Engineering is at all levels, I’ve designed systems that span global infrastructure and systems that run in embedded systems. I still think that design process is a key part of engineering. Figuring out how to put things together is part of design. I agree the more jr engineer you are, the less “engineering” you see.. but you can’t run until you learn to walk.

I talk to my friends who sent projects into space and friends who design deep sea drilling rigs. The engineering process is very similar.