Engineer set a time to assess (8)
I believe the answer is:
estimate
'assess' is the definition.
(I've seen this before)
'engineer set a time' is the wordplay.
'engineer' is an anagram indicator.
'set'+'a'+'time'='setatime'
'setatime' with letters rearranged gives 'ESTIMATE'.
'to' acts as a link.
(Other definitions for estimate that I've seen before include "Gauge - approximation" , "Statement giving the likely cost of a job" , "Meatiest (anag) - figure" , "Statement of expected cost" , "Judge the approximate value" .)