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Entry Level Manufacturing Engineer Jobs in Charlottesville, VA

Entry Level Manufacturing Engineer information

See Charlottesville, VA salary details

$14

$31

$50

How much do entry level manufacturing engineer jobs pay per hour?

As of Aug 27, 2026, the average hourly pay for entry level manufacturing engineer in Charlottesville, VA is $31.06, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $27.16 and $34.33 per hour, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What does an entry level manufacturing engineer do?

An Entry Level Manufacturing Engineer is responsible for assisting in the design, development, and optimization of manufacturing processes within a production facility. They work closely with senior engineers and production teams to improve efficiency, quality, and safety in manufacturing operations. Typical tasks may include analyzing workflow, troubleshooting equipment issues, implementing process improvements, and supporting new product introductions. This role often involves hands-on problem solving and the use of engineering principles to ensure smooth and cost-effective manufacturing. Entry level engineers are also expected to learn company-specific processes and industry regulations.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive as an entry level manufacturing engineer, and why are they important?

To thrive as an Entry Level Manufacturing Engineer, you need a bachelor’s degree in engineering (usually mechanical, industrial, or manufacturing), strong analytical and problem-solving skills, and foundational knowledge of manufacturing processes. Familiarity with CAD software, ERP systems, and process improvement methodologies like Lean or Six Sigma is highly valued. Effective communication, teamwork, and attention to detail are essential soft skills for collaborating with diverse teams and identifying process improvements. These skills and qualities are important because they enable engineers to optimize production efficiency, ensure product quality, and support continuous improvement in manufacturing environments.

What are some common challenges faced by entry level manufacturing engineers during their first year on the job?

Entry level manufacturing engineers often encounter challenges such as adapting to fast-paced production environments, learning to troubleshoot equipment issues quickly, and understanding complex manufacturing processes. Balancing hands-on problem solving with documentation and process improvement tasks can also be demanding. However, these challenges provide valuable learning opportunities and are typically supported by mentorship from senior engineers and collaboration with cross-functional teams. As you gain experience, you'll become more confident in identifying inefficiencies and proposing solutions.

What is the difference between Entry Level Manufacturing Engineer vs Manufacturing Technician?

AspectEntry Level Manufacturing EngineerManufacturing Technician
Required CredentialsBachelor's degree in engineering or related fieldTechnical diploma or associate degree
Work EnvironmentDesign, process improvement, and project planning in manufacturing settingsOperating machinery, troubleshooting, and maintaining equipment
Employer & Industry UsageManufacturers, engineering firms, production plantsFactories, production lines, manufacturing facilities

Entry Level Manufacturing Engineers focus on designing processes, improving efficiency, and supporting production planning, often requiring an engineering degree. Manufacturing Technicians handle equipment operation and maintenance, typically with technical diplomas. Both roles are essential in manufacturing environments but differ in responsibilities and qualifications.

What are popular job titles related to Entry Level Manufacturing Engineer jobs in Charlottesville, VA?

For Entry Level Manufacturing Engineer jobs in Charlottesville, VA, the most frequently searched job titles are:

What job categories do people searching Entry Level Manufacturing Engineer jobs in Charlottesville, VA look for?

The top searched job categories for Entry Level Manufacturing Engineer jobs in Charlottesville, VA are:

What cities near Charlottesville, VA are hiring for Entry Level Manufacturing Engineer jobs?

Cities near Charlottesville, VA with the most Entry Level Manufacturing Engineer job openings:

Infographic showing various Entry Level Manufacturing Engineer job openings in Charlottesville, VA as of August 2026, with employment types broken down into 84% Full Time, 9% Part Time, 5% Contract, and 2% Nights. Highlights an 94% Physical, 2% Hybrid, and 4% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $64,612 per year, or $31.1 per hour.

CHEMIST ENGR (WMD)

U.S. Department of Defense (DOD)

Charlottesville, VA • On-site

$63K/yr

Full-time

Posted 10 days ago


U.S. Department Of Defense rating

7.8

Company rating: 7.8 out of 10

Based on 538 frontline employees who took The Breakroom Quiz

27th of 49 rated military and defense


Job description


We are committed to:
  • Teamwork: Partnering at all levels and across organizational boundaries for mission accomplishment.
  • Integrity: Adherence to the highest legal and ethical principles in our responsibilities.
  • Excellence: Unrivaled defense intelligence expertise.
  • Service: Putting the welfare of the Nation and commitment to our mission before oneself.
Qualifications:
ASSESSMENT FACTORS
1. With no supervision, completes work, meets priorities, and achieved results based on the organization's goals and objectives.
2. Demonstrates excellent oral and written communication skills to compose and deliver responses to complex questions in a clear, concise, and organized manner.
3. Crafts effective recommendations for highly complex or sensitive situations that incorporate strategic direction by identifying the impact of the course of action.
4. Takes a lead role to build collaborative working relationships by encouraging colleagues to engage team members and others on specific or general
issues.
5. Plans, organizes, prioritizes, and schedules own work activities to complete assignments in timely and effective manner.
HIGHLY DESIRED SKILLS
1. Education, training, or experience related to understanding and explaining the role of chemical engineering knowledge, processes, equipment, and materiel in chemical, biological, and nuclear weapons and associated delivery systems.
2. Experience communicating complex, technical topics and developments to a non-technical audience.
3. Proficient in project management to include setting and maintaining project milestone deadlines and team resource requirements to ensure timely and efficient project completion.
A. Degree: Engineering. To be acceptable, the program must: (1) lead to a bachelor's degree in a school of engineering with at least one program accredited by ABET; or (2) include differential and integral calculus and courses (more advanced than first-year physics: (a) statics, dynamics; (b) strength of materials (stress-strain relationships); (c) fluid mechanics, hydraulics; (d) thermodynamics; (e) electrical fields and circuits; (f) nature and properties of materials (relating particle and aggregate structure to properties); and (g) any other comparable area of fundamental engineering science or physics, such as optics, heat transfer, soil mechanics, or electronics.
OR
B. Combination of education and experience -- college-level education, training, and/or
technical experience that furnished (1) a thorough knowledge of the physical and
mathematical sciences underlying engineering, and (2) a good understanding, both
theoretical and practical, of the engineering sciences and techniques and their
applications to one of the branches of engineering. The adequacy of such background
must be demonstrated by one of the following:
1. Professional registration or licensure -- Current registration as an Engineer Intern
(EI), Engineer in Training (EIT)1, or licensure as a Professional Engineer (PE) by any
State, the District of Columbia, Guam, or Puerto Rico. Absent other means of
qualifying under this standard, those applicants who achieved such registration by
means other than written test (e.g., State grandfather or eminence provisions) are
eligible only for positions that are within or closely related to the specialty field of
their registration. For example, an applicant who attains registration through a State
Board's eminence provision as a manufacturing engineer typically would be rated
eligible only for manufacturing engineering positions.
2. Written Test -- Evidence of having successfully passed the Fundamentals of
Engineering (FE)2 examination or any other written test required for professional registration by an engineering licensure board in the various States, the District of
Columbia, Guam, and Puerto Rico.
Specified academic courses -- Successful completion of at least 60 semester hours of courses in the physical, mathematical, and engineering sciences and that included the courses specified in the basic requirements under paragraph A. The courses must be fully acceptable toward meeting the requirements of an engineering program as described in paragraph A.
Related curriculum -- Successful completion of a curriculum leading to a bachelor's
degree in an appropriate scientific field, e.g., engineering technology, physics,
chemistry, architecture, computer science, mathematics, hydrology, or geology, may
be accepted in lieu of a bachelor's degree in engineering, provided the applicant has
had at least 1 year of professional engineering experience acquired under professional
engineering supervision and guidance. Ordinarily there should be either an
established plan of intensive training to develop professional engineering
competence, or several years of prior professional engineering-type experience, e.g.,
in interdisciplinary positions. (The above examples of related curricula are not all inclusive.)
Note: An applicant who meets the basic requirements as specified in A or B above, except as
noted under B.1., may qualify for positions in any branch of engineering unless selective factors
indicate otherwise.
Additional Experience and Training Provisions for Graduates of Engineering Programs:
a. Superior academic achievement at the baccalaureate level in an engineering program is qualifying for GS-7.
b. A combination of superior academic achievement and 1 year of appropriate professional experience is qualifying at GS-9.
c. Applicants with an engineering bachelor's degree who have appropriate experience as a technician equivalent to grade GS-5 or higher may have such experience credited for grade GS-7 only on a month-for-month basis up to a maximum of 12 months.
d. Successful completion of a 5-year program of study of at least 160 semester hours leading to a bachelor's degree in engineering is qualifying at GS-7. Completion of such a program and 1 year of appropriate professional experience is qualifying at grade GS-9
Graduate Education:
1.Regardless of the field of undergraduate study, completion of the requirements for a master's or higher degree in engineering is fully qualifying for the grade indicated, provided the applicant's total background, i.e., education and any experience, demonstrates evidence of knowledge, skills, and abilities that are substantially equivalent to those acquired through the successful completion of the courses specified in paragraph A.
2.With a bachelor's degree in engineering, graduate education in a related field is acceptable in lieu of graduate study in engineering for appropriate types of positions. For example, a Bachelor of Science in engineering plus a master's degree in business administration would be qualifying for Industrial Engineer, GS-9, but not for GS-9laboratory positions in research and development. The key consideration in determining if such graduate education should be credited is whether or not the education provided the knowledges, skills, and abilities necessary to perform the work of the position being filled.
Occupations Covered by GG-800 Individual Requirements
Occupation Title Series Number
General Engineering Series GG-801
Safety Engineering Series GG-803
Fire Protection Engineering Series GG-804
Materials Engineering Series GG-806
Civil Engineering Series GG-810
Environmental Engineering Series GG-819
Mechanical Engineering Series GG-830
Nuclear Engineering Series GG-840
Electrical Engineering Series GG-850
Computer Engineering Series GG-854
Electronics Engineering Series GG-855
Biomedical Engineering Series GG-858
Aerospace Engineering Series GG-861
Naval Architecture Series GG-871
Mining Engineering Series GG-880
Petroleum Engineering Series GG-881
Agricultural Engineering Series GG-890
Ceramic Engineering Series GG-892
Chemical Engineering Series GG-893
Welding Engineering Series GG-894
Industrial Engineering Series GG-896
Education:Employment Type: OTHER

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