Engineer CV example
An engineer's CV is read by two people: an HR specialist checking the requirements (education, software, certificates) and a technical manager judging how your project experience would transfer to their company. So the structure has to be clear, and every project needs parameters and results.
The example is generic: adapt it to mechanical, electrical, manufacturing or automation engineering. In foreign-owned plants and engineering firms in Lithuania, the technical manager reading your English CV may work at the parent company abroad, so describe products and processes in terms any engineer would recognise, not by internal names.
CV example
Mechanical engineer designing production line equipment for the food industry. Designed 15 machines from concept to commissioning, 3 of them patented solutions; cut line downtime by 35% by redesigning the packaging unit.
- Designed 15 production machines (SolidWorks) for the food industry, from concept to commissioning at the client's site.
- Redesigned the packaging unit, cutting line downtime by 35% and unit production cost by 12%.
- Led a team of 3 design engineers; introduced a PDM system for drawing management.
- Prepared process sheets and drawings for CNC production (AutoCAD, Inventor); the defect rate fell from 4% to 1.5%.
- Selected and commissioned new laser cutting equipment (a €400,000 investment).
Kaunas University of Technology (KTU), Faculty of Mechanical Engineering and Design: MSc,Mechanical Engineering, 2018
What to put in an engineer CV
The machine's purpose, output, budget, deadline and your role. Numbers are an engineer's natural language, so use it.
SolidWorks, Inventor, AutoCAD, Revit, EPLAN, Siemens TIA Portal: applicant tracking systems (ATS) search for exact matches. State your level too: basic knowledge or daily use.
ISO, CE marking, the EU Machinery Directive, welding or electrical certificates: each is worth a line. Give standards by their international names: a quality manager at a foreign parent company will look for exactly those.
Less downtime, a lower defect rate, lower unit cost, a faster start-up: the things a production manager measures.
Most common mistakes
- Projects described without numbers and without your role (“took part in the project”).
- Leaving out education or certificates that the job ad asks for.
- A software list with no levels: the employer cannot tell an expert from a beginner.
Frequently asked questions
Does an engineer need a cover letter?
For larger manufacturers and international companies, yes; use it to explain which of your projects are closest to their products.
How do I describe my experience if I have worked at one company for a long time?
Break it down by projects or by promotions, each with a result. Ten years on a single line looks like stagnation.
If the ad is in English, does my CV have to be in English too?
Yes. Match the language of the ad, and keep a Lithuanian version up to date for local employers. Translate job titles consistently (a “konstruktorius” is a design engineer), give your degree in its English form (MSc, Mechanical Engineering) and add a few words on what each company makes if its name means nothing outside Lithuania.