Staff engineers may perform a wide variety of job duties depending on their field and the specific discipline of engineering required for their industry and company. Staff engineers work in a multitude of industries and settings, include medical laboratories, oil rigs, aerospace, and information technology; in each of these industries, there are more specified fields. For example, in aerospace, an organization may have different staff engineers for chemical engineering to create the formula for the rocket fuel; staff engineers for mechanical engineering, designing the engines for the rockets; and staff engineers working in the laboratory testing systems to ensure they work properly and efficiently.
Staff engineers typically hold at least a bachelor's degree in engineering. They have a mastery of relevant mathematical and scientific concepts. Since many staff engineers design and develop new products, creativity is a key skill. They must also work well in a team environment since many staff engineers will work together on one project.
There are typically advancement opportunities available to staff engineers. They may typically be promoted to supervisory positions, overseeing a group of staff engineers and monitoring projects' daily activities.