Five High-paying Jobs for Engineers
In 2022 and Beyond
Engineering has been one of the most in-demand disciplines since antiquity, with early engineers such as Archimedes, Vitruvius, and Sostratus of Cnidus constructing marvels that furthered human progress and civilization. Today, that tradition is being continued in the virtual realm, where engineers are developing technologies that are augmenting and supplementing our inherent capabilities.
Little wonder, then, that engineering is one of the highest paying jobs in recent years – and one of the sought-after. However, in the last decade or so, even as the demand for talent has increased exponentially, engineering roles have become more specialized. The competition has increased, too; in India alone, more than one million engineers join the workforce every year. If you are someone about to embark upon an engineering career or are looking to make a career switch, these factors may seem overwhelming.
Luckily, at Epitome.ai, we believe in making your career choices as easy, informed, and hassle-free as possible. And so, we have curated some of the top engineering roles and their average annual salaries to help you kickstart your journey along a high-growth career path in the engineering domain:
1. API Project Engineer [₹20 lakh per annum]
Following the pandemic, pharmaceutical engineers and scientists have emerged as two of the most promising career options for aspiring professionals. While opportunities exist aplenty across the globe, the Indian pharmaceutical industry – currently responsible for more than 60% of vaccine production worldwide and expected to grow to $130 billion by 2030 – has emerged as a particularly promising market. In addition to expanding their global presence and offerings, Indian pharmaceutical players are also stepping up the research, manufacturing, and development of Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients (APIs), a segment that has been long dominated by China.
If you’re a graduate specializing in chemical engineering or biotechnology, the Indian API industry represents a massive and lucrative career opportunity. The need for API project engineers to oversee manufacturing, troubleshooting, and quality assurance of medical drugs is expected to increase in the coming years. The demand for talent in this field has made the role one of the well-paid jobs in the market, with average salaries ranging from ₹10 lakh to over ₹20 lakh per annum.
2. AI Engineer [up to ₹50 lakh per annum]
With industry-wide digitization, the demand for skilled IT and software engineers has been growing in numbers. According to a recent IBEF report, the Indian IT market employed over four million people in FY21 and expects to add a million more this year. Due to its key role in designing, developing, and deploying technologies such as AI, data analytics, cloud computing, machine learning, and NLP, the industry also features some of the highest salaried jobs in India today.
Take for instance the role of AI engineer. Professionals in this field must know how to deploy system-wide automation, develop software using codes and data, and build intelligent algorithms that augment and improve user experience. Although the average salary stands at ₹9 lakh per annum, the figure can reach as high as ₹50 lakhs at higher ranks. The advent of VR and AR-based platforms is also expected to accelerate the need for AI engineers in the coming few years.
Alternatively, you can also carve your career in the digital world by targeting careers in web designing and digital marketing. The industry has jobs such as product design engineer and web developer that offer average salaries of up to ₹8 lakh per annum.
3. Blockchain Engineer [up to ₹30 lakh per annum]
Today, users across the world are engaging with digital services, currencies, and assets through advanced applications that form the core of Web 3.0. This emerging space has some of the best jobs in India and across the world. From streamlining the exchange of cryptocurrencies and Non-Fungible Token (NFTs) to building robust decentralized finance systems and designing smart contracts, blockchain engineers are shaping the next-gen internet infrastructure while earning an average salary of ₹8 lakh per annum. This figure can go as high as ₹30 lakh, depending on your proficiency with blockchain.
However, compared to more traditional engineering branches, blockchain technology has fewer specialized degree courses. Industry-leading tech companies are plugging this gap by offering online courses and boot camps created around this new and exciting technology, designed for varying software development competency levels. A tip here would be to choose courses that not only allow you to learn about concepts such as blockchain protocols, smart contracts, cryptography, and data structures but also help you build an industry-based portfolio with a focus on the job market.
4. Manufacturing Engineer [avg. ₹7 lakh per annum]
Last year, riding on the back of the ambitious Make in India initiative, India was named the second most attractive manufacturing hub – and for good reason. Its manufacturing sector – spread across segments such as consumer appliances, consumer electronics, electricity, chemical, metals, industrial materials, etc. – can contribute $1 trillion to the GDP by 2025. The field of Electric Vehicles (EVs) is another massive opportunity area, with the nation making steady progress towards its goal of USD 50 billion in EV investments by 2030. With these developments in play, it is only natural for the sector to become more promising for young engineers.
The manufacturing market has many decent engineering jobs for freshers, who will be responsible for tasks such as investigating plant breakdowns, developing industrial equipment, supervising technical operations, and improving production efficiency. While conventional roles such as electronics engineering and electrical engineering freshers do earn decent annual salaries, some of the highest-paying jobs in the segment are in newer fields such as Robotic Process Automation (RPA) (₹4 lakh per annum) and manufacturing engineer (₹7 lakh per annum).
5. Aerospace Engineer [avg. ₹8 lakhs per annum]
Another well-paying job in the engineering domain is that of an aerospace engineer. While aviation has always been a sought-after field in India, the increasing interest in outer space and the preference for commercial flights in recent years have accelerated the industry’s growth. Moreover, as the government plans to connect more towns and cities through airports, the need for aerospace engineers will continue to increase.
Required to design, create, and supervise aerospace products such as commercial flights, space vehicles, and military aircraft, the profession demands you to have a degree in either aerospace engineering or related fields such as mechanical and electrical engineering. In India, organizations like Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO), Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL), Air India, and L&T actively employ engineers at an average salary of ₹8 lakh per annum. However, as you gain more experience, the salary can easily go up to ₹12 to ₹20 lakh per annum.
Conclusion
The world is moving at a faster pace and so is the scale of innovations across different industries. From pharmaceuticals to Artificial Intelligence and manufacturing, engineers now have several high-potential career options to choose from. While some of these professions guarantee higher pay in the long run, as an aspiring engineer, your focus should be on pursuing the sector that interests you the most.
To make better career decisions, you can also explore different career paths by using AI-driven career builder platforms that evaluate the skill gap between your existing qualifications and the job you want to apply for. Leveraging advanced tech capabilities, such platforms help you zero in on required skillsets and recommend courses that best suit your needs to enable continuous learning, thereby making your journey towards your engineering dream job smooth and highly personalized.
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