Manufacturing Engineers

Architecture and Engineering Occupations

O*NET-SOC code: 17-2112.03

Design, integrate, or improve manufacturing systems or related processes. May work with commercial or industrial designers to refine product designs to increase producibility and decrease costs.

Data source: BLSPublished: 2026-08
Very high· relative
LowFour relative bandsVery high
Group-level value
Scale, basis and source
Four relative bands (Low / Moderate / High / Very high)
831 detailed occupations in the BLS Employment Projections table. Assigned per National Employment Matrix (NEM) code, so occupations sharing a NEM code carry the same band
Source dataset (XLSX download)
Data source: AnthropicPublished: 2026-03
0.037
0.000Range of values carried here0.745
Group-level value
Scale, basis and source
Observed exposure index, 0–1 as published
Mapped onto O*NET tasks
Published per SOC 2018 occupation; every O*NET occupation with the same SOC 2018 code carries this value
Source dataset (CSV download)
Data source: ILOPublished: 2025
0.37
0.09Range of values carried here0.70
Group-level value
Scale, basis and source
Generative AI exposure index, 0–1 as published
Published per ISCO-08 unit group. Linked to this occupation, wholly or in part, by applying U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics crosswalks (ISCO-08 to 2010 SOC, 2010 SOC to 2018 SOC) as published
Source dataset (PDF download)

What kind of figure this source publishes

The BLS category is a relative rank, not an absolute level, and it is not a first-hand measurement: it groups an occupation's percentile ranks across several published studies into four bands. It is not an employment or wage forecast, not a probability of adoption, and it does not separate automation from augmentation.

Task-level exposure

Show 21 hidden tasks

24 rated tasks · 22 tasks with β ≥ 0.5 (91.7%)

β = direct exposure (E1) + 0.5 × exposure when tools are available (E2), per the source repository's definition.

Source unit: O*NET 27.2 tasks → O*NET 31.0 occupation code
All rated tasks are in the O*NET 31.0 task list.

Source: OpenAI "GPTs are GPTs" exposure rubric
Release: gh-main-0471612
License: MIT License, Copyright (c) 2024 OpenAI

Tasks of O*NET-SOC 2010 occupation 17-2199.04 Manufacturing Engineers, linked to this occupation by the O*NET-SOC 2010 to 2019 crosswalk

Task (O*NET 20.1)	Claude.aiRaw / share %
Provide technical expertise or support related to manufacturing. 17-2199.04	0.007158.7
Prepare reports summarizing information or trends related to manufacturing performance. 17-2199.04	0.003428.1
Communicate manufacturing capabilities, production schedules, or other information to facilitate production processes. 17-2199.04	0.001613.2

Values in this tab are predicted labels, not observations. Eloundou et al. (2023) published two rating regimes — human raters and GPT-4 — and the β shown here is derived from the GPT-4 rater basis alone; the same task can take a different value under the other regime. The unit and the meaning differ from the observed shares (%) in the other tabs, so do not place them on the same axis.

Task (O*NET 27.2)	βE1 + 0.5 × E2
Prepare documentation for new manufacturing processes or engineering procedures. O*NET Task ID 18178	1.0
Apply continuous improvement methods, such as lean manufacturing, to enhance manufacturing quality, reliability, or cost-effectiveness. O*NET Task ID 18167	0.5
Design layout of equipment or workspaces to achieve maximum efficiency. O*NET Task ID 18168	0.5
Communicate manufacturing capabilities, production schedules, or other information to facilitate production processes. O*NET Task ID 18170	0.5
Design, install, or troubleshoot manufacturing equipment. O*NET Task ID 18172	0.5
Estimate costs, production times, or staffing requirements for new designs. O*NET Task ID 18174	0.5
Evaluate manufactured products according to specifications and quality standards. O*NET Task ID 18175	0.5
Investigate or resolve operational problems, such as material use variances or bottlenecks. O*NET Task ID 18177	0.5
Purchase equipment, materials, or parts. O*NET Task ID 18179	0.5
Review product designs for manufacturability or completeness. O*NET Task ID 18180	0.5
Troubleshoot new or existing product problems involving designs, materials, or processes. O*NET Task ID 18181	0.5
Prepare reports summarizing information or trends related to manufacturing performance. O*NET Task ID 18182	0.5
Provide technical expertise or support related to manufacturing. O*NET Task ID 18183	0.5
Read current literature, talk with colleagues, participate in educational programs, attend meetings or workshops, or participate in professional organizations or conferences to keep abreast of developments in the manufacturing field. O*NET Task ID 18184	0.5
Analyze the financial impacts of sustainable manufacturing processes or sustainable product manufacturing. O*NET Task ID 19649	0.5
Develop sustainable manufacturing technologies to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, minimize raw material use, replace toxic materials with non-toxic materials, replace non-renewable materials with renewable materials, or reduce waste. O*NET Task ID 19650	0.5
Evaluate current or proposed manufacturing processes or practices for environmental sustainability, considering factors such as greenhouse gas emissions, air pollution, water pollution, energy use, or waste creation. O*NET Task ID 19651	0.5
Redesign packaging for manufactured products to minimize raw material use or waste. O*NET Task ID 19652	0.5
Identify opportunities or implement changes to improve manufacturing processes or products or to reduce costs, using knowledge of fabrication processes, tooling and production equipment, assembly methods, quality control standards, or product design, materials and parts. O*NET Task ID 20960	0.5
Incorporate new manufacturing methods or processes to improve existing operations. O*NET Task ID 20961	0.5
Determine root causes of failures or recommend changes in designs, tolerances, or processing methods, using statistical procedures. O*NET Task ID 20962	0.5
Design tests of finished products or process capabilities to establish standards or validate process requirements. O*NET Task ID 20963	0.5
Show 12 more tasks ▾Show less ▴

β = E1 + 0.5 × E2 · E1 = tasks where direct LLM access alone cuts time by at least 50%, E2 = tasks where software built on top of an LLM cuts time by at least 50%. Values take only 0 / 0.5 / 1.0.

Data sources & licenses — O*NET®, Anthropic Economic Index, Eloundou et al. (2023): see full notices on the Credits page

All O*NET 31.0 task statements (24)

All O*NET 31.0 task statements for this occupation (English, as published; task type core or supplemental). Exposure values are not listed here; they are in the table above, next to each task statement as worded in the O*NET version each source used.

Task (O*NET 31.0)	Type
Apply continuous improvement methods, such as lean manufacturing, to enhance manufacturing quality, reliability, or cost-effectiveness.	Core
Design layout of equipment or workspaces to achieve maximum efficiency.	Core
Communicate manufacturing capabilities, production schedules, or other information to facilitate production processes.	Core
Design, install, or troubleshoot manufacturing equipment.	Core
Estimate costs, production times, or staffing requirements for new designs.	Core
Evaluate manufactured products according to specifications and quality standards.	Core
Investigate or resolve operational problems, such as material use variances or bottlenecks.	Core
Prepare documentation for new manufacturing processes or engineering procedures.	Core
Purchase equipment, materials, or parts.	Core
Review product designs for manufacturability or completeness.	Core
Troubleshoot new or existing product problems involving designs, materials, or processes.	Core
Prepare reports summarizing information or trends related to manufacturing performance.	Core
Provide technical expertise or support related to manufacturing.	Core
Read current literature, talk with colleagues, participate in educational programs, attend meetings or workshops, or participate in professional organizations or conferences to keep abreast of developments in the manufacturing field.	Core
Supervise technicians, technologists, analysts, administrative staff, or other engineers.	Core
Train production personnel in new or existing methods.	Core
Analyze the financial impacts of sustainable manufacturing processes or sustainable product manufacturing.	Core
Develop sustainable manufacturing technologies to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, minimize raw material use, replace toxic materials with non-toxic materials, replace non-renewable materials with renewable materials, or reduce waste.	Core
Evaluate current or proposed manufacturing processes or practices for environmental sustainability, considering factors such as greenhouse gas emissions, air pollution, water pollution, energy use, or waste creation.	Core
Identify opportunities or implement changes to improve manufacturing processes or products or to reduce costs, using knowledge of fabrication processes, tooling and production equipment, assembly methods, quality control standards, or product design, materials and parts.	Core
Incorporate new manufacturing methods or processes to improve existing operations.	Core
Determine root causes of failures or recommend changes in designs, tolerances, or processing methods, using statistical procedures.	Core
Design tests of finished products or process capabilities to establish standards or validate process requirements.	Core
Redesign packaging for manufactured products to minimize raw material use or waste.	Supplemental

Employment outlook (BLS)

Values for the whole SOC 17-2112 group (Industrial engineers), not for this O*NET occupation alone.

Employment, 2025: 365K
Projected employment, 2035: 411K
Change (2025–35): +12.4%
Median annual wage, 2025: $102,440
Typical education needed for entry: Bachelor's degree

lowest $30,890median wage across 825 detailed occupations, BLS EP 2025–35highest $559,030

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections 2025–35 — Employment by detailed occupation, 2025 and projected 2035

Korea classification links (KSCO)

Links from the current release of the Korea Occupation Direct Crosswalk v1.1, made by AI Changing Work. Relation values are read from the O*NET-SOC occupation side.

KSCO code	KSCO title	Relation	Status
23423	반도체 공정‧장비 기술자 및 연구원	Related, not a match	reviewed
23922	섬유 공정 개발 기술자 및 연구원	Related, not a match	confirmed
23990	그 외 공학 관련 기술자 및 시험원	Related, not a match	confirmed

Relation and status definitions(kr-direct v1.1)

ILO occupational description

AI Changing Work links the ISCO-08 unit groups below to this occupation by applying the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics crosswalks (2018 SOC to 2010 SOC, 2010 SOC to ISCO-08) as published, without case-by-case selection; each link may be whole or partial.

ISCO-08 2141Industrial and Production Engineers

The definition, tasks and examples below are the ILO's description of that unit group, not of this occupation.

Industrial and production engineers conduct research and design, organize and oversee the construction, operation and maintenance of industrial production processes and installations. They establish programmes for the coordination of manufacturing activities and assess cost effectiveness and safety.

Tasks

(a) studying functional statements, organizational charts and project information to determine functions and responsibilities of workers and work units and to identify areas of duplication;
(b) establishing work measurement programmes and analysing work samples to develop standards for labour utilization;
(c) analysing workforce utilization, facility layout, operational data and production schedules and costs to determine optimum worker and equipment efficiencies;
(d) developing specifications for manufacture, and determining materials, equipment, piping, material flows, capacities and layout of plant and systems;
(e) organizing and managing project labour and the delivery of materials, plant and equipment;
(f) establishing standards and policies for installation, modification, quality control, testing, inspection and maintenance according to engineering principles and safety regulations;
(g) inspecting plant to improve and maintain performance;
(h) directing the maintenance of plant buildings and equipment, and coordinating the requirements for new designs, surveys and maintenance schedules;
(i) advising management on new production methods, techniques and equipment;
(j) liaising with materials buying, storing and controlling departments to ensure a steady flow of supplies.

Example occupations

Industrial efficiency engineer · Industrial engineer · Industrial plant engineer · Production engineer

Sources: ILO ISCO-08 — details: Credits

ESCO occupational vocabulary

Each entry below is matched to this occupation in the published ESCO-O*NET Crosswalk (version 1, 2022). The match types are that crosswalk's; the wording is AI Changing Work's.

manufacturing engineerESCO 2141.3.1Same scope
Manufacturing engineers design manufacturing processes for different kinds of production processes. They integrate those specificities and constraints posed by the industry or the product being produced with general and wide-spread manufacturing engineering principles into the design and planification of manufacturing processes.
leather goods product developerESCO 3119.10This occupation is broader
Leather goods product developers perform and interface between design and actual production. They analyse and study designer’s specifications and transform them into technical requirements, updating concepts to manufacturing lines, selecting or even designing components and selecting materials. Leather goods product developers also perform the pattern engineering meaning to make patterns manually, produce technical drawings for various range of tools, specially cutting. They evaluate prototypes, performing required tests for samples and confirming the customer’s quality requirements and pricing constrains.
industrial engineerESCO 2141.3Overlapping, not the same
Industrial engineers design a vast array of production systems aiming to present efficient and effective solutions. They integrate a varied number of variables such as workers, technology, ergonomics, production flows, and product specifications for the design and implementation of production systems. They can specify and design for microsystems as well.
process engineerESCO 2141.9Overlapping, not the same
Process engineers apply engineering concepts in order to improve all kinds of production and manufacturing processes in terms of efficiency and productivity. They evaluate the variables and constraints present in given processes and present engineering solutions to optimise them.
process engineering technicianESCO 3119.13Overlapping, not the same
Process engineering technicians work closely with engineers to evaluate the existing processes and configure manufacturing systems to reduce cost, improve sustainability and develop best practices within the production process.
production engineerESCO 2141.3.2Overlapping, not the same
Production engineers review and evaluate production performance, perform data analysis and identify under-performing production systems. They search for long or short term solutions, plan production enhancements and process optimizations.
production engineering technicianESCO 3115.1.15Overlapping, not the same
Production engineering technicians plan production, follow up production processes and develop and test solutions to solve technical problems. They work closely with engineers and technologists, inspect products, conduct tests, conduct tests collect data.

Source: European Commission, DG EMPL — ESCO API 2026-08-08 (bridge v1.2.1)

License: CC BY 4.0 (EU Reuse Notice)

View original

ESCO reuse terms and the modification notice are in Credits.

France classification links (ROME)

AI Changing Work's links between this occupation and ROME 4.0 job profiles, judged with AI models. Relations are read from this occupation's side. Links marked “provisional” were adopted on the judgments of two judges from the same model family (Claude) alone, or by an operator rule applied to their judgments, so they rest on weaker evidence than confirmed links.

ROME code	ROME title (French)	Relation
H1402	Ingénieur / Ingénieure méthodes et process	This occupation is broaderprovisional
H1407	Responsable méthodes-industrialisation	Overlapping, not the sameprovisional
H2502	Ingénieur / Ingénieure de production	Related, not a matchprovisional
H2509	Ingénieur / Ingénieure de fonderie ou de forge	Related, not a matchprovisional

Source: France Travail — Répertoire Opérationnel des Métiers et des Emplois (ROME 4.0), version 61, last updated 15 June 2026 (https://www.data.gouv.fr/datasets/repertoire-operationnel-des-metiers-et-des-emplois-rome). Licence Ouverte 2.0.

ROME codes and titles are reproduced unchanged; the links to O*NET-SOC occupations are AI Changing Work's own judgment and are not a France Travail correspondence.

(AI Changing Work link release: fr-direct v1)

Spain classification links (CNO-11)

AI Changing Work's links between this occupation and CNO-11 occupations, judged with AI models. Relations are read from this occupation's side.

CNO-11 code	CNO-11 title (Spanish)	Relation
2431	Ingenieros industriales y de producción	Overlapping, not the same
2461	Ingenieros técnicos industriales y de producción	Overlapping, not the same

Source: Instituto Nacional de Estadística (INE), National Classification of Occupations 2011 (CNO-11, Royal Decree 1591/2010) — www.ine.es · Licensed CC BY 4.0. CNO-11 codes and Spanish titles are reproduced unchanged; the links to O*NET occupations are AI Changing Work's own judgment and are not an INE correspondence.

(AI Changing Work link release: es-direct v1)

Germany classification links (KldB)

AI Changing Work's links between this occupation and KldB occupations, judged with AI models. Relations are read from this occupation's side.

KldB code	KldB title (German)	Relation
27304	Berufe in der technischen Produktionsplanung und -steuerung - hoch komplexe Tätigkeiten	This occupation is narrower
22304	Berufe in der Holzbe- und -verarbeitung (ohne Spezialisierung) - hoch komplexe Tätigkeiten	Related, not a match
24134	Berufe in der industriellen Gießerei - hoch komplexe Tätigkeiten	Related, not a matchprovisional
24524	Berufe in der Werkzeugtechnik - hoch komplexe Tätigkeiten	Related, not a matchprovisional

Source: © Statistik der Bundesagentur für Arbeit — Klassifikation der Berufe 2010 – überarbeitete Fassung 2020, https://statistik.arbeitsagentur.de. KldB codes and titles are reproduced unchanged; the links to O*NET occupations are AI Changing Work's own mapping (eigene Zuordnung) and are not a Bundesagentur für Arbeit correspondence.

(AI Changing Work link release: de-direct v1)

Japan classification links (JSCO)

AI Changing Work's links between this occupation and JSCO occupations, judged with AI models. Relations are read from this occupation's side.

JSCO code	JSCO title (Japanese)	Relation
083	機械技術者（開発を除く）	Overlapping, not the same
082	電気・電子・電気通信技術者（通信ネットワーク技術者を除く）（開発を除く）	Related, not a match
084	自動車技術者（開発を除く）	Related, not a match

Source: Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications (MIC), Japan Standard Occupational Classification (Dec. 2009, MIC Notification No. 555). JSCO codes and Japanese titles are reproduced unchanged; the links to O*NET occupations are AI Changing Work's own judgment and are not a MIC correspondence.

(AI Changing Work link release: jp-direct v1)

Sources, licenses and AI Changing Work's modification and translation notices for this page: Credits & sources