Amtec Hiring Guides

How to Hire Design Engineers in Las Vegas

Amtec Hiring Guides

How to Hire Design Engineers in Las Vegas

Current Environment

Rarely does an engineering job offer as much creative freedom as a design engineer. It is truly a left-brain, right-brain combination, requiring the technical and mechanical skills of the engineering field with the increasingly important creative vision for design aesthetics, functionality, and user experience.

The job is about taking conceptual ideas, for example, a product design, and transforming the idea into a real product.

Design engineers are tasked with making products that look good and are easy and safe to use. They also need analytical skills to ensure the product can be made cost-effectively and efficiently.

The field is a close cousin to mechanical engineering, and people in these two disciplines often work together on project teams

The field is broad, and many different industries and types of companies need to hire design engineers.

Engineering Disciplines That Need Design Engineers

  • Aerospace
  • Manufacturing
  • Architecture
  • Construction
  • Civil
  • Mechanical
  • Electrical
  • Chemical
  • Textile
  • Nuclear
  • Structural

History

An article in Interesting Engineering, a publication dedicated to the art of engineering, explained how to first Computer-aided Design CAD system called Sketchpad developed in 1963 started the field of electronically rendering engineering designs.

Starting around the mid-1970s, as computer-aided design software systems began to provide more capability than just an ability to reproduce manual drafting. By the late 80s and early 90s, with CAD systems now able to include engineering calculations in designs, systems expanded rapidly and became capable enough to be practical in design engineering.

Now, new tools and technology, including computer-aided design tools, 3D printers, and even virtual reality are expanding what design engineers are capable of doing.

Will COVID-19 Affect the design engineering Field?

The COVID-19 pandemic has affected employment and the job market, however many sectors of the engineering field have played a critical role in combatting the virus.

National Academy of Engineering President John Anderson pointed out that “engineer” is an action-oriented verb, and engineers have been critical in so many areas of pandemic management. “Engineers consider themselves problem solvers and also creators. We create products, processes, and systems that address economic and societal needs,” said Anderson.

With this need for continued innovation in many industries, opportunities are not expected to decrease.

How will Recruiting design engineers Help Your Company?

How will Hiring design engineers Help Your Company?

Recruiting the top design engineers can ensure you have the right expertise on the team for design, documentation, development, manufacturing, and testing and improvement of both physical and digital products, systems, and equipment. As mentioned previously, these roles are a necessary component for companies in many industries.

When building a successful team, it’s important to consider how new design resources will align with your current team.

Fill the Knowledge Gap

If your current team members do not have a strong knowledge of the most current software systems for design, you have an opportunity to fill the gaps. You can source candidates that excel with a particular skill or fluency in software systems for engineering.

Creative Flair

Creativity is another area that is key for design engineers. When you are looking for recruits, ask for samples of previous design work. With design engineering, looks and function go hand-in-hand.

design engineer Details

Responsibilities

To help you the best design engineers in Las Vegas, here are some of the details of the job.

The design engineer usually works with a team of other engineers, as well as designers and creative teams, such as marketing, to develop conceptual and detailed designs for products. This can involve developing prototypes to ensure the product or system functions as it is supposed to and is fit for its purpose.

A career in design engineering allows a lot of variety as almost every consumer product imaginable for large-scale production— automobiles, phones, consumer electronics, medical equipment, kitchen appliances, software, and the list goes on.

A few additional responsibilities include:

  • Study, research and develop ideas for new products and the systems used to make them.
  • Modify existing products or processes to increase efficiency or improve performance.
  • Work with marketers to develop the product concept and specifications to meet customer needs, and may direct the design effort.
  • Develop (or work with specialists) to ensure a high-quality user experience for digital products.
  • Design engineers typically work closely with industrial engineers, electrical engineers, and mechanical engineers on project teams.

Looking for another position? View other positions we place in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Education

Often colleges and universities that have programs in the design engineering field offer specialties or concentrations such as:

  • Design engineering
  • Electrical design engineering
  • Mechanical engineering
  • Product design
  • Visual design engineering

Though some design engineer jobs require a master’s degree or doctorate, many project engineer jobs only require a bachelor’s degree, experience in the industry, and skills.

U.S. News and World Report ranked the top 3 undergraduate colleges for engineering (those that also offer a doctorate).

These programs train students in the principles of engineering and offer specialized courses in design engineering and its many specialized facets. Armed with a degree, graduates have a multitude of opportunities to work for large or small companies that need design and engineering skills to design both physical and digital products.

Top Schools

  • Massachusetts Institute of Technology

  • University of California Berkeley

  • Georgia Institute of Technology

Salary Range

design engineers in the U.S.

$62k
Low
$103k
Average
$150k
High
960k

Total design engineers Employed in the U.S.

88.6%

Men

11.4%

Women

design engineer Salary Comparison

National

Nationally, annual compensation for design engineers ranges between $62,000 for entry-level and $150,000 for seasoned project engineers. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, there were 960,000 project engineers employed in 2019, with just 11.4% of those employed being women. It is estimated the 12.8% are Asian, 5.8% Black or African American, 8% Hispanic or Latino, and 79.6% are white.

The median annual wage for design engineers is $103,000 compared with $94,500, the median annual wage for all engineers.

Nevada

The average annual salary for design engineers in Nevada was 96k in 2019. The hourly wage averaged $46.

For more detailed compensation information for design engineers in Las Vegas, download our free compensation/salary report below.

Working in Las Vegas

Known as the Entertainment Capital of the World, the Gambling Capital of the World, the Marriage Capital of the World, and the Neon Capital of the World, Las Vegas is an entertainment-driven town. It’s also known as  the place where anything goes, and this no boundaries perception has given have given the town its reputation.

But there’s a very productive business side to the city. While driven by tourism, there are many other industries represented in the city. The city’s convention center, a massive 4.6 million-square-foot facility, and attracts business people from around the world.

Do design engineers consider the city of Las Vegas a good place to live and work? Here’s a “pros and cons” list assembled from the online comments of Las Vegas residents.

 

 

Pros

    • Money. From the perspective of taxes, Las Vegas is a great place to live and work (or own a business). Residents of the state of Nevada do not pay state income tax. Nevada is one of only seven states in the U.S. with no personal income tax and one of five states with no corporate income tax.
    • More money. Las Vegas hotel-casino operators covered roughly 45% of State General Fund revenues in 2014. This equates to residents enjoying the third lowest state and local taxes in the U.S., and super low property taxes.
    • Less expensive real estate. According to Redfin, the median sale price for a home in Las Vegas is $314,000, up 9.4% year-over-year. Compared to cities in California, the cost of living is lower.
    • The great outdoors. A Las Vegas local outlined a bunch of beautiful spots to hike or climb within an hour of the city, and many national parks are just a little further.
    • More common threads in the “pros” column: Good weather, no mosquitos, a good airport, and, of course, there is always somewhere to go, something to do, and something to eat.
    • Amtec helps build high-performance teams in Las Vegas through its recruitment and staffing services.

On the other hand, there are some common complaints about the city.

Cons

    • It’s hot. In the summer, the temp is often 110 degrees. Also, the desert climate means there are not the traditional four seasons.
    • Too many tourists. Las Vegas gets over 42 million annual visitors! People from all over the country and the world visit the city for vacation, work, and play.
    • No more buffets. One thing that used to be on the “pros” list for living in Las Vegas was buffets, elaborate buffets, and supremely over-the-top buffets. Sadly for buffet fans, the pandemic forced these establishments to close, and it’s not expected that many will return.

Current Weather

Not your city? View other cities where we place design engineers.

Demand for design engineers in Las Vegas

Demand for design engineers in Las Vegas

Although the U.S.Bureau of Labor Statistics does not list this title specifically, the position is very similar in scope and qualifications to a mechanical engineer. Based on this data, employment is expected to grow about 4% from 2019 to 2019, which is about as fast as the average for all occupations.

Design and mechanical engineers are essential for various manufacturing industries, particularly automotive manufacturing. Engineers are needed to continually improve the looks and performance of automobiles, and the range and performance of hybrid and electric cars. However, employment declines in some manufacturing industries could temper the overall employment growth of design engineers.

The supply of candidates and demand for open positions have a direct correlation to a company's ability to hire. Download a free Supply and Demand report for design engineers in Las Vegas, Nevada below.

How to Hire the Best design engineers

Finding and hiring the best design engineer candidates can save you money right away and well into the future.

The costs of making a bad hire are well documented. The cost can run as much as 30% of the employee's first-year earnings according to the US Department of Labor. Bad hires can cost a whopping $240,000 in expenses related to hiring, compensation, and retention per The Undercover Recruiter. 74% of companies who admit they've hired the wrong person for a position lost an average of $14,900 for each bad hire according to CareerBuilder. These statistics support our long-held position that behavioral questions are the best way to get to know your candidates and past behavior is the best indicator of future performance.

Recruiting Best Practices

The information below comes from the best practices Amtec uses for finding the highest quality candidates.

Defining the Position

When defining the role you are creating, we recommend a position profile to fully evaluate the position you are hiring for. You must decide if the engineer can work remotely or must work in Nevada. If working in Las Vegas is essential, make sure you include that in your job posting so candidates can decide how many miles they can commute.

How to Source the Best Candidates

When you are looking to source the best quality candidates for your open positions, make sure you have done the legwork to hire an "A Player". You can do this by making sure your company's perspective is aligned with the current market, you have taken into account the job responsibilities, as well as what type of characteristics you are looking for to fit your company culture. Then proceed to write a job posting to attract high-quality candidates.

Characteristics of design engineers

Find the Best Design Engineers

If you need to recruit the sharpest design engineers:

  • Look for candidates who have exemplary knowledge of the software, systems, and tools required for the job.
  • The best candidates are focused, self-motivated, and innovative.
  • Consider candidates who will best fit your current company culture and team environment.
  • Partner with a recruiting agency that specializes in engineering to find the best candidates.

How to Screen Candidates

You wrote a job posting, posted the position online, and received a lot more resumes than you’d bargained for! Next comes the enormous task of sorting through those resumes to eliminate the ones that are clearly not a good fit. Now, you have a stack of resumes for candidates who have potential. So how do you go about screening the remaining candidates?

It starts on the phone! As a recruiter, the goal of your telephone screening is to learn more about your candidates. You can confirm that they have the educational qualifications and relevant experience, but you also need to determine if they would fit into your company's culture. To make this job easier, use a system to consistently evaluate results. This way you can equally and objectively compare candidates and evaluate their "soft skills", like communication and thinking process. Download Amtec's Professional Assessment Questionnaire below to help with screening candidates.

Free Professional Assessment Questionnaire

An individually customized questionnaire that helps assess a candidate's competence with written communication skills, thinking processes, and other relevant skills.

How to Interview Candidates

At Amtec, we believe in the power of behavoral interview questions to go beyond the experience and skills listed on the candidate's resume. Although you will want to confirm in the interview that the candidate does indeed have the experience listed on their resume, your assessment needs to go much deeper than that. An interview using behavioral questions can help you determine how well the candidate will fit with your company culture.

Download Amtec's best practices on conducting super effective interviews to find the best candidates and fill your open jobs.

Behavioral Interview Guide

Get the info you need to hire the best design engineers

Free Interview Guide