Description

Engineering managers are heads of entire engineering teams, supervising all activities involved in the development and execution of engineering projects.

Engineering managers engage in strategic planning with responsibility for setting goals and operating procedures, hiring staff members and fostering their professional development, and attracting new business by building client relationships and writing project proposals. To execute individual assignments, engineering managers need to possess excellent project management skills. They develop plans for new projects, negotiate contracts with vendors and clients, and allocate department resources to ensure successful project completion. Organization skills are also needed to manage budgets, schedules, and coordinate workflow among their team members, other departments in their organization, and external project stakeholders. 

Engineering managers in the HVAC/R field use their technical expertise to oversee design work, troubleshoot mechanical challenges that their staff encounter, perform quality checks, ensure compliance with industry standards and building codes, and directly lead design and engineering work for large, complex projects. They must be critical thinkers and detail-oriented to carry out job duties with accuracy.

Engineering managers need to demonstrate excellent leadership and communication to motivate and manage their team. Strong analytical and problem-solving skills are essential to make optimal decisions. Resilience and self-motivation are other important qualities for engineering managers to possess. 

Engineering managers generally work in offices, but they may also work onsite at project locations to supervise implementation of their team’s design and engineering work. Most positions are full-time, and some engineering managers work additional hours to meet deadlines.

Job Outlook

According to the New York State Department of Labor, there are approximately 6,000 architectural and engineering managers in New York State. The Department projects this occupation to grow by 850 jobs between 2020 and 2030, which reflects a relatively small projected growth rate and a modest number of expected job openings compared to other occupations.

Entering the Field

Engineering managers need to have a bachelor’s degree in engineering and extensive work experience (15 or more years, on average) that reflects their leadership capabilities. Although job advertisements posted online in 2022 for engineering managers in the HVAC/R field did not indicate the need for an advanced degree, nearly one-third (30%) of workers in the overall occupation (architectural and engineering managers in New York State across all industries and specialized fields) have a master’s degree. Some design engineers in the HVAC/R field pursue advanced study in mechanical engineering, and others pursue master’s in engineering management or business administration to hone their management skills. Having a New York State Professional Engineer’s License is typical for most candidates. 

Wages

In New York State, the median wage for architectural and engineering managers is approximately $169,600. Entry-level workers earn about $121,100 and experienced workers earn about $204,600.

Annual Wage (Q1 2023 dollars, rounded to 100s) – Statewide and by Labor Market Region

Source: New York State Department of Labor, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics Survey, SOC Code 11-9041 (Architectural and Engineers Managers)

Employers

Engineering managers may lead teams of mechanical engineers at professional services firms that provide engineering design and consulting services for HVAC/R machinery and systems, manufacturers of HVAC/R equipment and parts, and government agencies. Alternative job titles for these positions include chief engineer and director of engineering.

The top three employers with the most online job advertisements in each region in 2022 are listed below. (Some regions did not have at least three employers that posted relevant ads.)

Capital Region

• H2M Architects + Engineers
• WSP

Central New York

• Carrier Corporation
• Intertek
• Bristol-Myers Squibb 

Finger Lakes

• L3Harris Technologies
• Stark Technical Group
• Erdman Anthony and Associates

Hudson Valley

• Greenman & Pedersen
• Crestron Electronics
• Gannett

Long Island 

• H2M Architects + Engineers
• Brookhaven National Laboratory
• Pall Corporation

Mohawk Valley (Employers did not post any job ads online in 2022.)

New York City

• Mantis Innovation
• Smith Engineering
• Johnson Controls

North Country (Employers did not post any job ads online in 2022.)

Southern Tier

• Corning Inc.

Western New York

• Stark Technical Group
• BGC Partners
• Eco-Bat Technologies Ltd.

Source: Lightcast™. 2022.

Labor Unions

Engineering managers who design HVAC/R systems in the private sector are typically not union members, but those who work for government agencies may be members of a public union. Check with public unions that represent government workers in the local community to see if their members include engineers in supervisory roles.

Education and Training Programs

Bachelor’s and graduate-level degree programs in engineering are offered at schools across New York State. Almost all the institutions listed in the table below offer degrees specifically in mechanical engineering, which is particularly relevant to the HVAC/R field.  Some also offer master’s programs in engineering management. Graduate programs in business administration are available at some of these schools as well as others throughout the state. Check with local colleges and universities for business programs.

Related Jobs

No connections for this senior-level position