The MEM: What is a Full-Cycle Engineer?

What is a Full-Cycle Engineer?

As complex organizations continue to expand, the need for innovative leadership is growing. Engineers and engineering teams are being tasked with broadening their focus and involvement in all aspects of organizational projects. Blending their technical skills and knowledge with business insights, “full-cycle engineers” see the bigger picture and make critical decisions based on data, feedback, business processes, customer needs and other organizational aspects.

Full-cycle engineers collaborate with their engineering teams to provide overall engineering management, but are also responsible for most or all aspects of a project, from idea development to customer delivery and support. Projects can range from improving existing systems or products to developing new products, systems or services

What is the Typical Role of an Engineer?

Engineers work in a variety of industries, but their duties typically involve using advanced calculations or simulations to model complex systems or structures. Engineers might spend most of their day in a production setting, in a lab or on a computer. They often work as part of a team of engineers focusing on one aspect of a larger project.

Engineers may also provide engineering management by supervising engineering teams, creating project plans, overseeing budgets, producing status reports and ensuring the engineering team’s goals are met before handing off projects to another team. An engineering manager combines their technical engineering expertise with the supervisory and managerial skills necessary to effectively lead teams and projects. Learn more about how to earn your master’s degree in engineering management.

What is a Full-Cycle Engineer? 

Full-cycle engineers are members of an engineering management team responsible for all aspects of a project. As organizations realize the benefits of employing full-cycle engineers, the practice of incorporating full-cycle engineers into engineering teams is rapidly growing. These benefits outshine a typical hand-off

approach, where one team or department completes their portion of a project, then passes it onto the next team.

Full-cycle engineers offer the tools and skillset to tackle both the engineering aspects of a project and organizational components that would typically be handled by other teams or business units. The more business-focused areas they may be involved with include:

• Idea or solution development
• Strategic and tactical planning
• Project planning and development
• System or product design
• Recruiting and hiring
• Process management
• Process improvement
• Quality assurance
• Delivery to customers, including training and ongoing support
• Increasing revenue or diversifying revenue streams
• Profit and loss

Organizations in the corporate world, as well as government agencies, are incorporating full-cycle engineers and engineering management into their businesses, creating a culture that fosters collaboration, solves customer problems and improves operations and efficiency. They are learning how to encourage their engineering teams to operate cohesively to demonstrate full alignment with their organizational goals, while encouraging a culture of inclusion and growth.

Full-cycle engineers are helping to shape this new culture, driving their organizations to be differentiates and disruptors of the future.

Becoming a Full-Cycle Engineer with WashU’s MEM Degree

We designed our Master of Engineering Management program for experienced engineers who want to become full-cycle engineers. From your first course, you will apply what you learn to real-world situations, strengthening your management acumen, collaborative problem-solving, interpersonal communication and leadership competencies.

By earning your MEM from WashU, you will have the skills, knowledge and insights to join any organization seeking full-cycle engineers. Our program also prepares you to bring organizations into the future, helping them expand and enhance their engineering processes to utilize full-cycle engineers.

Why Earn Your Degree from Washington University?

• We offer an innovative engineering management program. Experience an integrative curriculum focusing on full-cycle engineering and engineering management.
• convenient and flexible. Choose the format that works best for you, including evening and online options to ensure minimal disruption to your work and your busy life.
• We’re a top-ranked institution. Learn from experienced, engaged industry experts and instructors at a nationally ranked university.

Request Information About WashU’s Master of Engineering Management Degree

Learn more about our MEM degree program, including admission requirements and deadlines, courses, resources and attending an information session. Request Information