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Planning Engineer

Planning Engineers organize construction and engineering projects from start to finish. They make schedules, work out what could go wrong, and make sure teams have everything they need to build things on time and on budget.

Planning Engineer

28

Engineering and Technology

AI IMPACT
AI CAN DO28%moving to60%
THE DOOR, NOWB
THE DOOR, 20 YRSC
STARTING PAY£28,000 - £35,000
RELATIONAL MOATPeople want a real person for this. That preference is the protection.
This job holds up well against AI
AI cannot yet do much of what this job actually involves, and people want a real person for this. That preference is the protection. That is about as safe as careers get right now, though it is still worth learning to use the tools well.

The role

As a Planning Engineer, you organize how a building or engineering project will happen. You make timetables that show when each part of the work will be done, who needs to do it, and what will happen if something takes longer than expected. You use computer software to keep track of all this information.

You work with project managers, builders, engineers and architects to understand what needs to be done and when. You look out for things that might delay the project - like bad weather, broken equipment or staff being ill - and make new plans if the original one is not working. You write reports showing how the project is going and talk to teams every day about what is happening.

Daily responsibilities

  • Develop and maintain detailed project schedules using advanced planning software.
  • Collaborate with project managers and stakeholders to define project scope and objectives.
  • Monitor project progress and adjust schedules as necessary to mitigate delays.
  • Conduct risk assessments and implement contingency plans to ensure project timelines are met.
  • Prepare and present regular progress reports to senior management and clients.
  • Analyze resource allocation and optimize workflows to enhance productivity.
  • Facilitate communication between various teams to ensure alignment on project goals.
  • Stay updated on industry trends and best practices to continuously improve planning processes.

Does a degree help here?

A UK degree in engineering or a related field provides candidates with a solid foundation in technical knowledge and project management skills. Universities in the UK are renowned for their rigorous engineering programmes, giving graduates a competitive edge in the job market.

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AI EXPOSURE = the share of a job's day-to-day tasks AI can already do today, from the same exposure engine used across this site (Anthropic labour market research, 2026, observed real-world AI usage by occupation). Higher means more exposed. It is a measurement of now, not a prediction. THE DOOR = how hard the job is to get into, grade A (easy) to E (extremely hard), from each career's published forecast (OpenAI, "The AI Jobs Transition Framework", Richmond 2026, CC BY 4.0). A card marked MOAT NOT YET CLASSIFIED has a real exposure score but no entry yet in our moat register, so we make no claim about what structurally protects it. Scorecard grades and verdicts are Careermash editorial judgment: we show forecasts as forecasts and own our conclusions. Salary and pathway figures are each career's own published profile. Careermash is a service provided by What School Ltd.

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