Research engineers generally work full-time, which means at least 40 hours each week, often with the option to work overtime as needed. Depending on their engineering specialty, they can work in a variety of environments. Typically, however, they spend most of their time in an office or laboratory setting using tools, software and equipment relevant to their specialized field.
For example, a biomedical research engineer may work in a lab using advanced microscopes to observe and analyze chemical interactions. Meanwhile, a product research engineer may work in an office and use computer software to simulate the design and performance of a product, then write a report on their findings.