Summary
Architectural and engineering managers plan, direct, and coordinate activities in architectural and engineering companies
What they do
Architectural and engineering managers typically do the following:
- Make detailed plans for the development of new products and designs
- Determine staff, training, and equipment needs
- Propose budgets for projects and programs
- Hire and supervise staff
- Lead research and development projects to produce new products, processes, or designs
- Check the technical accuracy of their staff’s work
- Ensure the soundness of methods their staff uses
- Coordinate work with other staff and managers
Architectural and engineering managers use their knowledge of architecture or engineering to oversee a variety of activities. They may direct and coordinate building activities at construction sites or activities related to production, operations, quality assurance, testing, or maintenance at manufacturing sites.
Architectural and engineering managers are responsible for developing the overall concept of a new product or for solving the technical problems that prevent the completion of a project. To accomplish this, they must determine technical goals and produce detailed plans.
Architectural and engineering managers spend a great deal of time coordinating the activities of their staff with the activities of other staff or organizations. They often confer with other managers, including those in finance, production, and marketing, as well as with contractors and equipment and materials suppliers.
In addition, architectural and engineering managers must know how to prepare budgets, hire staff, and supervise employees. They propose budgets for projects and programs and determine staff, training, and equipment needs. These managers must also hire people and assign them specific parts of each project to carry out. Architectural and engineering managers supervise the work of their employees, set schedules, and create administrative procedures.
Work Environment
Most architectural and engineering managers work in offices, although some may also work in research laboratories and industrial production plants or at construction sites.
How to become an Architectural and Engineering Manager
Architectural and engineering managers typically need at least a bachelor’s degree and considerable work experience as an architect or engineer.
Most architectural and engineering managers have at least a bachelor’s degree in an engineering specialty or a master’s degree in architecture.
Some also obtain business management skills by completing a master’s degree in engineering management (MEM or MsEM) or technology management (MSTM) or a master’s degree in business administration (MBA). Some workers earn their master’s degree before advancing to management positions, and others earn it while they work as a manager. Typically, those who prefer to manage in technical areas pursue an MsEM or MSTM and those interested in more general management skills earn an MBA.
Engineering management programs usually include classes in accounting, engineering economics, financial management, industrial and human resources management, and quality control.
Technology management programs typically provide instruction in production and operations management, project management, computer applications, quality control, safety and health issues, statistics, and general management principles.
Pay
The median annual wage for architectural and engineering managers was $144,830 in May 2019. The median wage is the wage at which half the workers in an occupation earned more than that amount and half earned less. The lowest 10 percent earned less than $92,510, and the highest 10 percent earned more than $208,000.
Job Outlook
Employment of architectural and engineering managers is projected to grow 3 percent from 2019 to 2029, about as fast as the average for all occupations. Many of the new jobs for architectural and engineering managers are expected to be in computer systems design and related services and in consulting firms.
Demand for civil engineering services is expected to continue as the nation’s aging infrastructure requires expansion and repair. Mechanical and electrical engineering services also should be needed for projects such as wind turbine farms and other renewable energy construction and design.
Similar Job Titles
Civil Engineering Manager, Electrical Engineering Manager, Engineering Director, Engineering Group Manager, Engineering Program Manager, Mechanical Engineering Manager, Process Engineering Manager, Project Engineering Manager, Project Manager, Supervisory Civil Engineer
Related Occupations
Architect, Civil Engineer, Transportation Engineer, Fire-Prevention and Protection Engineer, Energy Engineer
More Information
The trade associations listed below represent organizations made up of people (members) who work and promote advancement in the field. Members are very interested in telling others about their work and about careers in those areas. As well, trade associations provide opportunities for organizational networking and learning more about the field’s trends and directions.
- Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology
- American Chemical Society
- American Institute of Chemical Engineers
- American Institute of Engineers
- American Society for Engineering Education
- American Society for Engineering Management
- American Society of Civil Engineers
- ASHRAE
- IEEE
- National Council of Examiners for Engineering and Surveying
Magazines and Publications
- AEC Magazine
- Civil Engineering
- Civil and Structural Engineering Magazine
- Dezeen
- Architectural Digest
Video Transcript
Behind the construction of every building, road, and crucial network of piping is an architectural and engineering manager. They are the leaders who research and develop new projects and ensure high standards of quality and safety, while also considering the impact on the environment and user needs. These managers craft detailed plans to meet technical goals, from mapping out training, staff, and equipment needs, to evaluating welding subcontractors and asphalt grades, to calculating the structural stability of a building site. Based on this research, they propose budgets and lead teams of architects and engineers to execute the project. Architectural and engineering managers often work more than 40 hours per week to meet deadlines and budgets. While many work in offices, it’s also fairly common to work in a lab or on a construction site. They typically enter the position with at least a bachelor’s degree in either architecture or an engineering specialty. They must have very thorough work experience in the field to earn a management role, and may add a second degree in business administration or in a related field.
Content retrieved from: US Bureau of Labor Statistics-OOH www.bls.gov/ooh,
CareerOneStop www.careeronestop.org, O*Net Online www.onetonline.org