Can I get an engineering job without an engineering degree?

It depends on the role. Technician, technologist, and field engineer roles are often open to candidates with military technical training and experience. For professional engineer (PE) roles, a degree is typically required. But many veterans use their GI Bill to complete an engineering degree while working in a related technical role. Your military experience gives you a head start.

Should I list my military engineering MOS on my resume?

You can, but do not lead with it. Instead of '12B Combat Engineer,' lead with 'construction and civil engineering technician with 4 years of field experience.' Put the function first. The MOS code is optional context. The hiring manager needs to know what you can do, not what the Army called it.

What engineering certifications are worth getting as a veteran?

Start with the FE (Fundamentals of Engineering) exam. It is the first step toward a PE license and shows employers you have the technical foundation. For manufacturing, Lean Six Sigma Green Belt. For project management, the PMP. For CAD roles, an AutoCAD or SolidWorks certification. Many of these exams are covered by the GI Bill.

Tailor Your Resume for Engineering Jobs — What Veterans Need to Know

By GetVetsHired · July 2026 · 5 min read

You designed structures, managed construction projects, and solved technical problems under conditions most civilian engineers never face. But when your resume says '12B Combat Engineer' or 'Seabee Steelworker,' the engineering firm's ATS does not see an engineer. It sees a blank. Here is how to fix that so your real qualifications make it to the hiring manager's desk.

Why engineering firms and manufacturers want veterans (and why your resume still gets skipped)

Engineering employers value technical problem-solving, project discipline, and the ability to work in the field. All things you have in abundance. But their hiring process runs through an ATS tuned to look for specific engineering disciplines, software tools, and certifications. 'Combat Engineer' sounds like a military role, not a civil engineering one. 'Nuclear Power Plant Operator' in the Navy sounds like operations, not engineering. Your experience is real. The framing just needs to match what the employer's system is scanning for.

Keywords engineering employers actually scan for by discipline

Engineering roles are specialized. A civil engineering firm scans for different keywords than a manufacturing plant or a software company. Tailor your resume to the specific discipline you are targeting:

Civil and structural engineering. Use: site design, structural analysis, AutoCAD, Civil 3D, load calculations, construction documents, permitting, geotechnical investigation.
Mechanical engineering. Use: mechanical design, SolidWorks, thermal analysis, HVAC systems, GD&T, manufacturing processes, FEA, prototyping.
Electrical engineering. Use: circuit design, power distribution, control systems, PLC programming, PCB layout, instrumentation, NEC code compliance.
Industrial and manufacturing engineering. Use: process optimization, lean manufacturing, Six Sigma, production planning, supply chain, quality control, capacity analysis.
Systems engineering. Use: requirements management, system integration, test and evaluation, DOORS, MBSE, configuration management, lifecycle management.

Translating your military engineering experience

Your military engineering training is real and often more hands-on than what civilian peers get in school. The gap is in the framing:

'12B Combat Engineer constructing obstacles and bridges' becomes 'construction and civil engineering technician with experience in site preparation, structural assembly, and infrastructure development across multiple project sites.'
'Navy Nuclear Power Plant Operator' becomes 'nuclear engineering technician with experience in reactor operations, thermal systems monitoring, and safety protocol compliance.'
'Seabee Steelworker (SW)' becomes 'structural steel technician with experience in welding, fabrication, and structural assembly per engineering specifications.'
'Army Corps of Engineers project officer' becomes 'project engineer managing civil works projects including site surveys, design review, contractor coordination, and regulatory compliance.'

Certifications and degrees: what actually moves the needle

Engineering is one of the few fields where a degree is often a hard requirement for professional engineer roles. But there are paths. If you have an engineering degree, lead with it. If you passed the FE (Fundamentals of Engineering) exam, list it. If you are working toward a PE (Professional Engineer) license, put 'passed FE exam, PE candidacy in progress' on your resume. Many veterans have degrees they earned through tuition assistance that they do not highlight enough. If you have an ABET-accredited engineering degree, that is your strongest credential. Put it at the top. For roles that do not require a PE stamp (technician, technologist, field engineer, project coordinator), your military technical experience plus a relevant certification or associate degree can be enough to get started.

The fastest way to tailor for engineering jobs

Engineering job postings are dense with technical keywords. A civil engineering role scans for completely different terms than a manufacturing engineering role. You cannot use the same resume for both. Tailor your resume to each job description by matching the exact technical terms the employer lists. A tailoring tool can do this in minutes. Upload your resume, paste the job description, and get a version that speaks the language of the engineering discipline you are applying to. Same experience. Better framing. More interviews.

Tailor My Resume

FAQ