Skills & Competencies for Research and Development Engineer

Research and Development Engineer job profile

Book a Demo and Receive a Sample Job Profile

JOB SUMMARY for Research and Development Engineer

Conducts research and development activities for an organization.

JOB RESPONSIBILITIES for Research and Development Engineer

Applies research theories, principles, and models when conducting experiments and research activities. Summarizes research results and communicates findings to internal and external bodies. Assesses the scope of research projects and ensures projects are on time and within budget. Develops technical documentation for all projects.

Research and Development Engineer SALARY RANGE

BASE 50%
$119,568
TOTAL 50%
$126,065
Job Level
P03
Job Code
RD14000168
Education/Degree
JD, MD, PhD or Equivalent
Reports To
Top Management

Research and Development Engineer Skills and Competencies List

Proficiency Levels and Behavioural Indicators
Salary.com identifies five increasing levels of proficiency for each skill/competency. Some jobs require only a relatively low level of proficiency in each skill/competency, while other jobs will require a more advanced level of proficiency in the same skill/competency. These levels rate the degree of proficiency (skill level, expertise) we expect the incumbent to perform in the given skill/competency for the given job. Note that we intentionally do not associate timeframes or years of experience in performing the skill/competency because that can be misleading. Proficiency levels identify what the incumbent knows and can do rather than how long they have been doing it. Also, note that the proficiency levels are cumulative, e.g., a level 4 proficiency implies the ability to perform all the behaviors at the lower levels.
Check each Research and Development Engineer skill and competencie below to view definitions.
INDUSTRY COMPETENCIES JOB FAMILY COMPETENCIES CORE COMPETENCIES
BOOK A DEMO

6 hard skills or competencies (industry competencies) for Research and Development Engineer

1 Industry Competency – Engineering Analysis
Proficiency Level -3
Skill definition-Applying analytic principles and methods to identify the properties and state of a system, device, or mechanism.
Level 1 Behaviors
(General Familiarity)
Lists engineering analysis techniques, such as tolerance stack-ups of assemblies.
See 4 More Skill Behaviors
Level 2 Behaviors
(Light Experience)
Reports code problems and errors to prevent program and system malfunctions.
See 4 More Skill Behaviors
Level 3 Behaviors
(Moderate Experience)
Reviews the properties and state of the system or device to apply needed transformations.
See 4 More Skill Behaviors
Level 4 Behaviors
(Extensive Experience)
Manages the development of corrective actions through various engineering analysis techniques.
See 4 More Skill Behaviors
Level 5 Behaviors
(Mastery)
Leads cost reduction ideas through complex engineering analysis during the product life cycle.
See 4 More Skill Behaviors
2 Industry Competency – Root Cause Analysis
Proficiency Level -3
Skill definition-Identifying and analyzing the causes of issues to reduce recurrence using problem-solving techniques.
Level 1 Behaviors
(General Familiarity)
Names data collection sources used in root cause analysis practices.
See 4 More Skill Behaviors
Level 2 Behaviors
(Light Experience)
Selects and utilizes root cause analysis techniques in investigating fundamental problems.
See 4 More Skill Behaviors
Level 3 Behaviors
(Moderate Experience)
Participates in brainstorming activities to gain insights into factors and root causes of engineering problems.
See 4 More Skill Behaviors
Level 4 Behaviors
(Extensive Experience)
Trains teams in isolating process reliability interconnect weakness and proposing design improvements in the process.
See 4 More Skill Behaviors
Level 5 Behaviors
(Mastery)
Oversees performance of production operation to determine root cause and improve current processing technology.
See 4 More Skill Behaviors
3 Research and Development Engineer - Skill and Competency
Proficiency Level - 3
4 Skill and Competency - Research and Development Engineer
Proficiency Level - 4
5 Competency for - Research and Development Engineer
Proficiency Level - 5

2 general skills or competencies (Job family competencies) for Research and Development Engineer

1 Job Family Competencies – Programming
Proficiency Level -3
Skill definition-Executing logic to facilitate computing operations and functionality in one or more languages.
Level 1 Behaviors
(General Familiarity)
Names relevant computer programming languages such as C, C++, and Python.
See 4 More Skill Behaviors
Level 2 Behaviors
(Light Experience)
Uses object-oriented programming languages in programming.
See 4 More Skill Behaviors
Level 3 Behaviors
(Moderate Experience)
Uses a programming language to create scripts that automate repetitive tasks.
See 4 More Skill Behaviors
Level 4 Behaviors
(Extensive Experience)
Reviews and rewrites program codes to ensure compatibility with different operating systems.
See 4 More Skill Behaviors
Level 5 Behaviors
(Mastery)
Leads our business in improving the programming process and best practices.
See 4 More Skill Behaviors
2 Job Family Competencies – Technical Writing
Proficiency Level -2
Skill definition-Writing about technical processes, instruction, and explaining efficiently how it works.
Level 1 Behaviors
(General Familiarity)
Lists proper methods for writing, updating, and maintaining technical documents.
See 4 More Skill Behaviors
Level 2 Behaviors
(Light Experience)
Reports any potential functional and technical bugs in the writing process in the dedicated tool.
See 4 More Skill Behaviors
Level 3 Behaviors
(Moderate Experience)
Utilizes technical editing and writing skills to identify and correct errors in documents.
See 4 More Skill Behaviors
Level 4 Behaviors
(Extensive Experience)
Validates technical specifications for products that are accurate and complete.
See 4 More Skill Behaviors
Level 5 Behaviors
(Mastery)
Establishes internal technical writing standards in creating documentation.
See 4 More Skill Behaviors
3 Research and Development Engineer - Skill and Competency
Proficiency Level - 3
4 Skill and Competency - Research and Development Engineer
Proficiency Level - 4
5 Competency for - Research and Development Engineer
Proficiency Level - 5

9 soft skills or competencies (core competencies) for Research and Development Engineer

1 Core Competencies – Analytical Thinking
Proficiency Level -3
Skill definition-Gathering, organizing, and analyzing information to identify the root cause of organizational problems and develop alternative solutions accordingly.
Level 1 Behaviors
(General Familiarity)
Lists skills, traits, and characteristics of analytical thinkers.
See 4 More Skill Behaviors
Level 2 Behaviors
(Light Experience)
Makes a list of items without order or set of priorities.
See 4 More Skill Behaviors
Level 3 Behaviors
(Moderate Experience)
Summarizes historical experience to find probable causes of the problem.
See 4 More Skill Behaviors
Level 4 Behaviors
(Extensive Experience)
Leads brainstorming to encourage teammates to create new perspectives.
See 4 More Skill Behaviors
Level 5 Behaviors
(Mastery)
Promotes the adoption of business intelligence analysis technology to drive strategic decisions.
See 4 More Skill Behaviors
2 Core Competencies – Innovation
Proficiency Level -3
Skill definition-The ability and process of implementing new ideas and initiatives to improve organizational performance.
Level 1 Behaviors
(General Familiarity)
Names our key stakeholders from a business value chain perspective.
See 4 More Skill Behaviors
Level 2 Behaviors
(Light Experience)
Supports the planning, implementation, and management of training programs that foster process improvements.
See 4 More Skill Behaviors
Level 3 Behaviors
(Moderate Experience)
Participates in the redesign of organizational structures to reflect business priorities.
See 4 More Skill Behaviors
Level 4 Behaviors
(Extensive Experience)
Trains others on various business and operation topics.
See 4 More Skill Behaviors
Level 5 Behaviors
(Mastery)
Forecasts the short-term and long-term impact of various business cases on P&L performance.
See 4 More Skill Behaviors
3 Research and Development Engineer - Skill and Competency
Proficiency Level - 3
4 Skill and Competency - Research and Development Engineer
Proficiency Level - 4
5 Competency for - Research and Development Engineer
Proficiency Level - 5

Summary of Research and Development Engineer skills and competencies

There are 6 hard skills for Research and Development Engineer, Engineering Analysis, Root Cause Analysis, Cost Estimation, etc.
2 general skills for Research and Development Engineer, Programming, Technical Writing.
9 soft skills for Research and Development Engineer, Analytical Thinking, Innovation, Attention to Detail, etc.
While the list totals 17 distinct skills, it's important to note that not all are required to be mastered to the same degree. Some skills may only need a basic understanding, whereas others demand a higher level of expertise.
For instance, as a Research and Development Engineer, he or she needs to be skilled in Analytical Thinking, be skilled in Innovation, and be skilled in Attention to Detail.

It's Easy to Get Started

Get the precision you need to assess, hire, and develop top talent with skills and competencies – see how with a personalized demo.