000 - £38,000
2GAINING EXPERIENCEMid-Level Process EngineerIn this role, you will take on more responsibility, leading projects to optimise production processes and collaborating with various departments. Your analytical skills will be crucial in driving efficiency and ensuring quality standards are met.£45,000 - £55,000
3PEAK CAREERSenior Production EngineerAs a Senior Production Engineer, you will oversee large-scale projects, mentor junior engineers, and drive strategic initiatives to enhance production capabilities. Your leadership will be vital in shaping the future of manufacturing within your organisation.£70,000+
There is more than one way in

You do not have to go the university route to get here. There is an apprenticeship route into this career. There is also a vocational route that skips a degree entirely.

Careermash

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AI EXPOSURE = the share of a job's day-to-day tasks AI can already do today, from the same exposure engine used across this site (Anthropic labour market research, 2026, observed real-world AI usage by occupation). Higher means more exposed. It is a measurement of now, not a prediction. THE DOOR = how hard the job is to get into, grade A (easy) to E (extremely hard), from each career's published forecast (OpenAI, "The AI Jobs Transition Framework", Richmond 2026, CC BY 4.0). A card marked MOAT NOT YET CLASSIFIED has a real exposure score but no entry yet in our moat register, so we make no claim about what structurally protects it. Scorecard grades and verdicts are Careermash editorial judgment: we show forecasts as forecasts and own our conclusions. Salary and pathway figures are each career's own published profile. Careermash is a service provided by What School Ltd.

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