Process Engineering Technician
Key facts
Process engineering technicians work closely with engineers to evaluate the existing processes and configure manufacturing systems to reduce cost, improve sustainability and develop best practices within the production process.
Process engineering technicians are essential members of engineering teams, bridging the gap between design and production. Your days will involve analyzing existing manufacturing processes, identifying areas for improvement, and implementing solutions to reduce costs, enhance sustainability, and establish best practices. You'll use your technical skills to configure systems, troubleshoot issues, and ensure processes run smoothly and effectively. This role requires a blend of analytical thinking, practical problem-solving, and a commitment to continuous improvement.
- • Evaluate existing manufacturing processes and identify areas for optimization.
- • Configure and implement new manufacturing systems and equipment.
- • Monitor process performance and troubleshoot issues to ensure efficiency.
Where this occupation is in demand
Reported labour shortages and surpluses, by year. Published for occupation groups, not for individual job titles.
Figures cover Science and engineering associate professionals — 267 jobs including this one.
In shortage: Bulgaria, Denmark, Ireland, Norway.
Longest-running shortage: Norway, 4 years.
Select a place on the map to see its figures.
About this source›
Source: ELA/EURES labour shortages and surpluses. Readings are published at occupation-group level, and cover Europe. Editions differ in annex layout and country coverage, so a change between years does not always mean the labour market changed. Countries in grey were not reported, which is not the same as being in balance.
What these words mean
The four things this section reports
- Reported demand
- Whether employers report needing people in this job — a judgement published by a national or EU body, not a count.
- Where it is heading
- Which way employment in this job is expected to move over the coming years, from an official projection.
- Openings
- Roughly how many openings arise — from growth and from people leaving the job.
- Typical pay
- What people in this job typically earn where the source publishes it. Blank does not mean unpaid; it means nobody publishes it for that place.
A measure is left out when nobody publishes it for that place, rather than shown as zero.
Which way the market leans for you
- In your favour
- More openings than people looking — employers are competing for candidates.
- Balanced
- Openings and candidates are roughly matched.
- Competitive
- More people looking than openings — expect to compete.
- Mixed evidence
- Sources disagree, or the same occupation group is short in one part and oversupplied in another.
Every source resolves to one of these four, so there is a single vocabulary to learn. What differs is the evidence behind it, which is printed underneath each verdict — a measured ratio of openings to jobseekers, or an assessment published by a national body.
How this job compares with other jobs in the same country
- Strong
- Among the strongest in that country
- Good
- Stronger than most jobs in that country
- Mixed
- About typical for that country
- Weak
- Weaker than most jobs in that country
This is a rank within one country, not a score you can carry across borders — the registers behind two countries count different people, so the same number means different things in each. It is also why a job can be among the strongest in a country and still show as Competitive: it leads the field in a market that is crowded overall.
Where these come from
Every figure is published by a national statistics office, a public employment service or an EU body, and each card names its source and the period it covers. Some places are counted monthly, others assessed once or twice a year, so two places on the same map can be describing different moments — the date is always shown.
None of this predicts one person’s chances. It describes a market.
Reported demand · Typical pay · Where it is heading (United States, Ireland, Australia, Malta, United Kingdom)
| Reported demand | Typical pay | Where it is heading | |
|---|---|---|---|
| United States | Not reported | $66,120 2025-05 | +1.7% 2024–2034 · BLS 2024-2034 |
| Ireland | Shortage reported ELA/EURES 2025 * | — | +13.7% 2023–2035 · Cedefop 2026 * |
| Australia | Shortage reported Jobs and Skills Australia 2025 * | — | — |
| Malta | Shortage reported ELA/EURES 2024 * | — | — |
| United Kingdom | Not reported | £33,242 2025-provisional | — |
* Published for occupation groups, not for individual job titles.
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (OEWS)
Source: Office for National Statistics, Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings, Open Government Licence v3.0
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Future Outlook for process engineering technician
The outlook for process engineering technician reflects a balanced mix of automation exposure and durable, human-led work.
How are these scores calculated?
The Resilience Score (0–100) estimates how structurally protected this occupation is from automation and AI disruption, based on task-level analysis. Higher scores mean more human-judgment-intensive tasks. AI Exposure shows the estimated percentage of task hours that current AI capabilities could affect. These are model-derived structural indicators, not predictions about individual job security.
How could process engineering technician change as AI adoption grows?
This role is likely to change gradually, with AI supporting selected tasks rather than replacing the whole occupation.
Illustrative scenario based on task automatability — not a forecast. Values are rounded the further ahead you look.
This role is likely to change gradually, with AI supporting selected tasks rather than replacing the whole occupation.
Illustrative scenario based on task automatability — not a forecast. Values are rounded the further ahead you look.
Model-based estimate. Use it as a planning signal, not a guarantee.
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How AI may change this role
Deterministic, model-based interpretation of current role signals — not a guarantee of replacement.
What still depends on people
- collaborate with engineers
- perform maintenance on installed equipment
- create solutions to problems
Where AI may become a co-pilot
- analyse test data
- read engineering drawings
- conduct routine machinery checks
Tasks most exposed to automation
- record test data
Vital Signs & AI Vectors
AI Exposure Vectors
0-100%Exposure to AI-assisted analysis, pattern recognition, and predictive modelling tasks
Exposure to content generation, creative augmentation, and large language model tools
Exposure to physical automation, robotics, and sensor-driven task displacement
Exposure to workflow automation, decision-support software, and process digitisation
Technical Details
NexFuture v3.0 estimates automation exposure natively from ESCO essential-skill groups, weighted by skill mass and calibrated against expert anchors. Scores are probabilistic estimates, not guarantees. See the NexFuture Methodology White Paper for full details.
Measures automation exposure. It does not measure pay, demand, or how many jobs exist near you.
What people in this role usually do
Advanced Manufacturing
A typical day as a process engineering technician
09 09:00 · Morning conduct routine machinery checks
10 10:30 · Mid-morning identify process improvements
12 12:00 · Midday adjust engineering designs
14 14:00 · Afternoon advise on manufacturing problems
15 15:30 · Late afternoon analyse test data
17 17:00 · Wrap-up collaborate with engineers
Task order is illustrative. Individual days vary.
What you need to do this work
The skills, knowledge and tools this role calls for — and the traits and rewards that come with it.
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create solutions to problems
Solve problems which arise in planning, prioritising, organising, directing/facilitating action and evaluating performance. Use systematic processes of collecting, analysing, and synthesising information to evaluate current practice and generate new understandings about practice.
-
resolve equipment malfunctions
Identify, report and repair equipment damage and malfunctions. Communicate with field representatives and manufacturers to obtain repair and replacement components.
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troubleshoot
Identify operating problems, decide what to do about it and report accordingly.
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advise on manufacturing problems
Advise the visited industrial plants on how to better oversee production to ensure that the manufacturing problems are correctly diagnosed and solved.
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record test data
Record data which has been identified specifically during preceding tests in order to verify that outputs of the test produce specific results or to review the reaction of the subject under exceptional or unusual input.
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adjust engineering designs
Adjust designs of products or parts of products so that they meet requirements.
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conduct routine machinery checks
Check machinery and equipment to ensure reliable performance during use and operations in worksites.
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perform maintenance on installed equipment
Perform the maintenance on installed equipment on-site. Follow procedures to avoid uninstalling equipment from machinery or vehicles.
-
analyse test data
Interpret and analyse data collected during testing in order to formulate conclusions, new insights or solutions.
-
collaborate with engineers
Work closely and communicate with engineers on designs or new products.
-
identify process improvements
Identify possible improvements to operational and financial performance, in order to increase productivity, efficiency, quality, and streamline procedures.
-
read engineering drawings
Read the technical drawings of a product made by the engineer in order to suggest improvements, make models of the product or operate it.
engineering processes
The systematic approach to the development and maintenance of engineering systems.
production engineering
The subfield of industrial engineering that corresponds to the practice of generating efficient products by transforming raw material into finite products.
- CAE software
- engineering principles
- manufacturing processes
- blueprints
- CAD software
- industrial research and development
- mathematics
- mechanics
- sustainable technologies
Path to become a process engineering technician
What it typically takes to qualify: education level, where it is a regulated profession, and where to study.
Short-cycle tertiary education
1,148 programmes in 25 countries teach the core skills of this job. Plus 164 short courses that build single skills.
A few examples, taught in the language of this page:
Lappeenrannan-Lahden teknillinen yliopisto LUT · Finland
Lappeenrannan-Lahden teknillinen yliopisto LUT · Finland
These are 6 of 1,312.
Sources
- 1. Source: Opintopolku.fi (Finnish National Agency for Education)
- 2. Source: Europass Qualification Dataset Register (European Commission)
Growth Pathways & Similar Roles
Explore typical career progression paths, adjacent skills, and similar roles to plan your next transition.
Where does process engineering technician fit?
Similarity scores based on skill overlap from ESCO data.
industrial engineering technician
82% similarityproduction engineering technician
74% similaritypneumatic engineering technician
52% similaritymechanical engineering technician
46% similarityproduct development engineering technician
39% similarityaerospace engineering technician
26% similarityFor organisations
The data on this page, working for your students, clients and staff.
Frequently asked questions
What kind of education or background is typically needed to become a process engineering technician?
How does this role differ from that of a process engineer?
What skills are most important for success as a process engineering technician?
How much does Process Engineering Technician pay in the United States?
Sources: ESCO O*NET ELA/EURES Cedefop BLS Data updated October 3, 2026 About our data