Table 1Transition record

contract engineertoresearch engineer

A contract engineer already meets 42% of what the research engineer role asks for. The move turns on 5 required skills not yet in the profile.

From contract engineer

42%

Overlap1

To research engineer

10 Skills carried over

5 Required, not held

56.5 Difficulty2

adjacent 0–30

moderate 30–55

substantial 55–75

career change 75–100

this move, 56.5

This move: 56.5 of 100 · substantial

1 Share of the research engineer role’s weighted skill requirement already met by the contract engineer profile. Required skills count in full, supplementary skills at 0.35. Directional: the figure for the reverse move differs. 2 Combines what is missing with how specialised it is, so a gap of general skills scores easier than the same number of narrow ones.

Table 2

Table 2 · What you already bring

Of the 10 skills that carry over, these are the ones fewest other occupations ask for. A research engineer role needs them, and most people applying for one will not have them already. This is the part of a contract engineer background worth leading with.

Skill the target role also needs Area

already held interpret technical requirements information skills
already held manage engineering project management skills
already held define technical requirements management skills
already held project management business, administration and law
already held use technical drawing software working with computers
already held technical drawings engineering, manufacturing and construction

All 10 carried skills, including the 9 the research engineer role treats as required.

Table 3

Table 3 · What you would need to learn

The 27 missing skills fall into 12 areas of the ESCO skill hierarchy, numbered below in the order worth working in: the areas carrying the most required skills come first, and inside each one the required skills sit above the supplementary ones.

Skill to acquire Tier

01 information skills 2 required, 2 supplementary

required, not held execute feasibility study required
required, not held gather experimental data required

optional, not held conduct experiments on animals optional
optional, not held use mathematical tools and equipment optional

02 engineering, manufacturing and construction 1 required, 3 supplementary

required, not held industrial research and development required

optional, not held battery design optional
optional, not held industrial engineering optional
optional, not held materials engineering optional

03 education 1 required

required, not held scientific research methodology required

04 handling and moving 1 required

required, not held collect samples for analysis required

05 natural sciences, mathematics and statistics 4 supplementary

optional, not held computational mechanics optional
optional, not held bioeconomy optional
optional, not held laboratory techniques optional
optional, not held physics optional

06 communication, collaboration and creativity 3 supplementary

optional, not held adjust engineering designs optional
optional, not held assist scientific research optional
optional, not held write manuals optional

6 further areas in the appendix

Table 4

Table 4 · Where to start

The 3 entries a research engineer role is least likely to hire without. The ordering is computed from the skill data, not from what pays.

Each entry opens a course search for that skill. Career Overlap earns nothing from these links.

Appendix

Appendix · The rest of the record

All 10 skills that carry over

Skill Type

already held define technical requirements skill
already held engineering principles knowledge
already held engineering processes knowledge
already held interpret technical requirements skill
already held manage engineering project skill
already held perform scientific research skill
already held project management knowledge
already held technical drawings knowledge
already held use technical drawing software skill
already held perform project management skill

The 6 learning areas not shown above

Skill to acquire Tier

07 working with machinery and specialised equipment 3 supplementary

optional, not held use non-destructive testing equipment optional
optional, not held perform laboratory tests optional
optional, not held run laboratory simulations optional

08 information and communication technologies (icts) 2 supplementary

optional, not held cognitive computing optional
optional, not held CAD software optional

09 management skills 2 supplementary

optional, not held apply advanced manufacturing optional
optional, not held develop test procedures optional

10 assisting and caring 1 supplementary

optional, not held apply safety procedures in laboratory optional

11 generic programmes and qualifications 1 supplementary

optional, not held scientific literature optional

12 working with computers 1 supplementary

optional, not held use CAD software optional

22 supplementary skills, helpful but not required

Skill to acquire Tier

optional, not held apply safety procedures in laboratory optional
optional, not held battery design optional
optional, not held cognitive computing optional
optional, not held computational mechanics optional
optional, not held conduct experiments on animals optional
optional, not held use non-destructive testing equipment optional
optional, not held CAD software optional
optional, not held adjust engineering designs optional
optional, not held apply advanced manufacturing optional
optional, not held assist scientific research optional
optional, not held bioeconomy optional
optional, not held develop test procedures optional
optional, not held industrial engineering optional
optional, not held laboratory techniques optional
optional, not held materials engineering optional
optional, not held perform laboratory tests optional
optional, not held physics optional
optional, not held run laboratory simulations optional
optional, not held scientific literature optional
optional, not held use CAD software optional
optional, not held use mathematical tools and equipment optional
optional, not held write manuals optional

23 held skills the research engineer role does not ask for

Skill Type

not needed by the target role assess financial viability skill
not needed by the target role assess supplier risks skill
not needed by the target role build business relationships skill
not needed by the target role carry out tendering skill
not needed by the target role compare contractors' bids skill
not needed by the target role construction industry knowledge
not needed by the target role consult with technical staff skill
not needed by the target role contract law knowledge
not needed by the target role cost management knowledge
not needed by the target role ensure compliance with purchasing and contracting regulations skill
not needed by the target role handle customer complaints skill
not needed by the target role identify suppliers skill
not needed by the target role issue sales invoices skill
not needed by the target role labour legislation knowledge
not needed by the target role maintain contract administration skill
not needed by the target role manage budgets skill
not needed by the target role manage contract disputes skill
not needed by the target role manage contracts skill
not needed by the target role manage sub-contract labour skill
not needed by the target role manage tender processes skill
not needed by the target role meet contract specifications skill
not needed by the target role perform contract compliance audits skill
not needed by the target role tax legislation knowledge

12 gaps that are knowledge rather than practice

Knowledge gaps usually close through study. Practical skill gaps usually need something you can point at.

Skill to acquire Tier

required, not held industrial research and development required
required, not held scientific research methodology required
optional, not held battery design optional
optional, not held cognitive computing optional
optional, not held computational mechanics optional
optional, not held CAD software optional
optional, not held bioeconomy optional
optional, not held industrial engineering optional
optional, not held laboratory techniques optional
optional, not held materials engineering optional
optional, not held physics optional
optional, not held scientific literature optional

Index

Other moves recorded from contract engineer

Full index of moves from contract engineer

Note

How this record was compiled

Both occupations are taken from ESCO, which lists the skills and knowledge each occupation is expected to have and marks every one required or optional. Nothing here is a prediction about hiring, and nothing here knows that a particular employer wants a particular certificate. Treat Table 3 as a starting point for your own research rather than a syllabus. The full method states what these figures can and cannot tell you.