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Professional Engineer Jobs in Bellingham, WA (NOW HIRING)

Professional Engineer (PE) license preferred * EIT certification * Previous refinery project experienceExperience leading multidisciplinary engineering teams * Excellent client communication skills ...

Senior Mechanical Engineer

Ferndale, WA · Hybrid

$115K - $145K/yr

Professional Engineer (PE) license preferred * EIT certification * Previous refinery project experience * Experience leading multidisciplinary engineering teams * Excellent client communication ...

Senior Mechanical Engineer

Ferndale, WA · Hybrid

$115K - $145K/yr

Professional Engineer (PE) license preferred * EIT certification * Previous refinery project experience * Experience leading multidisciplinary engineering teams * Excellent client communication ...

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Professional Engineer information

See Bellingham, WA salary details

$48.3K

$100.9K

$141.9K

How much do professional engineer jobs pay per year?

As of Aug 10, 2026, the average yearly pay for professional engineer in Bellingham, WA is $100,888.00, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $85,800.00 and $114,300.00 per year, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What is a professional engineer?

Professional Engineers (PEs) are licensed engineers who have met the education, experience, and exam requirements established by their state or country. They are legally authorized to sign off on engineering projects, offer their services to the public, and take responsibility for the safety and integrity of engineering work. Becoming a PE typically involves earning an accredited engineering degree, passing the Fundamentals of Engineering (FE) exam, gaining relevant work experience, and passing the Professional Engineering (PE) exam. The PE license signifies a high standard of competence and ethics in the engineering profession.

What can professional engineers do?

Professional engineers design, develop, and evaluate systems, structures, and processes across various industries such as construction, manufacturing, and technology. They apply scientific and mathematical principles, often hold licensure, and are responsible for ensuring safety, compliance, and efficiency in their projects.

What is the difference between Professional Engineer vs Mechanical Engineer?

AspectProfessional EngineerMechanical Engineer
CredentialsRequires PE license, degree, work experience, examRequires degree, possibly fundamentals exam, but not license
Work EnvironmentDesign, review, sign off on projects, often in consulting or engineering firmsDesign, analysis, manufacturing, and testing in various industries
Industry UsageLicensed in engineering projects, legal responsibilityCommonly employed in manufacturing, automotive, aerospace, and more

The main difference between a Professional Engineer and a Mechanical Engineer is that the PE is licensed and authorized to sign off on engineering projects, ensuring legal and safety standards are met. Mechanical Engineers typically hold the necessary education and experience but do not have licensing requirements unless they pursue PE licensure. Both roles work closely in engineering fields, but the PE designation signifies a higher level of responsibility and legal accountability.

What does a professional engineer do?

A professional engineer uses mathematics and science to create safe and efficient buildings, machines, and applications. Engineers typically specialize in a particular field, such as aerospace, mechanical, or structural engineering. Your job duties vary depending on your area of expertise and employer but may include creating plans, designing machinery, or building skyscrapers. This career often involves a combination of office and field work. Frequent travel is an additional job requirement for many professional engineering jobs. Long hours and overtime work are also expected to meet deadlines.

What are some common challenges professional engineers face when managing multiple projects simultaneously?

Professional Engineers often juggle several projects at once, which can present challenges in prioritizing tasks, coordinating with diverse teams, and ensuring compliance with regulatory standards. Effective time management and clear communication are essential to handle shifting deadlines and resource allocation. Collaborating closely with project managers, clients, and other engineers helps maintain project momentum and quality, while regular progress reviews ensure that no critical detail is overlooked.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive as a professional engineer, and why are they important?

To thrive as a Professional Engineer, you need a solid grasp of engineering principles, problem-solving skills, and a degree in engineering, typically complemented by a Professional Engineer (PE) license. Familiarity with industry-standard software such as AutoCAD, MATLAB, or project management tools, along with ongoing continuing education, is often required. Strong communication, teamwork, and project management abilities help engineers deliver effective solutions and collaborate with diverse stakeholders. These skills and qualifications ensure engineers can design safe, efficient systems and maintain high professional standards in complex technical environments.
What are the most commonly searched types of Engineer jobs in Bellingham, WA? The most popular types of Engineer jobs in Bellingham, WA are:
What are popular job titles related to Professional Engineer jobs in Bellingham, WA? For Professional Engineer jobs in Bellingham, WA, the most frequently searched job titles are:
What job categories do people searching Professional Engineer jobs in Bellingham, WA look for? The top searched job categories for Professional Engineer jobs in Bellingham, WA are:
What cities near Bellingham, WA are hiring for Professional Engineer jobs? Cities near Bellingham, WA with the most Professional Engineer job openings:
Infographic showing various Professional Engineer job openings in Bellingham, WA as of August 2026, with employment types broken down into 1% As Needed, 70% Full Time, 25% Part Time, and 4% Contract. Highlights an 89% Physical, 1% Hybrid, and 10% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $100,888 per year, or $48.5 per hour.

$101K/yr

Full-time

Posted 14 days ago


U.S. Department Of Defense rating

7.9

Company rating: 7.9 out of 10

Based on 537 frontline employees who took The Breakroom Quiz

28th of 49 rated military and defense


Job description

See below for important information regarding this job.
Additional vacancies may be filled from this announcement.Qualifications:To qualify for an Interdisciplinary Engineer position your resume and supporting documentation must support:
A. Basic Requirement:
A Bachelor's Degree or higher in professional engineering. To be acceptable, the program must: (1) be in a school of engineering with at least one program accredited by the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET) as a professional engineering curriculum; or (2) include differential and integral calculus and courses (more advanced than first-year physics and chemistry) in five of the following seven areas of engineering science or 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
A 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 professional 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), 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) 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.
  3. Specified academic courses -- Successful completion of at least 60 semester hours of courses in the physical, mathematical, and engineering sciences and in engineering that included the courses specified in the Basic Requirements above. The courses must be fully acceptable toward meeting the requirements of a professional engineering curriculum as described in the Basic Requirements above.
  4. 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.
AND
C. Specialized Experience: In addition to the basic requirement above, you must possess one year of specialized experience that equipped you with the competencies to successfully perform the duties of the position and is directly in or related to this position. To qualify for the NH-03 level, specialized experience must be at the NH-02 or GS-11 grade level or equivalent under other pay systems in the Federal service, military, or private sector.Creditable specialized experience includes:
  • Applying engineering and analysis principles, concepts, and standards in support of complex defense acquisition systems.
  • Performing oversight of the Systems Engineering Development Life Cycle for major Acquisition programs and provide technical support pertaining to missile systems and sensor technologies.
  • Conducting reviews of contracts and in conducting reviews of contractor performance; proposing and providing technical advice on changes relating to contract applications/developments.
  • Leadership capacity conducting engineering and analytical surveillance on substantive/critical and unique changes of advanced engineering functions implementing agency policy, and new/developmental processes.
Education:

Substitution of education may not be used in lieu of specialized experience for this grade level.
If the position has a minimum education requirement you MUST provide transcripts (unofficial are acceptable at the time of application) to support your educational claims. Or, if you are using education to qualify in lieu of specialized experience you MUST provide transcripts (unofficial are acceptable at the time of application) to support your educational claims. The transcripts must include your name, the name of the college or university, class/course list, completed number of credits/hours, and the date degree conferred (if applicable). Education must be accredited by an accrediting institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. Licenses must be current at time of application.

GRADUATE EDUCATION: One academic year of graduate education is considered to be the number of credits hours that your graduate school has determined to represent one academic year of full-time study. Such study may have been performed on a full-time or part-time basis. If you cannot obtain your graduate school's definition of one year of graduate study, 18 semester hours (or 27 quarter hours) should be considered as satisfying the requirement for one year of full-time graduate study.
FOREIGN EDUCATION: If you are using education completed in foreign colleges or universities to meet the qualification requirements, you must show that the education credentials have been evaluated by a private organization that specializes in interpretation of foreign education programs and such education has been deemed equivalent to that gained in an accredited U.S. education program; or full credit has been given for the courses at a U.S. accredited college or university.

Employment Type: OTHER

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