Day in the life
A Day in the Life of an Engineering Manager
What engineering managers actually do from the start of a shift to the end: the tasks, tools, schedule and realities of the job.
What is a typical day like for an engineering manager?
Review project dashboards. From there, the day usually includes lead engineering teams, set project goals, and manage budgets. Full time, often more than 40 hours.
Hour by hour: a typical shift
No two days are identical, but this timeline reflects a realistic day for an engineering manager working full time.
- Review project dashboards.
- Lead a design review.
- One-on-one with an engineer.
- Lunch with product leaders.
- Approve a budget change.
- Interview a candidate.
- Plan next quarter.
Where engineering managers work
Engineering managers work in offices, labs and plants.
Hours and schedule
Full time, often more than 40 hours.
Tasks you’ll do most often
- Lead engineering teams
- Set project goals
- Manage budgets
- Review designs
- Hire and coach engineers
- Solve technical problems
- Report to leaders
Tools you’ll use every day
- Project management software
- CAD tools
- ERP systems
- Dashboards
- Jira or similar
- Presentation tools
The best and hardest parts of the job
What people like
- Very high pay
- Lead technical teams
- Shape products
- Strategic role
What’s hard
- Less hands-on engineering
- Budget pressure
- People problems
- Long hours
You’ll likely thrive if…
- I’m an engineer who likes leading
- I like strategy
- I can coach people
- I’m comfortable with budgets
- I want very high pay
- I can let go of some hands-on work
Not sure? Take the free Engineering Manager fit quiz or the Career Match Quiz.
Staying safe on the job
- Ensure designs meet safety codes
- Support a culture of raising concerns
- Follow ethics codes
- Protect data