Table 1Transition record

precision engineertoresearch engineer

A precision engineer already meets 47% of what the research engineer role asks for. The move turns on 5 required skills not yet in the profile.

From precision engineer

47%

Overlap1

To research engineer

13 Skills carried over

5 Required, not held

52.5 Difficulty2

adjacent 0–30

moderate 30–55

substantial 55–75

career change 75–100

this move, 52.5

This move: 52.5 of 100 · moderate

1 Share of the research engineer role’s weighted skill requirement already met by the precision 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 13 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 precision engineer background worth leading with.

Skill the target role also needs Area

already held apply advanced manufacturing management skills
already held develop test procedures management skills
already held interpret technical requirements information skills
already held manage engineering project management skills
already held industrial engineering engineering, manufacturing and construction
already held define technical requirements management skills

All 13 carried skills, including the 9 the research engineer role treats as required.

Table 3

Table 3 · What you would need to learn

The 24 missing skills fall into 11 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, 2 supplementary

required, not held industrial research and development required

optional, not held battery design 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

5 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 13 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 apply advanced manufacturing skill
already held develop test procedures skill
already held industrial engineering knowledge
already held use CAD software skill

The 5 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 assisting and caring 1 supplementary

optional, not held apply safety procedures in laboratory optional

10 generic programmes and qualifications 1 supplementary

optional, not held scientific literature optional

11 management skills 1 supplementary

optional, not held perform project management optional

19 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 assist scientific research optional
optional, not held bioeconomy optional
optional, not held laboratory techniques optional
optional, not held materials engineering optional
optional, not held perform laboratory tests optional
optional, not held perform project management optional
optional, not held physics optional
optional, not held run laboratory simulations optional
optional, not held scientific literature optional
optional, not held use mathematical tools and equipment optional
optional, not held write manuals optional

24 held skills the research engineer role does not ask for

Skill Type

not needed by the target role analyse stress resistance of products skill
not needed by the target role analyse test data skill
not needed by the target role calibrate precision instrument skill
not needed by the target role conduct performance tests skill
not needed by the target role define part requirements skill
not needed by the target role design microelectromechanical systems skill
not needed by the target role design principles knowledge
not needed by the target role design prototypes skill
not needed by the target role design scientific equipment skill
not needed by the target role draft design specifications skill
not needed by the target role electrical engineering knowledge
not needed by the target role electronics knowledge
not needed by the target role maintain test equipment skill
not needed by the target role manage product testing skill
not needed by the target role mechanical engineering knowledge
not needed by the target role mechatronics knowledge
not needed by the target role operate precision machinery skill
not needed by the target role operate precision measuring equipment skill
not needed by the target role perform test run skill
not needed by the target role precision engineering knowledge
not needed by the target role precision mechanics knowledge
not needed by the target role product data management knowledge
not needed by the target role record test data skill
not needed by the target role use testing equipment skill

11 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 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 precision engineer

Full index of moves from precision 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.