Design Engineer Interview Questions

Design Engineers are responsible for the research and design of a company’s new products and systems. They perform various tasks in an engineering department including drafting blueprints, creating test prototypes, and overseeing the manufacturing process.

Whether you're a job seeker preparing to be interviewed for the role of Design Engineer or an employer preparing to interview candidates for Design Engineer position, these Design Engineer interview questions will help you prepare yourself for the job interview session.

Design Engineer Interview Questions

Below are a list of some skill-based Design Engineer interview questions.

1. What are your educational qualifications and/or field experience for this role?
2. What important details should be on a new product blueprint?
3. As a design engineer, what design software do you prefer to use and why?
4. Do you have experience explaining complex design concepts to clients? Can you describe your method for doing that?
5. What was the hardest design you’ve worked on? How did you handle it?
6. Are you comfortable presenting your work to clients?
7. Tell me about a time you had to work with a challenging client.
8. Tell me about a time you have to work with a challenging coworker or manager.
9. Can you explain engineering tolerance to me?
10. Tell me about the types of tolerance.
11. How do you calculate the factor of safety?
12. Compare and contrast first and third angle projection.
13. How do you calculate the least count?
14. How do you prioritize your work?
15. How do you manage your stress levels at work?
16. Are you someone who can learn to work well with anyone?
17. What would you do if you noticed you made a big design mistake?
18. What value can you add to our team?
19. What do you hope to accomplish within your first few months of working here?
20. Are you willing to take on more advanced responsibilities in the future?
21. Explain your creative process when starting a project.
22. What tools do you use to effectively manage your time?
23. Tell me about a time when you had to work on your most challenging design project. 
24. In your opinion, what is the most important skill to have as a design engineer? 
25. Have you ever presented a proposed product design before a group? Please share the experience. 
26. How much knowledge do you have of structure mechanics?
27. What do you know about engineering in materials?
28. What do you understand by stress concentration? Can you explain how we can prevent it from causing part failures?
29. What do you know about the theory of maximum distortion energy?
30. Can you give me brief definitions of projection view, section view, isometric view, and detailed view?
31. What is your experience with using tolerance stack-up analysis?
32. Explain the factor of safety. How would you calculate it?
33. How do you ensure you keep up-to-date with the latest engineering trends and techniques?
34. Why do you think you are the best fit for this job?

Design Engineer Interview Questions and Answers

Every interview is different and the questions may vary. However, there are lots of general questions that get asked at every interview.

Below are some common questions you'd expect during Design Engineer interviews. Click on each question to see how to answer them.

1. What is Your Salary Expectation?
2. What is Your Greatest Strength?
3. Why Do You Want To Leave Your Current Job?
4. Tell Me About Yourself
5. Are You a Leader or a Follower?
6. What is Your Greatest Weakness?
7. Why Should We Hire You?
8. Do You Have Any Questions for Us?
9. Why Do You Want This Job?
10. What Is Your Greatest Accomplishment?