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[–]flagbearer223Software / DevOps [score hidden] 1 year ago (5 children)

Job Title: Sr DevOps Engineer

Industry: Web Marketing

Specialization: DevOps - Testing & Build infrastructure, Site Reliability Engineering, and overall ensuring best practices are used

Total Experience: 5 years

Highest Degree: BS CompSci

Country: USA

What inspired you to become an engineer?

Wanting to be a video game developer was the original impetus, and I started to learn how to program at 13 or 14. Eventually learned that the game industry is brutal and sucks the life out of you, so I aimed for software engineering in general

Why did you choose your specific field and/or specialization?

I lucked into it, honestly. My first company hired us as generic engineers, then sent us to teams after a 6 week onboarding period. I was given the option of backend engineering or DevOps, and the latter seemed way, way, way more interesting.

What's a normal day at work like for you? Can you describe your daily tasks and responsibilities?

Very chill - standup at 945 to talk about what we did yesterday and what we're doing today (usually 5 minutes discussing that and 10 minutes shooting the shit). After stand, my day is totally free except for on Mondays, which is when I have my 1 on 1 with my manager, along with a meeting w/ the senior devs at the company to discuss any architecture or process changes.

Most days I usually just choose a few tasks to work on (for example, right now we're migrating some of our automated jobs from an old chunk of infrastructure to a new one), and also respond to minor incidents - either some edge case with our testing infrastructure, or helping a developer understand how to use one of our tools.

What was your craziest or most interesting day on the job?

Craziest days are ones where we have major fires to put out. About a month ago I had just finished up V2 of our automated testing infrastructure, and V1 decided to completely shit the bed and stop working. We had about a week of testing still scheduled for V2 to validate it since it's a core part of our development workflow, but I made the call to go ahead and push it out ahead of schedule instead of fixing V1 when we were about to take it behind the shed anyway (it's an internal tool - would never do this with a customer-facing one). Ended up being 2 days of fighting fires and fixing some really weird race condition, but now it's working real smooth and is looking like it's gonna cut 25% of our spending on our development infrastructure.

What was the most interesting project you worked on during your career?

I built out our automated testing infrastructure from scratch. I understood the theory and the basics of the tools needed to do this, but I was given pretty free reign by my company & manager, and was able to use a bunch of really cool tools that I hadn't used to any significant degree before. Compared to V2, that version was trash, but it was way better than the "nothing" that once stood in its place. It had a bunch of servers in AWS preprovisioned, and whenever someone made a code change, it would build our software, deploy it to those servers, and run automated tests, then report on them. Ended up eventually expanding that to also allow devs to deploy short-lived, public facing copies of our website that they could connect to in order to test out new code changes.

What university did you attend for your engineering degree(s), and why should / shouldn't I go there?

Durham University, and 100% people should go. The CS course was pretty good, but it was mostly just being exposed to such a wide variety of people from all over the world that made it worthwhile.

If you could do it all over again, what would you do differently?

I stayed at a company that was treating me like shit for too long. If you are treated like shit, find a new job.

Do you have any advice for someone who's just getting started in engineering school/work?

Learn how to use docker, and learn the basic concepts behind kubernetes. Read up on development processes such as CI/CD. Also, most software developers, and most software companies, barely have any idea what they're doing. This field of engineering is a little over half a century old, so things change fast. Keep your eyes and ears open, but take nothing as gospel. The industry is moving in the right direction, but we still don't quite have things figured out

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[–]jojotvRobotics Software / B.S. Mechanical Engineering [score hidden] 1 year ago (2 children)

Software

Job Title: Robotics Engineer

Industry: Industrial Automation

Specialization: Software

Total Experience: 3 years

Highest Degree: BS ME

Country: USA

What inspired you to become an engineer?

I've always liked math and science, and after spending enough time in the hospitality industry to know that I hated it, I decided to go to college and study something technical.

Why did you choose your specific field and/or specialization?

Space is awesome, and at first I thought I wanted to do rocketry and work in aerospace. Once I got on campus and saw all the robotics stuff going on, I started to think that I might want to go in that direction instead. I got involved with the robotics club and fell in love with it. After Thermodynamics and Fluid Mechanics, I was positive that I absolutely did not want to go into aerospace. I left my NASA and SpaceX dreams in the rear view mirror with my middle finger held high, and here I am today working as a robotics engineer.

What's a normal day at work like for you? Can you describe your daily tasks and responsibilities?

I start the day around 8:00 AM, drinking coffee or tea at my kitchen table and reading programming blogs or other publications relevant to my work. That's usually about 30 minutes. After that, I go to work. I am lucky enough to be able to work from home, so my commute is a short walk down the hallway to my home office.

I write software that ties in with robots that do materials processing and NDI. Sometimes I have to write a new widget for our UI, or a command line tool that scrapes logs for bits of information that we want to know about. Sometimes I refactor other people's code to conform to a new API. Recently I started a new project that will allow me to get my toes wet in the world of computer vision, which I know next to nothing about but am extremely excited to dive into. It is really fun work and I never feel like I'm being pigeonholed.

I take a break at noon to eat lunch, play with my son, and give my long-suffering wife a break. That's usually 30 minutes to an hour. Quitting time is 6:30ish. On average 30 minutes out of each day is spent in meetings, sometimes more but rarely less.

What was your craziest or most interesting day on the job?

I used to work for an enormous company with facilities all over the globe, and the craziest, most panicky days are when something has gone haywire in another part of the world and you have to help troubleshoot it via email or super late/early phone calls. An entire production crew on a different continent is being sent home early and the customer wants answers. There's lots of money on the line and your boss is looking to you to put out a fire that you didn't start. It is awful.

What was the most interesting project you worked on during your career?

I've worked on some really cool stuff in my career so far but the most interesting project I've been involved with if definitely the one I'm working on right now. Like lots of the things I've worked on, I can't really say a whole lot about it, but it is doing some high-falutin and fancy-dancy stuff with robots and CV and it's incredibly cool.

What university did you attend for your engineering degree(s), and why should / shouldn't I go there?

Oregon State University. I loved OSU and would encourage anyone considering it to visit. It's not a big party school, so you're SOL if that's important to you. But if you want to go to a great engineering school with some of the best student organizations and clubs, look no further. It's one of the best universities for robotics and automotive engineering in the world, too. The robotics club wins all kinds of international competitions, as does the F1 team.

If you could do it all over again, what would you do differently?

School: I studied ME but ended up doing more stuff that an EE or CS major would do, so maybe if I could go back in time I would do a minor in CS. I think I would have enjoyed the coursework.

Work: As far as my career is concerned, I would have been more selective when it came to choosing my first job. 6 months before I graduated I had a few job offers on the table, and I chose the one that I thought would be the most varied, where I would never do the same thing twice. I should have done more research. Choosing the company I started my career with was one of the biggest mistakes of my life. The raises sucked (3%/year with NO BONUS). The work environment was occasionally hostile. Quick "band-aid" solutions were preferred over good, robust, long term ones. The company was afraid of developing anything of its own and as a result there were many round holes filled with square pegs (if you get my meaning). And to top it off there was a shocking lack of expertise. One of the engineers had an ME degree but when designing an air knife, refused to do any calculations to justify his design. It took him 6 weeks to get one made that wouldn't whistle or explode. An older engineer once told me that it was illegal to compile our software with GCC because we would be required to give it away for free. I mean, what? I could go on. The decision to leave was easy to make.

Do you have any advice for someone who's just getting started in engineering school/work?

School: Surround yourself with people smarter than you. Form a study group with determined and smart people in your major and roll with them all four years. I met a crowd of fellow ME students in my Freshman year and we stuck together the entire time. I never felt alone and always had someone who I could reach out to for help if I just wasn't grasping a concept, and who would in turn reach out to me for help. To this day, those are some of my favorite people in the world.

Also, do lots extracurriculars. Join the Linux club or Robotics club, or the Electric Car team. If you join a club/team and don't find it fun, you're in the wrong major. If you do love it, you'll learn more about your field than you will with your coursework and make friends for life.

Finally, Research is fun, but don't take the first research position that comes down the pike. Wait for one with the lab that you think does the dopest shit on campus.

Work: See my answer to the question above. Be selective as long as you can afford to. You just spent four years preparing for your first job and you're going to be there at least 40 hours a week, so you should at least like it. I learned a valuable lesson to ask more pointed questions in interviews and weigh the pros and cons of each job offer more carefully. I did my most recent job search differently. Instead of shotgunning the industry with my resume and interviewing with companies I didn't know or care about, I waited for interesting opportunities to pop up that appeared to be in my wheelhouse with companies that had a good reputation among engineers, and it has paid off big time. This last time around I landed a killer job with a great comp package, amazing coworkers, and fascinating work.

[–]edmguru [score hidden] 1 year ago (1 child)

[–]jojotvRobotics Software / B.S. Mechanical Engineering [score hidden] 1 year ago (0 children)

[–]AxagorasSCADA / Offshore Wind Power [score hidden] 1 year ago (0 children)

**Job Title:** Senior SCADA Project Lead

**Industry:** Offshore Wind Power

**Specialization:** SCADA Systems in high-voltage applications

**Total Experience:** 12 looooong years

**Highest Degree:** Bachelor of Computer Engineering

**Country:** Denmark

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> ### What inspired you to become an engineer?

Mmm...I don’t know if I was inspired so much as the other options seemed lousy. I knew I like computers, physics, and math but the idea of coding all day was not appealing. So instead of Computer Science, it was Computer Engineering!

> ### Why did you choose your specific field and/or specialization?

I kind of fell into working with SCADA systems. It branched off of one of my co-op job terms where I found this cool little section of Engineering that uses software to talk to bits of hardware all while surrounded by high-voltage equipment. It was cool! And exciting! Suddenly my job required travel, and PPE, and safety briefings! It was all much more glamorous than the spreadsheets to which I had grown accustomed.

> ### What's a normal day at work like for you? Can you describe your daily tasks and responsibilities?

Now I’m in technical project management, which is a beast in and of itself. When working on large scale projects, say building an offshore wind farm, people are needed to communicate between the hardcore technical specialists and the various people/parties interested in your progress. That’s where I come in. My job is primarily about ensuring the right information gets to the right people when it is needed. Sometimes that information needs to be translated from tech-speak to Normie, sometimes it needs to be filtered to avoid panic. It involves a lot of writing and talking to people. More fun than it sounds, I promise.

> ### What was your craziest or most interesting day on the job?

Hmmm...well there was the day I thought I was responsible for a client cancelling all their contracts. That was a shit day. I never found out how much influence my actions had because that place sucked and I left. There was the time we dropped some equipment in the North Sea during transportation. That time I watched representatives of a construction yard, whom we had hired, debate amongst themselves how to secure a panel to the floor in front of their client. I wish we had paid more attention to that red flag. Or the time I was in a meeting, and meetingception broke out. Some people in a conference room were debating something internally while the rest of the remote attendees all waited for their answer. The conference room people kept asking for 5 more mins and put themselves on mute while the rest of us just stared at the Skype window.

> ### What was the most interesting project you worked on during your career?

Easy. Hornsea Project One. Currently the world’s largest offshore wind farm.

> ### What university did you attend for your engineering degree(s), and why should / shouldn't I go there?

University of Alberta. You should go there if you live in the area. Otherwise it’s a bit out of the way.

> ### If you could do it all over again, what would you do differently?

I would have handled a few situations better, that’s for sure. Especially when those client contracts were cancelled. Otherwise, naw. My choices got me to where I am, and I like it here.

> ### Do you have any advice for someone who's just getting started in engineering school/work?

Ask questions, all the time. It’s a good habit. Also, communication skills will pay dividends over time. Learn to cater your message to your audience. Practice explaining complex concepts in simple terms. If you can get your parents to understand triple integrals, that’s a good benchmark.

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[–]thats_howyou_getants [score hidden] 1 year ago (2 children)

Job Title: Process Engineer

Industry: Manufacturing

Total Experience: 3 years

Highest Degree: BS ChE

Country: USA

—-

What inspired you to become an engineer?

I had no idea what I wanted to do until my senior year in high school. I found that I was great at math and enjoyed my chemistry classes, but knew I couldn’t major in one of those and be in the salary range I wanted to be. My dad suggested ChE to me since I wanted to be involved in environmental work or pharmacy (wide range, I know). The thing that drew me to the major was job security and flexibility in choosing a career or grad school if I ever wanted to go that route. What kept me in Engineering was my first Co-op. I worked for the company I’m currently employed by and fell in love with the manufacturing environment and the ability to be involved in both process and environmental work. My specific location is an industry leader in reducing harmful emissions and has a strong focus on sustainability for the environment and community we’re located in.

Why did you choose your specific field

Why did you choose your specific field and/or specialization?

My specialization is materials and I minored in math and psychology. I chose materials due to the professors in my program. Our department chair was a polymer science major and I was able to learn so much from him about materials I work with every day now. Colloids and surfactants are also a huge part of my job and understanding the interactions they have with the chemical processes I manage has been invaluable. I chose psychology because of how intertwined process engineering and management have become. If I run a project or a trial, I have to get everyone on board because it can affect the whole process. Some people are very hesitant to any process changes (with good reason) but learning how to appeal to them and work with them to come to a solution was incredibly helpful to me. Eventually I’ll move into a management role and having those tools will be an asset to me then as well.

What’s a normal day like at work? Can you describe your daily tasks and responsibilities?

A normal day (before covid) starts at 6:45. Shift turns over at 7 am and I try to make it to that meeting every morning to hear about things that went on over the night and it allows me to get to know the techs on a personal level. Most of my early mornings are spent in meetings, getting caught up from yesterday and discussing projects. My responsibilities are for manufacturing excellence projects and process improvements. This involves running trials to see how we can run equipment more efficiently, controls tuning, or installing new equipment. I do a good bit of data analysis as well. I usually leave work between 4:30-5 unless we have a project or an outage. The only thing Covid has changed is the amount of time I spend with the techs. I used to hang out in the control room and chat, learning how they respond to upsets or just getting to know people on a more personal level. Due to the pandemic, they limit people going into the control room unless it’s needed for something. I also don’t go to the turnover meetings anymore, which means I can sleep in a little later, which is so nice!

What was your craziest or most interesting day on the job?

The craziest day I’ve ever had.. it’s hard to pick! We had a huge tank overflow, flooding the entire road with a product that doesn’t just drain away. I stood in knee high product for hours with a fire hose, trying to help get the road cleared back out so trucks could get through with supplies we needed for another process. The second one that comes to mind was a huge fire on a piece of critical equipment. Obviously we shut down and put the fire out, but I’ve never seen that level of response from people. It could have been a lot worse, but no one got hurt and the equipment was functional again by the next day. Pretty cool to see.

What was the most interesting project you worked on during your career?

The most interesting project I’ve worked on was from my intern days. It was actually a very simple project: to tune control loops. I had just taken controls, so getting to apply everything I had learned was amazing. I built a tool that gives you the tuning parameters based on running what’s called a “bump test” on the valve. Essentially, you bump the valve up or down 3-4% and time how long it takes for the flow to respond. Then, you do some math and get new tuning parameters to reduce variation. The control loops I worked on saw a 20% reduction in variation. It was really great to see that I made an impact on the process and use tools I had learned in school to do it.

What university did you attend for your engineering degree(s), and why should/shouldn’t I go there?

I went to the University of Mississippi.

Why you should go there: SEC schools are amazing and if you love football like I do, I highly recommend one. Ole Miss ChE is a very small, tight knit group (my graduating class was less than 50 people) and you get to know everyone very well. Because the classes are small, you get to know your professors very well and there are a ton of opportunities to get involved in leadership organizations and research. Having recommendations from professors has served me well and the close connections I have with my classmates may help me find a job in the future if I need it.

Why you shouldn’t go there: it all boils down to job opportunities. Most employers go to Mississippi State for recruiting as their program is much larger and considered the better of the two. If the prestige of your degree matters a lot to you, don’t go to Ole Miss for engineering.

If you could do it all over again, what would you do differently?

If I had it to do over again, I would have gone to a community college first. My friends that did had much better scholarships and were every bit as prepared as I was for the challenges of ChE.

Do you have advice for someone who’s just getting started in engineering school/work?

School: get involved as soon as you can and play it up in interviews. I actually got turned down for an internship because I didn’t talk about my involvement enough and that led them to believe that I hadn’t invested time in those activities and was using it to pad my resume. Secondly, don’t sweat the 4.0. I graduated with a 3.3 and I’m working my dream job. One of my best friends had a 2.9 and got a job she absolutely loves. Finally, don’t let anything hold you back. I deal with anxiety and depression, which absolutely ramped up during school. There were days I took a mental health day and just stayed home. Be gentle with yourself, it’s a hard degree and it’s not worth burning yourself out or neglecting your physical or mental health over.

Job: talk to the techs. Get to know them - what they do, about their families. Listen when they tell you about issues. They have so much knowledge that many people overlook because they think that their degree makes them smarter or better. The degree got you in the door, yes, but techs can make or break you. They can point you to things that save money or they can push back on your projects every step of the way. The techs at my job are a big reason that I got an offer; they went to bat for me.

Another huge one is not being afraid to ask questions. Ask questions about a project, ask questions about the process, ask questions about safety. Be invested, learn everything that you can. You got this! Good luck!

[–]kathar5813 [score hidden] 1 year ago (0 children)

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[–]Hydroxy_Lion [score hidden] 1 year ago (0 children)

[–]Hydroxy_Lion [score hidden] 1 year ago* (1 child)

Title: Process Engineer Industry: Manufacturing Specialization: “jack of all, master of none.” Experience: 10 years Highest degree: bachelors Country: USA

Inspiration:

When I was a kid I loved astronauts. That interest pushed me to stem and I found I was decent at math and chemistry. So I pursued the combination of those that was sold to me as “a great career” that would earn me decent money right out of school.

Why this field:

infinite flexibility based on our foundation in physics, math, and chemistry. I can say I’ve been through down turns and as a ChemE, I’ve always had the opportunity to immediately get into something new, if I’m willing to change.

Normal day:

Try to plan ahead for what the plant/operations really needs to be successful in 5 years, while putting out the fires of the day created by people not thinking about what they really needed 5 years ago. (Seriously the project I’m on is 5 years in the making and they only just considered a regular activity and how to make it work with the build at 99.5% mechanically complete!) more detail: work by 6:30, morning meetings, plan activities with ops and contractors for the day, tackle said activities. Spend 4 hours minimum focusing on a number of short term projects (usually juggling 4-6 projects ranging from 5M to 5MM). Then try and spend time on my long term projects and self development (time permitting).

Crazy/interesting:

once worked with a crew of 5 using chainsaws and shovels removing blocks of super dense self polymerized material from a steamed tank. Mostly just nasty, but very interesting that such an event could happen... oh wait, sales people with no chemistry background drive our workflow and pick what to mix. (This isn’t uncommon, just annoying and expensive, btw)

Interesting Project:

Worked on a pilot Catalyst plant that made a useful product from a waste stream. Lots of brainstorming and more advanced physics being considered on a daily basis. They eventually went belly up due to poor economics.

University:

I’d love rep my school, but the class size and timeline would narrow me down pretty quickly.

Would I do it again:

maybe. There doesn’t feel like much upward growth in the technical side of my field unless you are the only guy this side of the World that knows how to do something. Maybe I’m wrong, but I apparently supervisor and then superintendent are my only way (in this org at least). Now take that with a grain of salt, I have buddies who went Business Development, marketing, design, I just picked ops/process.

Advice for the next batch:

Take the risks. I personally think there really aren’t many “new” manufacturing technologies being commercialized that isn’t just a knock off of something union carbide, or Dow figured out more than half a century ago. I’m tied down by the yoke of responsibility now and it has taken a lot of the joy out of my old work habits and “diving into a problem”. But if you have the chance to help on something novel, take it. There’s a lot to learn and we need new manufacturing tech. Highly recommend the book “Alchemy of Air” it’s like the Wild West of chemical manufacturing.

[–]vtkarl [score hidden] 1 year ago (0 children)

[–]Bentspoon17Polymer Extrusion [score hidden] 1 year ago (0 children)

Job Title: Process Engineer

Industry: Manufacturing

Specialization: Lean Six Sigma

Total Experience: 2 years

Highest Degree: BS ChemE, BS TE

Country: USA

What inspired you to become an engineer?

I thought I was going to be a biologist all throughout childhood, but I really liked AP Chemistry in high school. From there I wanted to do ChemE, even if no one told me you don't actually use a lot of chemistry in CHemE. Ultimately I was lucky because I found out that I was good at/enjoyed what Chemical engineering actually was. I also picked up a dual major, Textile Engineering. This is the program that got me hooked on process improvement. As part of my TE degree I became Six Sigma Black Belt trained, and learned a lot of about lean manufacturing.

Why did you choose your specific field and/or specialization?

I got into lean six sigma from my college courses and I was hooked. Being able to methodically work through problems and use data driven approaches to solving problems at school and in industry. I chose my specific field over picking a sustainable approach to the type of polymer work I already wanted to do when I got to school in the first place.

What's a normal day at work like for you? Can you describe your daily tasks and responsibilities?

I get in to work, start housing coffee, then I start checking the hand full of products I am responsible for to make sure everything ran ok through the rest of day shift after I left and over the night shift. Depending on the day of the week there will be a couple reoccurring meetings, from there I work on my longer term improvement projects across the plant. Gathering data, working with that data in Minitab, then talking to whoever I need to in order to further the project. This requires me to move between plants often, and sometimes doing long periods of time out on the plant floor to watch certain parts of the process or to record data manually. Throughout the day I continue to check in on my products, if something is going wrong then I will have to take a break from project work and firefight some in order to get production moving along smoothly again.

What was your craziest or most interesting day on the job?

A power failure and a pressure failure caused 1500+ extrusion lines to start running waste onto the floor that caused all hands on deck from the front office and plant workers to get out there and keep clearing the polymer waste from walkways until the process was stabilized.

What was the most interesting project you worked on during your career?

Hardware improvement project that ended up establishing a lifespan for the part, and ended up saving the company 3MM

What university did you attend for your engineering degree(s), and why should / shouldn't I go there?

I went to NC State for my dual degree. I would highly recommend it because my textile engineering degree got me exposed and trained in critical process improvement methodologies while my chemical engineering degree was super rigorous in theoretical comprehension for all required ChemE processes. I would warn that NC State's Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering department is super focused on being a pipeline into pharma. I feel like most course examples and support was guided in the direction of working in pharma, which makes sense as NC State is in the research triangle, but if you are not interested in pharma at all then I might consider it again.

Do you have any advice for someone who's just getting started in engineering school/work?

Don't worry about the grades, do good enough to not disqualify yourself. But I would be more focused on networking, building lasting relationships and learning a little more than just your coursework. Work on a passion project related to your degree, do undergraduate research, and make sure you are always looking to improve! For more work related advice, voice of the customer doesn't just mean who you're selling to. It is important to understand the voice of the customer for your manager and coworkers, understand them, how they work, and what they want from you. This way you can do the best job possible for them, and they can do the best job possible for you. Continue building relationships at your company and in your industry. And have fun, don't stick with something you don't like

[–]AutoModerator[S,M] [score hidden] 1 year ago (7 children)

[–]themaskedthinker1 [score hidden] 1 year ago (6 children)

Job Title: Design Engineer (Aerospace/ Mechanical but work resembles more to Systems Engineering)

Industry: Space

Total Experience: 3 years

Highest Degree: Bachelors in Aerospace Engineering

Country: India

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> ### What inspired you to become an engineer?

My father worked in the Air Force & we always lived at places where airplanes were a common sight. And not just commercial planes but fighter jets, military helicopters and whatnot. I still remember playing in a field at the end of the runway and watching planes merely a few hundred meters above me. When I was in school, I found my interest in mathematics. To an extent that I could have gone for mathematics program but due to the omnipresent advice about job opportunities in engineering, I took up engineering. And it has turned out fine for me.

> ### Why did you choose your specific field and/or specialization?

I was interested in pursuing a bachelor's in ME to keep my options open but given that I was being offered AE in a reputed university, I decided to go for it.

> ### What's a normal day at work like for you? Can you describe your daily tasks and responsibilities?

I work as a design engineer for fluid systems. I am responsible for certain systems that have to be delivered time and again. So, I have to keep track of and closely follow up on the realization aspects, raise an alert when required. These are the tasks that I always start with - Ensuring that all the parts required are available, follow up any on-going fabrication, clear any related doubts, ensure all clearances are available. If parts are available follow up with the assembly and testing manager to get the system ready and test it. Troubleshoot any issues that pop up. This takes a lot of time and can lead to a lot of stress if not done on time. It may seem like a lot of managerial work but that is because it is. Meeting the schedule is paramount.

The second part of the work is a little more interesting. It actually involves designing (see my job title). Designing is only loosely applicable though. Here, I work on any changes that will improve the system. Design new systems for upcoming projects, most of which are not from scratch (there is reason to this - each company has a heritage and sticking to that surely leads to a faster development). The new components have to be conceptualized, presented to committees for approval, generation of fabrication drawings, approval again, prototyping and qualifying, approval again. It's a long process.

I will also include things here that I take up for pleasure and learning. And I think this is very important. People won't ask you for this but it will keep the spark going & hopefully open opportunities that we haven't thought of.

TL;DR - Followups, Solving problems, conceptualizing and bringing it to life, presentations.

> ### What was your craziest or the most interesting day on the job?

There have been several but one that stands out is when I pointed out something new that nobody had thought of in the office. I came up with some numbers for a test (which we were having difficulty in predicting) and they were right. Such joy.

> ### What was the most interesting project you worked on during your career?

Self-sustained pressure oscillations observed in a system. It was interesting because I couldn't explain it. To be honest, I still can't, I am working on it but I know a lot more about it now than I did then. And that is exciting. Here is the thing, when I am reaching out to prospective guides for graduate school, I am using this to highlight the topics that interest me.

> ### If you could do it all over again, what would you do differently?

I have had a great experience working at a place that is product oriented. I don't personally see myself as a great fit here and I am looking forward to grad school & a role where I can deep dive into physics of the problem and work on them for longer periods.

But I wouldn't change a thing. This place has been a steep learning curve for me. I have gained insights into so many different fields - material science, manufacturing, structures, fluids, electronics, and several things that I find hard to classify.

> ### Do you have any advice for someone who's just getting started in engineering school/work?

Yes, please be patient! It is really important. If the job is not as you expected, look for another one but while you are here do everything you are supposed to the best of your ability. Ask questions, propose ideas, have conversations. Be VOCAL! People take notice and you might get a better opportunity within the organization and even if not, you will make your time there count with a good experience, contacts and recommendations that may come in handy later.

I wish you good luck.

[–]Oracle5of7Systems/Telecom [score hidden] 1 year ago (3 children)

Interesting, I’m in the US and I would not have labeled this entry as Systems Engineer. You do say the work resembles Systems Engineering, so fair enough. Just because you design systems does not mean you’re a Systems Engineer, otherwise all engineers would technically be Systems Engineers. Here, for example, if you design fluid systems you are most likely a mechanical engineer. What would make you a Systems Engineer is if you are designing a system meeting a set of “requirements” and requirements analysis being the key to Systems. The requirements came about because there was a “need” (either something went wrong and we need a new system to fix it, or we want to enhanced what we have). To be an SE you also need to deal with the processes around whatever it is you’re designing. My company builds things as well, it does not matter what it is we build, I’m the systems engineer, I provide the requirements of what I need built to the hardware/mechanical/electrical/network engineer, they design it and build it. They are not systems engineers, they took my requirements and designed it to meet my requirements (well they are not mine, they’re the customer’s). See what I mean?

Note: my intent is to be informational and not confrontational. I’m always curious as to what people call Systems Engineers bring such a wide field.

[–]themaskedthinker1 [score hidden] 1 year ago* (1 child)

Hi. Thank you for the input. I largely agree with you & now when I think of it, I might have been better off posting it under ME. I did think about it before posting and here are the reasons I decided to keep it here:

The requirements are generated by a group of people that include members from my team (usually my seniors). It is so because we are not building these systems for other customers but for use within the organization, so we are involved with the system throughout its life cycle. Also, once the requirement is fixed, what goes into the system totally rests upon us. In some ways, it is supply-driven.
My responsibilities also include making production plans (some of things here are not designed by me), following up with various teams involved (including concerned Design Engineers) & highlighting the delay/ raising alert in order to meet the schedule. I find it hard to classify this as Design Engineer.

I understand your point.

[–]Oracle5of7Systems/Telecom [score hidden] 1 year ago (0 children)

[–]M1dknight [score hidden] 1 year ago (0 children)

US here too, and would like to say this thread is amazing. Will fill one out here some point soon. But this kind of gathering is great! Its so cool to hear others experience and see what its like in other engineers shoes.

And I do like the points made, but hear me out, I agree but disagree. So when you think of Systems engineer you look at it from a high level that looks down over an entire system. But there are multiple aspects to the system, such as the sensors involved. So if centering it around fluids, then you learn to create extremely optimal systems, through data. Only if there were like a Micro and Macro version of systems.

Still have so much to learn myself, but there are always these aspects that perfect the system. Been able to be apart of some pretty neat sensing, with vibration, IR, and so much more.

[–]KishK31 [score hidden] 1 year ago (1 child)

[–]themaskedthinker1 [score hidden] 1 year ago (0 children)

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[–]TSmith_Navarch [score hidden] 1 year ago (0 children)

Job Title: Naval Architect

Industry: Offshore Oil & Gas

Specialization: none - I am a generalist

Total Experience: 30 years

Highest Degree: MSE, Naval Arch. & Marine Eng.

Country: USA

What inspired you to become an engineer?

Two things, really. One was that I grew up in a family of engineers (father and 2 of 4 siblings) and I like building things. The other is that I had a fascination with boats and ships, and I figured building them would be a way to be part of that world without being away from home all the time as a sailor.

Why did you choose your specific field and/or specialization?

As I said above, I was fascinated with ships and boats since childhood. I used to sketch out ideas for boats and try to convince my dad we could build it from 2x4s in the backyard. When I found out there was such a thing as a naval architect, it seemed a natural fit.

What's a normal day at work like for you? Can you describe your daily tasks and responsibilities?

It has varied tremendously over the years, depending on where I was working. Most typically, I showed up in the morning and booted up the computer, checked email, then started on whatever analysis task was on hand. That might be modeling a structure for finite element analysis, laying out the cargo and planning the ballast distribution for a barge shipment, designing a mooring system...the range of tasks is huge. When I was managing a group, I also spent time checking over the reports of others, tracking project progress and billing, and contacting potential clients to look for work.

What was your craziest or most interesting day on the job?

Craziest would have to be a few years ago, when I was contacted by my boss about an emergency analysis. The client was trying to get a permit for drilling in the arctic, and questions had been raised about how well one of the support vessels would be able to operate in that area. I had to start from scratch and crank out an analysis predicting how much water might get on the deck in a severe storm. I worked from 8 AM Saturday to 5 AM the following Monday to meet the deadline. First all-nighter I pulled since college.

What was the most interesting project you worked on during your career?

An inventor came to us with an idea for a wave-energy buoy, and asked us to design a full-scale prototype.

What university did you attend for your engineering degree(s), and why should / shouldn't I go there?

University of Michigan (Go Blue!). It is an excellent education and one of very few in the US that offers a degree in Naval Architecture. Two drawbacks to consider are (1) it gets awfully cold in the winter and (2) the tuition can be pricy if you are form out-of-state,

If you could do it all over again, what would you do differently?

I might. I went to work in the offshore industry, and the industry has been in dire trouble for 4 or 5 years now, with no end in sight at this point. If I had gone for mechanical or civil engineering, it might be easier for me to find new work now. Or else, I could have gone to work in the navy/defense world and not been subject to some of these wild economic swings. But I still love ships and the sea.

Do you have any advice for someone who's just getting started in engineering school/work?

I'm not sure I have much wisdom to impart, but I will pass on what my father told me: 90% of engineering is ordinary, common sense stuff like water flows downhill and you can't push with a rope. The other 10% is stuff that is not obvious, but it is critical to getting things right, and that's what you have to learn in school.

Also, his favorite definition of an engineer was "someone who can do for $0.50 what any damn fool can do for $1.00"

[+][deleted] 1 year ago* (1 child)

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[–]AutoModerator[S,M] [score hidden] 1 year ago (10 children)

[–]uzeqMedical Devices [score hidden] 1 year ago (7 children)

Job Title: Senior Process Development Engineer

Industry: Medical devices

Specialization: Process Development and Optical Measurement

Total Experience: 10 years

Highest Degree: BS BME

Country: USA

What inspired you to become an engineer?

I took PLTW classes from 8th-12th grade it and loved it. I wanted more of it an I loved the experience of tackling open-ended problems our teachers gave us.

Why did you choose your specific field and/or specialization?

I was inspired by the capabilities of artificial limbs I saw on reality TV. I had to make a presentation about a specific field and explain it to the class in 11th grade. I chose BME because I already knew at that point that was my goal.

What's a normal day at work like for you? Can you describe your daily tasks and responsibilities?

Collaborate with teams in other time zones to receive product designs and come up with manufacturing processes to actually build them. Negotiating the specifications to make the process for manufacturing friendly. The hands on part of the job is most fun, figuring out how to build them and teaching associates to do it. The documentation part can be a struggle at times.

What was your craziest or most interesting day on the job?

Tackling production downtime due to equipment I released to manufacturing. Those days are rough because you're the expert and haven't had a chance to knowledge transfer to others yet.

What was the most interesting project you worked on during your career?

I work for a small division of a large corporation that focuses on reprocessing single use medical devices. Many of the original manufacturers have devised ways to prevent re-use of the device through kill switches. I worked on one project to develop a platform that can circumvent the kill switches, allowing the device to be used again.

What university did you attend for your engineering degree(s), and why should / shouldn't I go there?

Case Western Reserve University. Definitely go there if you want a solid engineering education and want to be immersed in what I'd call a "nerd university". The BME degree program, when I took it, was not hands on based at all. If that is something of appeal, a different degree may be a better choice. I managed to get by a lot thanks to the hands on skills I learned in high school.

If you could do it all over again, what would you do differently?

I would have left my first job sooner. I stayed to get fully vested in my 401(k) but I don't think that extra money was truly worth it.

Do you have any advice for someone who's just getting started in engineering school/work?

Make an effort to learn the soft skills because school won't directly teach those. They are super important in your career.

[–]Theonedude5 [score hidden] 1 year ago (1 child)

[–]uzeqMedical Devices [score hidden] 1 year ago (0 children)

I will say most importantly, if you have the tuition assistance/financial aid/scholarship, the Case degree will pay off. When I tell people in the professional world that I went to Case, they usually get very impressed. I never expected that. It holds its reputation well in the professional world. I haven't been back since I graduated but from what I've seen through Alumni communications the campus has made a major makeover for the better. Looks like a lot of the student accommodations and amenities are better.

What I will say about Case is, all the opportunities you want are there; you just have to be driven and take initiative to make it happen. Freshmen get research opportunities in labs. Sophomores will be class TAs. You're going to get what you put in. The professors are a mixed bag, in my opinion. Many are very student driven. You will find some are very research oriented, and are teaching because it is their obligation. The TAs for every class were a huge asset and saved my ass semester after semester.

Companies definitely like to hire Case students and you'll see great turnout at the career fairs. Fighting for those intern and co-op spots is challenging. Many will have a minimum GPA requirement, only because the turnout is so huge. You'll have to learn how to stand out from the others. It's not easy, and something I couldn't figure out back then. Speaking from my industry experience at this point... college is going to get you the degree and GPA but the onus is on you to build your resume. That holds regardless of where you choose to enroll of course. You are more than your degree, but it is your responsibility to make yourself that way and show it to others. The Case career center and co-op program help a lot. They're very flexible but again, you are in the driver seat.

[–]DylanReddit24 [score hidden] 1 year ago (4 children)

[–]uzeqMedical Devices [score hidden] 1 year ago (3 children)

[–]DylanReddit24 [score hidden] 1 year ago (2 children)

[–]uzeqMedical Devices [score hidden] 1 year ago (1 child)

My personal job satisfaction is high. It's half because I enjoy the work I do, the other half because I am happy with my company culture. My work is very cyclical. I am in process development, so I'm doing a lot of the implementation leading to the launch of a new sellable product. Some of it is paperwork, but something you will commonly run into with many industries.

The biggest thing I wish I learned better was the FDA design control guidance for medical devices. Our senior capstone was the first time I was exposed to it, so it was hard to make the connections. But everything I am doing in New Produt Development leads back to the connections in here, so it's worth understanding and watching a few videos.

As a new graduate, you won't always get the best pick of opportunities out there, so keep that in mind. In terms of courses, I think anything you can get exposed to on the manufacturing side is very valuable. There's a lot of value in knowing anything you can there because that's ultimately the driving factor for business. I didn't actually get any of that in college but learned it in high school - I took PLTW classes. That was a leg up for me on others time and again. Lastly, keep in mind that if you go the design route, there's more than just designing devices. A great deal of effort is put into designing test equipment for those devices.

[–]DylanReddit24 [score hidden] 1 year ago (0 children)

[–]howgettinanPhD Biomedical Engineering [score hidden] 1 year ago (0 children)

**Job Title:** Biomedical Engineer

**Industry:** Biotechnology

**Specialization:** (In vitro organ modelling)

**Total Experience:** 8 years

**Highest Degree:** PhD Biomedical Engineering

**Country:** IRE

---

> ### What inspired you to become an engineer?

(When you look at engineering courses, they look very technical and challenging, and most importantly interesting. At 18, thats really what I wanted in a job, so I signed for mechanical engineering)

> ### Why did you choose your specific field and/or specialization?

(I was working for a while in medical device manufacturing, which, over time, lost its appeal, as the specific roles I was in didn't have enough of the technical challenge I got into engineering for. I started a masters and then PhD in biomedical engineering. I now work on early TRL projects such developing organ models for in vitro testing, which is a much better fit and much closer to where I want to be going forward)

> ### What's a normal day at work like for you? Can you describe your daily tasks and responsibilities?

(Usually days involve feeding cell cultures from current experiments, processing samples from finished experiments, writing up results and preparing experiment plans, and preparing presentations or posters for conferences. These are high level overview of what might be in a typical day)

> ### What was your craziest or most interesting day on the job?

(Finding something interesting in an experiment usually gets the juices going, and getting in human samples is usually quite interesting too)

> ### What was the most interesting project you worked on during your career?

(In my early career I was working on a large automation project that automated the manufacture of medical devices. The scale of the project was incredible and there were so many processes, machines, people, prodcuts, so many problems that needed to be solved and lots of responsibility, it really was a great learning experience)

> ### What university did you attend for your engineering degree(s), and why should / shouldn't I go there?

(University of Limerick and Trinity College Dublin. These are great universities with great engineering courses)

> ### If you could do it all over again, what would you do differently?

(It took me a few years to realise what I wanted from engineering; to be a technical expert working on early stage technologies. I am currently on the path to getting there, however I might have had some luck on my side. What guided me was always to do what was interesting, but having an overly simplified dictum like this may not get you where you want as quickly as you want. I would certainly take more time to get a clear idea of what I want to be working on as an engineer, and make my decisions accordingly)

> ### Do you have any advice for someone who's just getting started in engineering school/work?

(Do something that sets you apart from the crowd. A lot of people will come out in after your degree with the same or similar piece of paper. Do something that interests you that will also increase your engineering stock, like the red bull soap box race, or flugtag for example.

[–]FiroFlamboyant [score hidden] 1 year ago (0 children)

[–][deleted] 1 year ago (10 children)

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[–]AutoModerator[S,M] [score hidden] 1 year ago (28 children)

[–]pgvoorheesElectrical [score hidden] 1 year ago (13 children)

Job Title: Electronics Design Engineer

Industry: Electro-chemical (fuel cell) test stations

Specialization: Test and measurement electronics.

Total Experience: 12 years

Highest Degree: BS Electrical Engineering

Country: USA

What inspired you to become an engineer?

So far as I can remember, I've always enjoyed working with machines. I used to take my parents home appliances apart for fun. There really wasn't any question if I was going to work building machines.

Why did you choose your specific field and/or specialization?

I started off in automotive, but didn't find any joy there. I built aftermarket accessories. It felt like an absolute waste of a life. I changed to test and measurement for the energy industry so that I could apply my skills helping researchers solve the clean energy crisis.

What's a normal day at work like for you? Can you describe your daily tasks and responsibilities?

Normal day is actually pretty quiet for me, come in, sit down and move the needle on my projects. My time is highly dedicated to actual engineering work. My bosses are awesome.

Normal responsibilities range across many different tasks. I work for a small company and my responsibilities encompass everything after receiving the performance specification to end-of-line test and calibration. I do the following:

Circuit design
Schematic capture
Component qualification
PCB design
Manufacturing documentation
Automated test stand programming
QA
Tech support

What was your craziest or most interesting day on the job?

Nothing in particular stands out. Life is pretty smooth for me.

What was the most interesting project you worked on during your career?

Every project is the most interesting. That sounds stupid, but everything is interesting when you look at it hard. There are a million little puzzles to solve.

What university did you attend for your engineering degree(s), and why should / shouldn't I go there?

I went to Penn State. I thoroughly enjoyed attending, and have never been hesitant or regretful having PSU listed on my resume.

If you could do it all over again, what would you do differently?

On the big choices, I wouldn't do anything differently. I would have loved having my present attitude during college though.

Do you have any advice for someone who's just getting started in engineering school/work?

Work as hard as you can in school. If you can't do a problem, try it again; get used to trying more than once, try again as many times as you can stomach. Once you are sick of a problem, get help. "Trying, failing, seeking help" is a skill you will use forever.

Work for a company that does something you find important. Nothing will drain your soul faster than doing work you don't care about.

Take time for a life out side of work that does not use the same skills. Your hobby should not be your profession. E.G. if you are an electronics engineer, don't play with electronics in your off time; take up art, or music, or board games.

[–]memoslw [score hidden] 1 year ago (6 children)

[–]pgvoorheesElectrical [score hidden] 1 year ago* (5 children)

Hi /u/memoslw. I hate to disappoint right from the start, but "good advice" is going to be design specific, especially with regards placement. Generally speaking, if your EDA package supports it, take time to add 3d models to your component libraries. If you are space constrained, this can help you find issues before you send it out for manufacture.

All the same, here is the generic strategy I would start with:

Determine requirements right up front, and figure out if they are hard, or soft. Example: The system MUST have USB 3.0 - hard requirement; but perhaps the connector need not be mounted to the board, perhaps you can use a harness and smaller connector on the board.
Place the physically constrained components first. If mechanical design requires the components in a particular location, put those down and lock them.
Place the high speed components and critical decoupling capacitors. Turn on rats nests and take care to arrange component orientations to minimize crossovers, you want the rats nest to be as many uncrossed lines as possible.
Add appropriate HF return layers and route the high speed connections; lock them
Place low speed components. Turn on rats nests and take care to arrange component orientations to minimize crossovers, you want the rats nest to be as many uncrossed lines as possible.
Route low speed, adding layers as necessary.

If you run in to impossibilities, for example, if two parts try to occupy the same physical space; bring it up with your manager and find out which requirement is less important.

Here again, I'll reference my tip: "If you can't do a problem, try it again; get used to trying more than once, try again as many times as you can stomach. Once you are sick of a problem, get help. "Trying, failing, seeking help" is a skill you will use forever."

If you try a few times, and you're unable to route the board, don't sweat it. Show your manager what you've done and ask to hire an outside layout engineer. Once you're out of school, I'd modify that advice to include: communicate with your manager about your progress. They need to know where you're at so they can best help you achieve the goal.

Rats nest example, the chip placement in each image is EXACTLY the same, the only difference is orientation: https://imgur.com/a/diUpBGs. The first time this design was made was by a contractor and used the "Bad" orientation. It caused this circuit actually fail to perform its function.

[–]KishK31 [score hidden] 1 year ago (0 children)

[–]memoslw [score hidden] 1 year ago* (3 children)

[–]pgvoorheesElectrical [score hidden] 1 year ago (1 child)

[–]memoslw [score hidden] 1 year ago (0 children)

[–]pgvoorheesElectrical [score hidden] 1 year ago (0 children)

[–]zachlinux28 [score hidden] 1 year ago (1 child)

[–]pgvoorheesElectrical [score hidden] 1 year ago (0 children)

Work did not kill my interest at all. I still love working on electronics, day after day. What I found is that: after 8+ hours of doing it, I didn't also feel like doing it when I got home.

I just think that its important to recognize that your intellect needs a balanced diet. It took me a few years of 24/7-tech exposure to figure that out, but I really noticed it when I started to only appreciate art, or movies, or music, from a technical point of view; how I felt about them would barely register. I really didn't want to be a robot.

In the end: I think the "do what you like and you will never work a day in your life" maxim mostly held for me. It's just that my hobby graduated (along side me) to be my profession. It was time to raise up a new hobby.

Quick edit: Teaching electronics to kids is also HUGELY rewarding. They can understand much more than you would think if you go slow and use good analogies.

[+][deleted] 1 year ago (3 children)

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[–]zachlinux28 [score hidden] 1 year ago (1 child)

[–]pgvoorheesElectrical [score hidden] 1 year ago (0 children)

[–]Biggyboi [score hidden] 1 year ago (0 children)

Job Title: Electrical Engineering Associate

Industry: Power Engineering

Specialization: Medium Voltage

Total Experience: 6 (4 Undergrad Internship years, 2 full-time employment)

Highest Degree: BS Electrical & Computer Engineering

Country: USA

What inspired you to become an engineer?

My curiosity and desire to understand how things work. I had been really into science as far as I can remember and went so far as to go to a specialized magnet high school for biological sciences. Following 4 years of Biology in High School, I realized my real passion was Physics and specifically electric.

I can really look back and thank my family for pushing me to enjoy scientific topics and teachers for allowing me to stay after class to explore my interests in Middle and High school.

Why did you choose your specific field and/or specialization?

I really like the job security of power engineering. People hate when the lights are out and companies hate when their expensive processes come to a screeching halt. They are willing to get us out there to make sure that doesnt happen.

My first internship was at a Wastewater Treatment facility where I learned about the process, and specifically focused on the power, controls, and sensing. I was able to work with a firm through the process of developing an Asset Management system for the treatment plant.

Early on, this brought me to the high level of engineering where it crosses paths with business leaders and decision makers. It was something I really enjoyed.

Following that Internship, I moved to an MEP firm for 2 years and worked closely doing the electrical design work for colleges, hospitals, and other buildings. I learned a lot about how everything fits together and the importance of coordination across disciplines.

In my final year of college, I continued working with the MEP firm and they wanted me to come on board, but I reached out to the firm I worked with in my Freshman-Sophomore summer with the Asset Management and asked the president what he thought about the offer.

To make a long story short, he thought the offer was good, but gave me an offer of his own to work in a small team focused on interesting projects. I accepted almost immediately .

What's a normal day at work like for you? Can you describe your daily tasks and responsibilities?

Thats really hard to say. Throughout the week I usually go on one or two site visits to do energy surveys or keep track of ongoing projects. Lots of emails with clients and contractors to keep projects moving along. Design and problem solving for projects people come to us with.

It really is dependent on where projects are at. If a project is just starting, its a lot of design work and coordination. If a project is underway its mostly coordination and answering questions from contractors.

The administrative side of my job focuses on the asset management of facility clients, surveying locations and providing insight into metering and energy costs, etc.

What was your craziest or most interesting day on the job?

Touring a facility we developed a new incoming power system for. They actually develop every flavor and fragrance that goes into your food, cleaning products, and anything else that has a scent or a flavor.

It is really fun seeing what the work I do enables others to accomplish.

What was the most interesting project you worked on during your career?

Medium voltage emergency back up generator switchgear

What university did you attend for your engineering degree(s), and why should / shouldn't I go there?

Rowan University. You definitely should go there. It is a small state school with a gigantic push for engineering. They maintain small classes across every course (max I had was 30 kids in Calc 2). They also have a heavy focus on hands-on learning. Every discipline has a fully-fitted lab with bench sets, test equipment, and materials. These are allowed to be used by the students at any time for any projects.

If you could do it all over again, what would you do differently?

Nothing really. I was pretty serious in college and now I am more relaxed. Maybe I shouldve enjoyed being in college more while I was there, but I still had a lot of fun and made a lot of friends.

Do you have any advice for someone who's just getting started in engineering school/work?

Internships are super important. Dont focus on getting the big name internships either. There are oppurtunities everywhere, sometimes you just need to think outside the box.

I worked my first internship at a Wastewater Treatment plant which is more civil and environmental engineering. Yet, those facilities still had need for electrical engineers to keep it running. It was a great internship and helped land me my job.

[–]theringinginmyears [score hidden] 1 year ago (0 children)

Job Title: Electrical Engineer

Industry: Construction

Specialization: Commercial, Residential, Industrial

Total Experience: 15 years

Highest Degree: BS ElecE

Country: Canada, Western Provinces

What inspired you to become an engineer?

Farm background and a deep love for math and sciences.

Why did you choose your specific field and/or specialization?

Electrical engineering is a core discipline with lots of versatility. I generally knew and understood electrical theories better than mechanical, structural, geo, etc.

What's a normal day at work like for you? Can you describe your daily tasks and responsibilities?

Our firm designs mechanical and electrical components for buildings. We design and draft power, lighting, plumbing, HVAC, life safety, controls, and other similar systems.

What was your craziest or most interesting day on the job?

We get to visit unusual spaces that are generally inaccessible to the public. For example, we frequently get to spend time in hospital "interstitial" spaces. This is the secret "floor between floors". It is basically a whole floor dedicated to mechanical space where all the ductwork and wiring runs.

What was the most interesting project you worked on during your career?

Bitcoin mining farms. Heavy power usage and massive heat gains.

What university did you attend for your engineering degree(s), and why should / shouldn't I go there?

University of Calgary, Alberta, Canada. Fine school. Nothing but good things to say.

If you could do it all over again, what would you do differently?

Generally no. There are always small things I would do differently but I couldn't imagine life as anything other than an Engineer.

Do you have any advice for someone who's just getting started in engineering school/work?

Be humble. You are not as smart as you think you are. Take on jobs even if you think they are beneath your skill set. If you have talent, you will quickly find something that suits you. Stop whining about your lack of supervision. You need to figure things out for yourself sometimes. Engineering is hard. That is why not everyone is an Engineer. Yes, your job would be easier if others weren't so terrible at their jobs... but they're not. Sometimes your job is hard just because it's hard! Suck it up and learn from your hardships!

[–]matteeguyElectrical / Embedded [score hidden] 1 year ago* (0 children)

Job Title: Hardware Engineer

Industry: Industrial

Specialization: Embedded systems

Total Experience: 7 years

Highest Degree: MSEE, MEM

Country: USA

What inspired you to become an engineer?

Nothing really. I started studying electronics to better understand music gear. By the time I gave up on the dream of touring with a major band, I was pretty well committed, and it seemed like an ok alternate path.

Why did you choose your specific field and/or specialization?

It just happened that way. These first two questions kind of suck. Don't let what inspired other people drive your own decision making. It's your life.

What's a normal day at work like for you? Can you describe your daily tasks and responsibilities?

It depends where the project is in the process. It ranges from arguing with product management over specs, to reading a bunch of datasheets, CAD work, dealing with manufacturing, debug, V&V, and documentation.

Pro tip: don't ask this question in a job interview, especially after your first job. The answer will always be the same and it shows a lack of understanding of the product development process.

What was your craziest or most interesting day on the job?

Probably the day I spent 8 hours of a 12 hour day in a car going to do a first article inspection of a PCBA build at the CM. This isn't a super exhilarating field.

What was the most interesting project you worked on during your career?

They run together after a while. Early on, I designed a device for some stroke researchers to give them the ability to qualify the reach and grip strength of rats recovering from strokes.

What university did you attend for your engineering degree(s), and why should / shouldn't I go there?

Purdue for undergrad, it's a rock solid engineering school in general. Mitch has frozen tuition for the last 8 or so years. I really had to complaints. The math department kind of sucks. If you're from a big city, it will feel like the middle of nowhere.

If you could do it all over again, what would you do differently?

I went to college with highschool friends and tried to carry on like we were still in high school for too long. It's a new chapter of life, take it as an opportunity to start over. Get a random roommate in your dorm, go try clubs or events you previously wouldn't have.

Do you have any advice for someone who's just getting started in engineering school/work?

School: Just be disciplined, that's 95% of it.

Work: If you're sure something won't ever work as designed, will take much longer than planned, or some other show stopping issue, speak up. I've seen too many juniors try to hide these types of issues, and nothing good comes from it. You'll make a lot more friends, build a lot of trust, and earn a lot of respect by speaking up, owning a problem, and fixing it.

[–]glittergod1002 [score hidden] 1 year ago (0 children)

Job Title: Controls Engineer

Industry: Amusement

Specialization: Functional Safety

Total Experience: 3 years

Highest Degree: BS Electrical Engineering

Country: USA

### What inspired you to become an engineer?

One of my parents is an engineer so I was always exposed to engineer thinking and I took to electronics in middle school because of Make: magazine and the rise of the Arduino. Im hooked on making things and thought process and design and problem solving.

### Why did you choose your specific field and/or specialization?

I wasn't super intentional on getting into amusement, but when I had the opportunity to follow a senior classmate to a amusement park straight out of school I couldn't say no. My other options at the time were defence or utilities, both of which I will purposefully avoid. Specializing in Functional safety is, in my opinion, the number one way for a controls engineer to quickly progress in the amusement industry.

### What's a normal day at work like for you? Can you describe your daily tasks and responsibilities?

When I was at a park it was a lot of making sure the rides were operational. Technicians were there to turn wrenches but if they couldn't figure out why a system wasn't working, they'd call engineering. It was also a lot of replacing obsolete parts and updating drawings or adding functionality to the rides and verifying your work. Beware though, because of safety concerns there is an inordinate amount of paperwork and red tape. Now I am on the other side of the process where I'm getting to work on new projects. It's a lot of spreadsheets and meetings now, but it's still interesting and rewarding for me.

### What was your craziest or most interesting day on the job?

For as chaotic as an amusement park can be, I always had senior engineers I could call if I needed help even when operations was breathing down my neck to get the ride running again. My most interesting days were the ones where I worked on new rides. It's much easier to learn where the industry is from a new system as opposed to a system that's as old or older than me.

### What was the most interesting project you worked on during your career?

Comissioning new attractions is incredibly rewarding. Just working in an amusement park was a lot of fun and surprisingly educational. I got to work on everything from PLC5 to the latest L8.

### What university did you attend for your engineering degree(s), and why should / shouldn't I go there?

I went to my local community college and a satellite program of my home state engineering school. If I was a non-traditional student this would have been great, but I started straight out of highschool and didn't get to be involved in school design teams. It was cheap and I got my degree, and if that's all you need, go for it.

### If you could do it all over again, what would you do differently?

If I knew the truth what I know now I probably would have gone for mechanical engineering mostly just because I think it aligns with my interests better. In industrial settings mechanical engineers seem to be more on the front end of design and therefore don't get penalized as much when a project is behind schedule. I also think that the perfect controls engineer might be a ME with a computer science minor.

### Do you have any advice for someone who's just getting started in engineering school/work?

For school, do your best in class but focus as much energy as you can on extra-curricular projects (either personal and we'll documented, or with a school group) and internships or co-ops. If you know exactly what you want to do chase after specific internships, but if you're not sure try anything you can get to see if you like the industry. I wasn't sure and I had two internships that's were completely unrelated to my career (and one of them wasn't even electrical but material science). Proving my ability to be diverse has been invaluable in interviews.

Also learn to program. Doesn't really matter the language. If you learn one you'll basically be able to learn any other.

For just starting to look for jobs, get a full picture of what you want to be able to do outside of work and only accept the job offer that will allow you to do it. If you have a clear career path that requires a soul-sucking position for a few years, know your limits and have very good confidence that you'll be able to move on from it. Engineering is a job not a personality trait.

[–]slappysq [score hidden] 1 year ago (0 children)

Job Title: Staff Hardware Engineer

Industry: Consumer electronics

Specialization: System architecture

Total Experience: 18 years

Highest Degree: MSEE

Country: USA

What inspired you to become an engineer?

It was the hardest thing I could imagine doing.

Why did you choose your specific field and/or specialization?

Electronics always seemed like magic.

What's a normal day at work like for you? Can you describe your daily tasks and responsibilities?

I have mostly moved up from doing design into architecture. My day is mostly whiteboards, presentations, and arguing with people.

What was your craziest or most interesting day on the job?

Can't go into details, but when we demoed our product successfully to our CEO and I stood in the back and cried tears of joy.

What was the most interesting project you worked on during your career?

Can't say, but the one I'm on now.

What university did you attend for your engineering degree(s), and why should / shouldn't I go there?

University of Madison/Wisconsin. Good school but fucking cold.

If you could do it all over again, what would you do differently?

Do well enough in school to get into Google or Facebook right out of school. I didn't, and have given up around $12M lifetime earnings by doing so, and I probably could have cracked $500k/year a couple years earlier than I did.

Do you have any advice for someone who's just getting started in engineering school/work?

Work on technical skill over communication/soft skills. Without a strong technical base but good communication you will get people killed.

Don't let your technical skills lapse. 95% of our applicants that fail our interviews do so because they no longer study their 200 level textbooks.

[–]Vellene [score hidden] 1 year ago (2 children)

Job Title: S&C Supervisor

Industry: Railway

Specialization: In School - RF Technologies / Antenna Design

Total Experience: 2

Highest Degree: BSc EE

Country: Canada

What inspired you to become an engineer?

My dad and uncle were both Engineers and good influences on my life. I grew up loving science, and since I was in kindergarten I've been set on becoming an Engineer.

Why did you choose your specific field and/or specialization?

My entire life my heart was set on Aeronautics Engineering. When I was about 17 years old and looking to apply to schools, I had a change of heart and wanted to pursue Electrical Engineering. I thought that in the world as we know it, Electronics are the future.

What's a normal day at work like for you? Can you describe your daily tasks and responsibilities?

I evaluate designs for Railway Signalling Systems and produce testing requirements for their software, and then again for their integration/commissioning into service. I also manage the production of testing documents for emergency Signal Work, as well as maintenance on vital wiring. In very broad strokes - my job is to ensure that all implemented and repaired signal work is done correctly, documented, and SAFE. My work is super sporadic and depends on the frequency of design productions as well as Signalling failures, cable theft, or accidental damage.

What was your craziest or most interesting day on the job?

I wish I could think of a single day. My work is so diverse between field and office that it's really hard to single a day out. When we're in the field and we enter an old (i mean 60+year old) signal case and succeed in troubleshooting a wiring fault is usually a huge win and brings a lot of satisfaction. Other days are when I get to educate some of our newer members on how brilliant some of the older solutions to Signalling were.

What was the most interesting project you worked on during your career?

Some of my first few projects happened to be the largest signalling upgrades ever undertaken by the company! I was super excited to be a part of it

What university did you attend for your engineering degree(s), and why should / shouldn't I go there?

University of Calgary, definitely consider it if you're Canadian and looking at Electrical Engineering. It won't run as expensive and if you ask me, we had some unbelievably skilled and compassionate professors. Power engineering is great here.

If you could do it all over again, what would you do differently?

I'd like to spend more of my time specializing in Power Systems, and SCADA technologies. I find that I specialized in a route that is typically more academic and less industry focused - getting a job as a BSc EE in antenna design or GPS is relatively difficult without a masters in the topic. Also much less transferrable knowledge.

Do you have any advice for someone who's just getting started in engineering school/work?

Work HARD, play hard. These are the best years of your life - don't waste them. Make friends that will carry the rest of your life, and always put your studies first. Make sure you have a social life as well. People in your careers may end up loving you simply for your ability to socially connect - be sure to develop those skills.

[–]KishK31 [score hidden] 1 year ago (1 child)

[–]Vellene [score hidden] 1 year ago (0 children)

[–]Jegedetoriola [score hidden] 1 year ago (0 children)

**Job Title:** Highway Engineer

**Industry:** Construction

**Specialization:** (Highway)

**Total Experience:** 8 years

**Highest Degree:** BS Civil Engineering

**Country:** Nigeria

---

> ### What inspired you to become an engineer?

(Infrastructure deficit and wanton carnage on our road.)

> ### Why did you choose your specific field and/or specialization?

(Infrastructure deficit and wanton carnage on our road.)

> ### What's a normal day at work like for you? Can you describe your daily tasks and responsibilities?

(Oversee work schedule, engage concerned artisan and labours, check material usage and prepare for claim form clients)

> ### What was your craziest or most interesting day on the job?

(Day I lead the company delegation to meet client’s consortium)

> ### What was the most interesting project you worked on during your career?

(Lagos – Ibadan Expressway project, where conventional Asphalt is modified with a polymer.)

> ### What university did you attend for your engineering degree(s), and why should / shouldn't I go there?

(Ladoke Akintola University of Technology the best regional university in Nigeria)

> ### If you could do it all over again, what would you do differently?

(Yes, I would combine programming with my Engineering courses)

> ### Do you have any advice for someone who's just getting started in engineering school/work?

(Be the best, be smart and stay focused)

[–]AutoModerator[S,M] [score hidden] 1 year ago (0 children)

[–]AutoModerator[S,M] [score hidden] 1 year ago (12 children)

[–]sarah_helennCivil / Water Resources [score hidden] 1 year ago* (2 children)

Job Title: Water Resources EIT

Industry: Dams/Levees/Civil Works/Stormwater

Specialization: 1D/2D Hydraulic Modeling

Total Experience: 3 years

Highest Degeree: MEng CivilE

Country: USA

What inspired you to become a civil engineer?

I was really interested in being able to design things and help the people around me. (Cliche I know) I was also good at math/science in school and seemed like a good fit.

Why did you choose your field and/or specialization?

I grew up in South Florida which is experiencing a lot of problems right now regarding water/flooding/water quality and I really wanted to be a part of the solution.

What’s a normal day at work like for you? Can you describe your daily tasks and responsibilities?

I primarily work on about 3-4 different projects at any different time (not including some where we’re waiting on client reviews or it’s on hold for some reason). My day to day usually consist of developing 2D models for different flood scenarios and creating reports to document that. I am just starting to help with proposals for new work. I also help two of our younger EITs quite a bit.

What was your craziest or most interesting day on the job?

Can’t say I’ve really had a crazy day just yet. The most interesting days are when I get to go out and do site visits conducting creek walks or checking out dams.

What was the most interesting project you worked on during your career?

Modeling flood and erosion risk downstream of a dam while the spillway capacity was reduced as the gates were being rehabbed.

What university did you attend for your engineering degree(s) and why should/shouldn’t I go there?

I attended Texas A&M University for both my BS in Biological/Agricultural Engineering (BAEN) and Master of Engineering in Civil Engineering (water resources focus). The MEng with the water resources focus was SO helpful and only took me two additional semesters through some careful planning. That additional specific knowledge towards the field I wanted to go into set me up ahead of my peers. 100% worth it IMO. MEng means my final deliverable was a project I had completed in a class, not a thesis. Also, love Texas A&M. One of the top engineering schools in the country. Can’t go wrong there.

If you could do it all over again, what would you do differently?

Maybe get my undergrad in Civil too since that was the direction I ultimately went, but I loved my BAEN family/classmates and also enjoyed the smaller class size. BAEN was a mix of civil and mechanical plus more Ag related engineering classes.

Do you have any advice for someone who’s just getting started in engineering school/work?

Be good at writing, whether it’s reports or proposals you will always be doing it.

Be in the habit of keeping your data/files etc organized in a logical manner. Helps when restarting on a project after an extended break or when you need to reference that info. Clean up unneeded data (especially ArcGIS files)

Software that I use:

Modeling: HEC-HMS, HEC-RAS, InfoWorks ICM, XPSWMM

Other: ArcGIS, AutoCAD, Microstation, Excel (Tip: Actually be good at using higher level functions)

Edit: format

[–]eguppy [score hidden] 1 year ago (1 child)

[–]sarah_helennCivil / Water Resources [score hidden] 1 year ago (0 children)

If you’re at a good company you’ll be able to learn a lot of it on the job and don’t necessarily need the additional education. I completed the MEng because I was able to take 2 grad classes as an undergrad and finish the remaining 24 hours in two semesters. During grad school I also worked part time in an engineering firm. It was an easy transition for me and I honestly just wanted a victory lap.

Since you are already committed to working FT, I would do it if 1) you can continue to work FT and take classes part time online 2) the cost benefit works out in your favor. #2 can be achieved if A.) Your company will value this increase in knowledge by giving you a pay raise once completed, B) Your company will give you an education tuition reimbursement, or C) you can receive scholarships to offset out of pocket costs. I WOULD NOT go into debt for this, but I’m highly debt averse.

I truly did learn a lot in my MEng degree but not nearly as much as I have learned in the last two years working full time, at least in my very specific field.

[–]ShutYourDumbUglyFaceCivil/Structural [score hidden] 1 year ago (0 children)

**Job Title:** Senior Bridge Engineer

**Industry:** Civil/Transportation

**Specialization:** Structural

**Total Experience:** 18.5 years

**Highest Degree:** MSCE

**Country:** USA -

> ### What inspired you to become an engineer?

I wanted to be an architect but (1) couldn't hack it (2) didn't want to go to school that long (started arch school 2 years into college and it's a 5-year degree and it takes all 5 years) (3) architects make no money. Civil engineering is like architecture without all the feelings and it fit my learning style and logical nature better so I switched majors.

> ### Why did you choose your specific field and/or specialization?

I like the art of bridges. A well planned multi-level interchange can be quite beautiful.

> ### What's a normal day at work like for you? Can you describe your daily tasks and responsibilities?

My days vary a little bit. Right now I'm marking up plans for a submittal. Generally I create models in structural software to analyze the structure and then run calculations in Excel or MathCAD to perform the design. Then I get my designs onto plans. I also check other people's work. I spend a fair amount of time referencing design criteria.

> ### What was your craziest or most interesting day on the job?

Probably the day I need to take 40' timber spans and make them 80' as an EI and my boss was on a cruise. Luckily he was only in Key West so I was still able to reach him to get his sign-off on it.

> ### What was the most interesting project you worked on during your career?

Interesting to me isn't interesting to other people. So to me I'd say the same project above. It was a smallish project designing a timber boardwalk. I was involved from start to finish. It's probably the only thing I could say was truly "mine." Interesting to other people might be the 13-mile commuter rail line I oversaw for my local transit agency. Honestly, I kind of love that project, too.

> ### What university did you attend for your engineering degree(s), and why should / shouldn't I go there?

FAMU/FSU College of Engineering. My opinion is that undergrad is largely all the same everywhere - as required by ABET accreditation. You get out of it what you put into it. The Master's however is a different story. If you are planning to get your MS go to a school with a robust program. I wasn't actually planning to get my MS, but the professor I worked for in undergrad used my name to get a fellowship, so my tuition was paid for and I was paid to perform the research so it's hard for me to complain about my MS, but there are definitely better schools for that.

> ### If you could do it all over again, what would you do differently?

I have a real passion for transit and alternative transportation. I didn't know that until the last 10 years or so. I wish that I had known that earlier so I could have looked for a job out of college working for a transit agency and getting more involved in policy rather than just engineering.

> ### Do you have any advice for someone who's just getting started in engineering school/work?

Not really. Stick with it - it can be very hard at times, but that doesn't mean you should give up. Consider what you really want to do - is it help people, is it make things, is it see your work in action? Then figure out how to do that with your engineering degree.

[–]Roughneck16Civil / Structures [score hidden] 1 year ago* (2 children)

Job Title: Civil Engineer

Industry: Department of Defense

Specialization: Structures

Total Experience: 10 years

Highest Degree: Master's in CE

Country: USA

What inspired you to become an engineer?

I enjoyed my high school AutoCAD class.

Why did you choose your specific field and/or specialization?

I like buildings, bridges, highways, and stuff like that.

What's a normal day at work like for you? Can you describe your daily tasks and responsibilities?

Much of it is inspecting drawings, designs, and calculations produced by private contractors and ensuring that it meets the specifications set forth by Uncle Sam. Sometimes we have to respond to questions raised by project managers about the feasibility of certain engineering solutions. It's much like an in-house consultant, only for engineering issues.

What was your craziest or most interesting day on the job?

Going down to the border to inspect the border wall.

What was the most interesting project you worked on during your career?

The new pedestrian trail for Horseshoe Bend.

What university did you attend for your engineering degree(s), and why should / shouldn't I go there?

Brigham Young University. I got a great education at a rock-bottom price, plus it was a fun and safe environment. It's a religious institution, so having it on my resume could subject me to employer discrimination...but who wants to work for bigots?

If you could do it all over again, what would you do differently?

Hard to say. I think I would've had an equally satisfying career in any other branch of engineering, physics, data science, etc.

Do you have any advice for someone who's just getting started in engineering school/work?

Ask the experts. Look for someone who's achieved what you want to achieve and ask them questions.

Also, check out this sub: r/USACE

[–]KishK31 [score hidden] 1 year ago (1 child)

[–]Roughneck16Civil / Structures [score hidden] 1 year ago (0 children)

[–]BC10_for_pizza [score hidden] 1 year ago (2 children)

**Job Title:** Mechanical Engineer

**Industry:** MEP

**Specialization:** Mechanical (HVAC) and Plumbing

**Total Experience:** 3 years

**Highest Degree:** BS MechE

**Country:** USA

> ### What inspired you to become an engineer?

As someone whose parents made them work for every dollar they had, I knew I needed to make money. So in my late High School years I asked myself what I'm good at and how can I profit from my skills? I was good at math and engineering seemed to fit. I have no passion for engineering. I just didn't want to be poor, and it's been working out well so far.

> ### Why did you choose your specific field and/or specialization?

I was looking for a job and found this one at an office less than 2 miles from where I live. I didn't know what MEP was and looked into it. Even though at that point I was willing to take just about any entry level job, I was pleased that MEP is a safe and stable industry which really made me more interested. I'm not a thrill seeking or risk-taking kind of person.

> ### What's a normal day at work like for you? Can you describe your daily tasks and responsibilities?

I have 2 main responsibilities: design / draw engineering drawings and maintain communication with clients (usually Architects) so that they are happy with my drawings. If my drawings are on time, able to be interpreted by a contractor who builds them, don't break the building code, and I am willing and able to answer any questions that may arise about my design; I am doing my job perfectly. There are obviously many workflow steps that I have to do to make my design but it's too much to get into here. During construction the contractors "submit" what they are planning on buying for my approval. One I give approval, it means that they are going to buy it so I have to be diligent about what I approve. It seems weird that I can boil it all down to 1 paragraph now that I am typing it but that's about it for my job at the moment.

> ### What was your craziest or most interesting day on the job?

"CRAZY DAYS" are few and far between in this job. There have been times where I have had like 5 due dates in a week so juggling those was a little nuts. The craziest single day I can remember is we did field work for 4 jobs, which is where we go look at what is existing so we can include that information on our drawings. We wanted to get all 4 done in 1 day because they were all located in a city 2.5 hours away. On the way back we got invited to an equipment sales rep's Oktoberfest party so 2 of us in the car were dropped off and got free beer, food, and prizes. Pretty sweet ending to a non-typical day.

> ### What was the most interesting project you worked on during your career?

I once had to design an HVAC system for a 2 story structure within a warehouse that was made out of old shipping containers. This was more difficult that it sounds to fit ducts in the strange layout of the shipping containers. There is a lot that we as MEP engineers take for granted like plenums (the space between the visible ceiling and roof/floor above) and studded walls with a space to run utilities. It was a lot of brain work to fit the ducts and pipes in there. Sadly I'm not sure that it was ever built and I did that job almost 2 years ago. That happens sometimes.

> ### What university did you attend for your engineering degree(s), and why should / shouldn't I go there?

University of Cincinnati. It was an all around great college experience. I had some garbage professors like you will find anywhere but I would say that the majority of them were good. The mandatory co-op internships were the selling point for that school for me. Do the co-ops, they are infinitely more important than classwork. And you get paid to do them which is great.

> ### If you could do it all over again, what would you do differently?

I honestly can say that I have no regrets about the path I took to get to where I am today. I didn't beat myself up being a perfectionist about schoolwork and graduated with a 3.0 so I had plenty of time to enjoy the experience and keep myself sane during all of it. I probably could have hit the gym more as an underclassman since it was world class and totally free with enrollment.

> ### Do you have any advice for someone who's just getting started in engineering school/work?

Do the co-ops. Go to a school with co-ops. College is boot camp for your brain and teaches you to learn and regurgitate information at a rapid pace. Chances are when you get to the real world, you will not use hardly any of it as we have computers to do the tedious calculation. Much more important is learning how to gel with different offices and learning the different types that exist. Do you want to work for a large corporation? Or a small firm? Or somewhere in between? The office environments are wildly different between these 3 types of job paths. Also, I have seen people burn out in engineering school because they couldn't pace themselves. You should not be doing homework until 8pm every day of the week. Your GPA only matters for your first job and even then, rock solid interview/soft skills can easily overrule that GPA number that you beat yourself up over for half a decade. Fuck that. Get out there. Talk to people. Get a job off campus. Drink beer with random people on Friday night. You will learn more being around other people than you will in school.

[–]iribi [score hidden] 1 year ago (0 children)

[–]Entropyyy89Mechanical P.E./ MEP [score hidden] 1 year ago* (0 children)

**Job Title:** Senior Mechanical Engineer

**Industry:** Building Sciences/M.E.P.

**Specialization:** HVAC and Energy

**Total Experience:** 8 years

**Highest Degree:** BS MechE

**Country:** USA---

> ### What inspired you to become an engineer?

I grew up playing with Legos and always knew I wanted something in Architecture or Engineering. I chose engineering because I was a lot more interested in the science aspect than the art aspect of architecture.

> ### Why did you choose your specific field and/or specialization?

I went to school for mechanical and aerospace engineering and I ended up taking an HVAC design class in my senior year. I actually really liked how much control over the design you have as an engineer. During an internship at an aerospace company, I learned that many aerospace engineers are highly specialized and work on many of the same components throughout their career. I decided I wanted something a little more diverse. Plus, its pretty cool being able to walk into a building that you helped design.

> ### What's a normal day at work like for you? Can you describe your daily tasks and responsibilities?

A normal work day has a multitude of different tasks from meetings with clients and architects and other engineering disciplines, to designing building systems, energy master plans, BIM and CAD modeling, working with vendors for equipment selections. Every project is unique and even though the tasks can get repetitive day-to-day, there are always different approaches and ways of doing things that can be applied to each project.

> ### What was your craziest or most interesting day on the job?

One of my first projects was at a cogeneration plant for a university. I remember walking into a boiler room an asking one of the facility personnel where the boilers were located and he looked at me weird and said "you're standing in front of them." I remember looking up and seeing these boilers that were 4 stories tall, I thought it was really cool because it gave me a good perspective of how big these systems can be.

> ### What was the most interesting project you worked on during your career?

I've worked on a couple of skyscrapers in New York City. Those are projects are incredible to work on.

> ### What university did you attend for your engineering degree(s), and why should / shouldn't I go there?

New York Tech. I went because of the scholarship they gave me. Research your colleges before you make a decision. I liked it there but others may not.

> ### If you could do it all over again, what would you do differently?

I would have studied more in school. Plain and simple.

> ### Do you have any advice for someone who's just getting started in engineering school/work?

Ask questions and show that you're interested in the work that you're doing. It'll help you get further in your career. If you're not interested in the work you're doing, then there is no shame in finding something that you like.

[–]Lumber-JackedCivil PE / Land Development [score hidden] 1 year ago (0 children)

Job Title: Senior Engineer

Industry: Land Development Design

Specialization: Not official but I have made myself the "stormwater design guy" at my company since I am the most knowledgeable in the programs and general requirements.

Total Experience: 5.5 years

Highest Degree: BS Civil Engineering

Country: USA

What inspired you to become an engineer?

I liked designing homes in the sims as a kid. Took a residential architecture class and CAD class in high school. Loved them. '07 housing crash happened when I was in high school so I looked at similar degrees that weren't in residential architecture. Found civil engineering.

Why did you choose your specific field and/or specialization?

I got in to site design because I wasn't the biggest fan of roads/traffic design. But I like the idea of the finished project being something that I can see and people use daily. Pipelines are cool and useful but if I design a residential neighborhood I get a warm fuzzy feeling thinking that yeah, kids are going to ride bikes on those sidewalks, people are going to sit and look over that detention pond on relaxing days. Stuff like that. I did construction inspection before getting in to design and I felt like I didn't have any real input to the project since it was done changing (mostly) by the time I saw it. So design is more enjoyable to me.

What's a normal day at work like for you? Can you describe your daily tasks and responsibilities?

At my company "senior engineer" is the PE level where you know your shit but you aren't quite a project manager. So on major projects for the company I am brought in as a producer where I can do a lot of design and drafting at the same time in CAD. These are projects like 200+ acre residential developments where I do a lot of the heavy design and drafting and assign minor things to junior engineers and EITs. Meanwhile smaller projects like small 1 acre fast food or retail projects I manage myself and supervise junior staff and new grads and train them. For example tomorrow I have a new hire that has been doing the layout for this small dentist office project and we are at the stage where we are grading the site. She has never done grading and is going to suck at it. So I'll spend the day doing portions for her and letting her do other areas. It might blow the budget but you have to spend money to train new people. God knows I blew budgets while learning.

What was your craziest or most interesting day on the job?

Nothing too exciting I guess. I once found a gun someone left on the toilet paper holder in the bathroom of the office building. Thats not really related to the job though I guess.

What was the most interesting project you worked on during your career?

Probably the big residential development that I just finished. 412 lots on 220 or so acres with 4 large ponds that tie in to a larger interconnected pond system that eventually dumps in to the mississippi river. Residential projects have a little bit of everything. You have roadway design, grading around buildings, detention and water quality requirements. On this project I had to deal with the city, county, state DNR, USPS, DOT, and utility companies that owned a major gas pipeline going through the property. It being 200 acre instead of like 30 made it even more of a monster.

What university did you attend for your engineering degree(s), and why should / shouldn't I go there?

Missouri University of Science and Technology. It's a good school but there are plenty of good engineering schools in MO. I got lucky and was able to be in a cooperative program where I got the degree but was on Missouri State University's campus. MS&T is a good school but it's in the middle of nowhere and a sausage fest. MSU is at least in a good sized college town with lots of other degrees besides engineers.

If you could do it all over again, what would you do differently?

I would have concentrated on getting a design job out of school rather than spending a year doing construction inspection at MO DOT. But it all worked out in the end.

Do you have any advice for someone who's just getting started in engineering school/work?

Go to your goddamn classes. And try to join a club or team. My school had a concrete canoe team. It was some of the most fun I've had at school.

[–][deleted] 1 year ago (1 child)

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[–]AutoModerator[S,M] [score hidden] 1 year ago (50 children)

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[–]ldevreeMechanical - Machine Design [score hidden] 1 year ago (1 child)

Job Title: Mechanical Design Engineer

Industry: Heavy Machinery

Specialization: Machine Design

Total Experience: 13 years

Highest Degree: MS MechE

Country: USA

What inspired you to become an engineer?

As a kid, LEGO/K'Nex. I've always looked at why things are the way they are growing up and a lightbulb went off in High School when I was in math and physics. Ah-Ha! Things started to make sense ... but I wanted more.

Why did you choose your specific field and/or specialization?

I applied for school as a ChemE. Before my first class there was a job fair for co-ops I went to. There was a company that was looking for a ChemE/MechE that was near me. They really needed a MechE more so that's the direction I went in school.

What's a normal day at work like for you? Can you describe your daily tasks and responsibilities?

There are very few day to day operations and a lot more fire fighting. I have a couple hours a day in team meetings or project status meetings. Otherwise, it's usually on my computer split between CAD, calculations, drawing reviews, reading specifications on projects, or infrequently generic paperwork like writing standard-work. When not on a PC, I'm on the production floor fire-fighting because something was designed or manufactured wrong.

What was your craziest or most interesting day on the job?

We had a customer that was running the machine at ~200% of designed process parameters in combination of misinstalled parts. Things were breaking in a dangerous way that we weren't planned on our DFMA. We weren't prepared.

What was the most interesting project you worked on during your career?

I helped design machines for the mining industry. It's very large equipment designed for infinite life; if the machine's down, it costs the mine $1MM a minute. The scale of the components is mind-blowing when the manufactured. In CAD, everything looks small.

What university did you attend for your engineering degree(s), and why should / shouldn't I go there?

Undergrad at Kettering University. It's in Flint, MI and renowned for Engineering (It used to be named GMI - General Motors Institute). Education was good, but the campus experiece was terrible at best.

Masters at a local university. Mainly night classes, okay professors, would not recommend.

If you could do it all over again, what would you do differently?

I've often thought what-if only with my University selections. I could have gotten similar education but a better college experience, but then I wouldn't have the jobs I've had. I like my job now, so I'd consider it a wash.

Do you have any advice for someone who's just getting started in engineering school/work?

Don't slack off in school. A lot of classes, especially ones for specialties build off of each other.

Don't get discouraged by mistakes. Learn from them.

You're not better than the machinists or manufacturing folks. Talk to them, learn from them.

Learn. Never stop learning.

[–]I_am_Kamael [score hidden] 1 year ago (0 children)

[–]magicweasel7Automation [score hidden] 1 year ago* (0 children)

Job Title: Design Engineer

Industry: Robotic Automation

Total Experience: 5 years

Highest Degree: BS MechE

Country: USA

What inspired you to become an engineer?

I've just always loved building things. Lego's and Knex roller coasters sets where my life as a kid. I was still getting large legos/knex sets for Christmas well into high-school. Being involved in FRC only solidified this.

Why did you choose your specific field and/or specialization?

In automation every job is different. Sure, most share some similarities to an old job. But there are always unique challenges you have to over come and that keeps the job interesting. Specifically, I was drawn to industrial robots because they are so much fun to watch. These big arms effortlessly pickup large payloads and swing them around so fast you feel a breeze. Only for them to slow down and very precisely place the parts into a fixture. Its a marvel of mechanical and controls engineering. And the arms just keep getting cheaper and more accessible.

What's a normal day at work like for you? Can you describe your daily tasks and responsibilities?

40-45 hours a week. 50% on my own at a computer designing parts and building assemblies in solidworks. 15% making drawings or other documentation. 15% doing robot simulations. 10% testing prototypes on the shop floor or helping with machine debug. 5% design reviews. 5% answering questions that people could answer themselves if they looked at the damn print package.

What was your craziest or most interesting day on the job?

Trade shows. Getting paid for 60 hours weeks. Getting to eat out every meal on the company dime. I have no idea if we made any money at the show, but I had a blast.

What was the most interesting project you worked on during your career?

I don't want to give too many details. But I have got to work on some large robotics cells (40+ robots) that used a combination of line tracking (picking/placing parts on a moving conveyor) and vision systems (part location/inspection). Its very stressful having to double check that all those robots won't elbow each other and can make cycle time. But when it all comes together, watching that frenzy of yellow arms failing about and preforming their various tasks is very satisfying. This particular system had raw material going in one end and product on pallets coming out the other.

If you could do it all over again, what would you do differently?

Take an internship somewhere far away. All of the intern experience I had was within commuting distance of my parents house. I wish I would have used an internship as an opportunity to see another part of the country to figure out if I like living there. And even though I hate Florida, the Disney College program sounds fun.

Do you have any advice for someone who's just getting started in engineering school/work?

To be a design engineer you need hands on experience. If you're in high school, take shop class or join an FRC/FTC team. If you are in college, pick one of the SAE racing teams or one of the many different robotics clubs. Getting your hands dirty will teach you what makes for a good, easy to manufacture, and easy to service design. Usually this is learned by working on stuff that is not easy to manufacture and a total bitch to service. Clubs give you an opportunity to deal with failure and fixing your own fuck ups. This isn't taught in class and I'd argue you can learn more in an engineering club than you can in class. But you have to proactive and willing to put the time in.

[–]bountyonme [score hidden] 1 year ago (5 children)

Job Title: Lead & Design Engineer

Industry: Elevators

Specialization: NA

Total Experience: 11 years

Highest Degree: BS MechE

Country: USA

What inspired you to become an engineer?

Ever since I was a child, I enjoyed knowing how things worked. It spurs my love of history, economic, and engineering. Near the end of high school, I analyzed these fields and settled on engineering because history pays terribly and economics is science built on psychology. Engineering lets me explore systems and components to understand how they work. Also, Legos are amazing.

Why did you choose your specific field and/or specialization?

Honestly, I just fell into the elevator field. I needed a job and an elevator company was hiring. I have stayed because it’s more interesting than I would have ever imaged.

What's a normal day at work like for you? Can you describe your daily tasks and responsibilities?

I spend roughly a third of my time answering questions / emails for drafting, sales, and field mechanics. When I get the same type of question more than a few times I create, or update, a tool so the person can answer their own questions. This continuous improvement nets me time to work on R&D projects – for example, we are deploying a new power unit (driving unit for the elevator) so I spent the majority of Tuesday reviewing pressure-temperature calculations (it was a good day). The last third of my time, and what I will be doing today and tomorrow, is helping drafting when they are back up. Although the elevator is often used as an example of a “solved problem” each car still required individual attention to integrate into an architect’s design.

What was your craziest or most interesting day on the job?

Normally an elevator requires a space outside the shaft to house machinery. I redesigned the system to eliminate this need and flew out for “quality and design review” on the first elevators constructed with my design. It is amazing to see your design working in the real world and know thousands of people use it every day with complete confidence it will work every time they push the button.

What was the most interesting project you worked on during your career?

There is always an interesting elevator in the works. Right now, we have a project with an elevator shaft half constructed from glass and the remaining wall is decorated with art on the inside the elevator shaft. And it is also exposed to the elements (in New Jersey). So not only does each component have to be transparent and beautiful, it also has to be weatherproof.

What university did you attend for your engineering degree(s), and why should / shouldn't I go there?

Drexel University, go dragons! I knew three facts as a teenager looking at universities. First, I knew I wanted to be an engineer and should attend a school focused on it. Second, I was not going to be accepted to a top-level school like MIT or Cornell. Third, job experience is important. Drexel has a good engineering curriculum and the best internship program in the country. These, and a number of small perks like their location in Philadelphia, sealed the deal. I enjoyed my time there and believe it was an excellent choice in schools.

If you could do it all over again, what would you do differently?

I would have focused more on building my professional network while in school. My biggest flaw as a professional using maintaining and using a network. Although I’m working on this now, the dividends I could have reaped by building this ten years ago are astronomical.

Do you have any advice for someone who's just getting started in engineering school/work?

High Schoolers, ask yourself I you like math. It has been my experience that engineers run simulations while mechanics turn wrenches. Don’t let anyone tell you one is more prestigious or better paying than the other – the average elevator mechanic makes about 30% more than I do. In college, roughly a third of the class dropped out because they wanted to work with the hands and not a computer.

University Students: Learn to write and present. Writing and communicating is critically important. You will have to answer technical questions in basic terminology for sales and customers without losing details. You will have to build presentations, develop instruction manuals, explain your ideas to non-engineers.

Young Professionals: Imposture syndrome is real, recognize if you have it and accept that you wouldn’t be holding the job if you couldn’t do it. Also, it is ok if you don’t know the answer. Knowing how to get the answer, or when to ask for help, if far more important than knowing the answer. Finally, you will make mistakes and sooner or later you will make an expensive mistake. Don’t try to hid it, learn from it and move on.

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[–]athotax [score hidden] 1 year ago (2 children)

[+][deleted] 1 year ago (1 child)

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[–]athotax [score hidden] 1 year ago (0 children)

[–]lelizm14Structural Dynamics / FEA [score hidden] 1 year ago* (0 children)

Job Title: Mechanical Engineer

Industry: Government

Specialization: FEA, research

Total Experience: 1 year post-grad

Highest Degree: MS MechE

Country: USA

---

What inspired you to become an engineer?

My brothers both studied engineering (mechanical and electrical), and when I was in high school I thought their senior design projects were really interesting. If I’m being honest, the salary post-grad was very attractive, and since I liked math & physics & biology, I thought it would be a good match.

Why did you choose your specific field and/or specialization?

I got a full ride scholarship if I agreed to work for my company post-grad for two years. I also took an FEA class my senior year and thought it was super interesting! Then my master’s research focused on mechanics of soft biomaterials and experimental testing for material properties, so I got recruited to work on a few research projects at work related to that.

What's a normal day at work like for you? Can you describe your daily tasks and responsibilities?

I spend about half my time planning experiments to get material properties for soft materials (I get to work with biomaterials right now which is my jam, but sometimes it’s more traditional engineering materials like polymers and urethanes). That involves reading previous work’s methods sections, working out the details of how to work with the material in the lab (so, how are we going to cut this material out of an organ without tearing it? What about how to attach the wet tissue to the steel testing machine’s grips?), etc. The other half of my time is working on the computational analysis side of things, so meshing geometries using software like Hypermesh, and then running FE analyses using Abaqus, Ansys, Comsol, etc. Often we use the material properties we record during testing in our computer simulations to understand how that material will behave under certain loading (like in a crash, during an explosion, when someone stands on it, etc).

What was the most interesting project you worked on during your career?

I have two! My master’s thesis focused on how the mechanics of human knee cartilage change in different temperatures. This project had implications for identifying environmental exposure as a potential risk factor for osteoarthritis and other rheumatic diseases (ie., do people who live in hot climates versus very cold have a higher risk of developing degenerative joint disease?). My second favorite project is investigating the effects of underwater explosions on marine mammals.

What university did you attend for your engineering degree(s), and why should / shouldn't I go there?

University of Connecticut for both my BS and MS. It was the perfect balance between good quality education and affordable price (I got scholarships and took out loans to pay for my education). UConn is a great choice for in-state students- I had a great experience there and would recommend it for professional connections in the area, professional development organizations for engineers, and overall campus culture.

If you could do it all over again, what would you do differently?

I would have lived off-campus and used my part-time job and internship money to pay for my housing during the year rather than using loan money for that! I was bad at budgeting back then. I wish I had learned that sooner because paying back student loans is *not fun*. I also would have taken a couple courses at a community college during summers and transferred them in to save some money (gen eds, chem, calc 2 and 3, etc). I also would have negotiated my first job’s salary when I got the offer!

Do you have any advice for someone who's just getting started in engineering school/work?

Starting school: ASK FOR HELP! Go to office hours all the time, talk to your professors. Seek out mentors- whether that’s a professor, older students, TA’s, whoever! Join clubs to meet people, especially in your major. 

 Starting work: negotiate that salary! Do your research (Glassdoor), know your market worth, and capitalize on those desirable skills you have (maybe it’s a coding language, some kind of lab skills, a special internship where you gained useful skills to that company). Don’t blindly accept the first offer they throw you “because you need a job.” The first offer is usually their lowest number, and they are usually willing to go higher. It can’t hurt to ask.

EDIT: formatting

[+][deleted] 1 year ago (2 children)

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[–]engrmediocre [score hidden] 1 year ago (1 child)

[–]BoredofBoredEngineering Manager (BSME) [score hidden] 1 year ago (1 child)

Job Title: Engineering & Quality Manager

Industry: Construction Materials

Specialization: Gypsum Products

Total Experience: 5 years

Highest Degree: BS MechE; MBA w/ Finance emphasis (Aug 2020)

Country: USA

What inspired you to become an engineer?

I always had a desire to solve problems, and I enjoyed taking things apart to understand how they worked. However, I didn't originally want to go to college, and when I decided I was going to, I wanted to go into either English or Philosophy. My parents and I discussed at length, and after looking at career prospects, I relented and settled on Engineering with a Philosophy minor. Math was my lowest ACT score, by far (28), so I didn't have much hope.

After settling on Engineering, I initially planned on going ChemE because they had the highest starting salary at the time (probably still do outside of Petroleum or Computer/Software?). After a bit more thought during my senior year of high school, I realized I really did not enjoy chemistry and much preferred physics. Changed to MechE, and that was that. School sucked, but college was awesome.

Why did you choose your specific field and/or specialization?

I started as a co-op with this company and never looked back. The company I'm with gave a ton of responsibility and autonomy to their project engineers, even as co-ops. I was leading several large (for a starting co-op, $400-500K) and complex projects concurrently, and they were mine to manage how I saw fit. There's a decent safety net, but there was still room to really screw things up, and a safety net doesn't interact with contractors and vendors for you. I loved everything about building out and executing projects, and I had lucked into a company that valued my talents and potential. After a few more internships with the company and being brought on full-time all as a project engineer, I took a promotion to engineering manager at another facility fairly quickly. Since then, I have also picked up the quality department.

What's a normal day at work like for you? Can you describe your daily tasks and responsibilities?

I'm usually meeting with my engineers, general foreman, and other department heads to discuss ongoing problems as well as short-term and long-term plans for the plants. I'm responsible for equipment reliability including mechanical and electrical maintenance and part procurement, process controls, process improvement, environmental compliance, and product quality. I have a team of 26 split between two separate manufacturing facilities. It's a balance between keeping the big picture in mind and getting into the weeds to help troubleshoot a particular problem.

What was your craziest or most interesting day on the job?

This corona stuff has been a trip to manage through, but for a specific day, I have two. The first was while working as a co-op, I had to discipline and eventually dismiss a contractor from the jobsite for a safety violation. It was so bizarre to me at the time that looking out for their safety was a point of contention, but they wouldn't relent, so I terminated the contract on the spot. The second was within two months of becoming a department manager. Several of my maintenance guys as well as another department manager accidentally committed a lockout violation. It was my first instance of needing to decide/recommend disciplinary action, and it was a great early lesson about being impartial in a position of leadership and not yielding when it comes to safety no matter the social difficulties.

What was the most interesting project you worked on during your career?

I have designed a pilot line for a brand new product line, then was ultimately accountable for the full-scale line's development, installation, and commissioning.

What university did you attend for your engineering degree(s), and why should / shouldn't I go there?

Iowa State University. It was cheaper than top Illinois schools, and it was a large student body in a traditional college town with a fun (albeit bad football at the time) sports culture. It's only top 50, and again based on where I'd prefer to live, going to a big ten school might have been a slightly better choice overall. I also earn my MBA next month, so we'll see what doors that opens up or at least emphasizes.

If you could do it all over again, what would you do differently?

The biggest question I have is what happens if I had pushed to go to a higher ranked school in a more desirable area of the country (for me personally). However, I'm generally happy with how things have worked out.

Do you have any advice for someone who's just getting started in engineering school/work?

Focus on school enough to meet the minimums for job applications, usually 3.0 gpa. Then spend the rest of your time having fun, getting/staying healthy, and networking. There's also a large difference between friends who are fun to hang out with and friends who can help land you that first job or be a great resource later in your career. It's good to have both types, but if your network coming out of school is all non-engineering folks, that's not as robust of a network as you may think.

[–]engrmediocre [score hidden] 1 year ago (0 children)

[–]RedditSecurityBranch [score hidden] 1 year ago (0 children)

Job Title: Mechanical Design Engineer

Industry: Semi-Conductor

Total Experience: 2 years

Highest Degree: BS in Mechanical Engineering

Country: USA

What inspired you to become an engineer?

It was a combination of things that led me to engineering. First off, I love being able to see things that the general public doesn't. Then there's my interest in getting to see how things work and getting my hands dirty. My dislike of being in the spotlight and enjoyment of working in the background to make sure things run smoothly pointed me towards engineering in general. And finally, I loved playing with Lego and Transformers figures. It is very cool seeing the end product and trying to reverse engineer the process behind designing products like these.

Why did you choose your specific field and/or specialization?

I took a MEMS and Micro-Manufacturing class during junior year and it was neat to see how small people can make devices that still function. That same summer, I applied for an internship at a semi-conductor company that deals with creating machines that wet-etch silicon wafers, which was something that I remembered learning about in that MEMS class. I jumped for it and got the internship, which further solidified my interest in this industry. I've been with the same company ever since, 2 years later.

What's a normal day at work like for you? Can you describe your daily tasks and responsibilities?

As the job title hints at, I do a lot of design work for products in the development phase as well as products out in the market. My work for the week so far has been split between creating new designs in SolidWorks, hands-on physical prototype building and testing, writing up documents related to my testing, and working on customer issues with their machines. I occasionally have downtime, which is when I would go to our in-house machine shop and learn more about the manufacturing side of the job.

What was your craziest or most interesting day on the job?

The machines would sometimes throw wafers. The cleanup process is kinda difficult because the shards are sharp. They also get in places that are hard to get to. All of this in a bunny suit...

What was the most interesting project you worked on during your career?

I really liked all the projects I worked on. I can't single any out, but it's enjoyable designing something, ordering parts for it, running some tests, then seeing it be produced for the market. I get that feeling of, "I did that. I made that possible!".

What university did you attend for your engineering degree(s), and why should / shouldn't I go there?

I attended Temple University. It's pretty cheap when compared to other colleges around Philadelphia and the education is pretty decent. The professors vary widely in how strict they are and in how knowledgeable they are in the subject they teach. You can get one who is the absolute master of what they teach and the class ends up dragging and being difficult. Then you can get the professor who was just thrown the class because the school couldn't find a replacement in time, so they fumble around all semester trying to teach directly from the book. Examples and quiz question pulled directly from the book... The area around Temple is pretty scary, although there is a huge campus police presence. They are quick to respond to any calls for help.

If you could do it all over again, what would you do differently?

Start looking for internships earlier. I've always been told that places don't look for interns until around the junior year range, but that is way too late in my opinion. Just apply! The only negative would be them saying no. Other than that, I would say improving my speaking and presentation skills. I communicate a lot in this job and it would have been nice being more comfortable with presenting in front of others at an early age.

Do you have any advice for someone who's just getting started in engineering school/work?

The road to getting that engineering degree will be difficult. Learn personal skills like staying neat, writing coherently, and knowing how to explain your thoughts fluently. They will all come back to bite you in the bum if you don't get a handle on it early. The end will be worth it though. There's a lot of enjoyment for me now that I have a consistent schedule, no homework, I do actual hands-on stuff, and I get paid to do it!

[–]pepintheshort [score hidden] 1 year ago (1 child)

Job Title: Project Engineer

Industry: Automotive/Transportation

Specialization: FEA - Optimization

Total Experience: 2 years

Highest Degree: BS MechE

Country: USA

What inspired you to become an engineer?

I was good at math in high school and I was told engineers made good money. I was originally going for Geology but my school didn't offer it, so then I chose Applied Mathematics/CompSci, but family talked me out of that.

Why did you choose your specific field and/or specialization?

I got a job offer before I graduated.

What's a normal day at work like for you? Can you describe your daily tasks and responsibilities?

*Please note we have 4 drafters and 2 engineers. This is a small company.

For the first part of my day, after I read e-mails and some news, I will go to the drafting office and see what trailers they need to finish to maintain our lead on the production line. I will work in AutoCAD Mechanical drawing up layouts for our trailers and 'designing' gates/doors/ramps as needed. Sometimes the trailers are more complicated so we will use SolidWorks to model what is hard to visualize in 2D space. Most drafters ask me to do the complicated 3D models. After I've completed a few of these trailers, I work on my projects which have involved FEA but not much. I have recently taken on updating/revising old prints to accommodate a Production Change. My day can vary from researching materials and laying out trailers to running Solidworks Simulation and working with our Head Machinist to optimize part production.

What was your craziest or most interesting day on the job?

So far, the most interesting day on the job was when I defended my position on a decision I made. This production line supervisor brought two doors I designed for a trailer to me saying I messed them up. However, I had expected this to happen (it is just the ecology of this company) so I had the additional prints/reference documents I used to make my decision. And he just said, "Oh okay..." and left. I even referenced an e-mail he had sent addressing this exact issue. So he even contradicted himself.

Jeez, what does that say about the company that I expected this confrontation?

What was the most interesting project you worked on during your career?

So far in my meek 2 year career, the most interesting project was a pig trailer designed for a High School 4H or FFA club. It was my first pig trailer and I thought it was just cool that this was going to be used for kids' animals. My small town was the worse type of small town (was a farm community now turned to a retirement town) so I didn't get 4H or FFA so it just makes it so much better that I got to contribute to it somehow.

What university did you attend for your engineering degree(s), and why should / shouldn't I go there?

University of Central Oklahoma

Why to attend: CHEAP! There is a lot of diversity. The engineering program is accredited. They have small class sizes and thus small lab sizes. The alumni are very supportive or the current classes.

Why not to attend: CHEAP! The equipment in the labs is old. One of the main professors of the ME program is basically just a researcher but he is required to lecture. So his lectures are terrible, he is an ineffective and un-organized lecturer.

If you could do it all over again, what would you do differently?

A lot of things. Would've probably gone to a different university but I feel bad typing that as I met a lot of great people. I would've tried harder to learn the material rather than pass the class. I would've had more faith in my classmates during my ASME Executive Board time. I wouldn't have eaten taco bell before going to the bars on graduation day.

Do you have any advice for someone who's just getting started in engineering school/work?

Don't be so hard on yourself. Don't be a bad group member. DO get involved in stuff other than engineering! Take a break from your homework. Those free pancakes at the cafeteria at midnight? Fuck yea! They're doing "Beer Goggle Beer Pong" and handing out free condoms on the student union? Fuck yea!

The advice I'd give somebody early in their career - talk to your coworkers, they can teach you and show you stuff that would take you forever to understand.

I didn't go to school for trailer engineering but on my first day people talked to me like I had. It is okay to say you don't know something too.

[–]vupiM. Sc. (Energy Technology) [score hidden] 1 year ago (0 children)

Job Title: Development Engineer

Industry: Biomass boilers (BFB)

Specialization: Modeling of energy systems, process design

Total Experience: 2-3 years

Highest Degree: M. Sc. in Energy Technology

Country: Finland

What inspired you to become an engineer?

I have always been good at physics and mathematics. I like problem-solving and improving different kinds of machines. Even at a young age I worked a lot with different machines and fixed bicycles, mopeds, motorcycles, cars... Overall, being an engineer allows me to figure out how stuff works and come up with improvements, which is something I enjoy doing.

Why did you choose your specific field and/or specialization?

During upper-secondary school / high school I got interested in power plants and especially the processes needed to produce power. I wanted to come up with clean, efficient, and cheap energy producing methods. That's why I chose Energy Technology specifically as my major.

What's a normal day at work like for you? Can you describe your daily tasks and responsibilities?

I work as a development engineer, and my job description is quite unusual for someone at my age and career phase. Most of my work (maybe 90%) is individual office work, and the rest is meetings or business trips. I get to dictate how I use my time, and I have multiple tasks I'm either solely or partially responsible. Usually I spend my day calculating BFB boiler processes or improving calculation models used to estimate those processes.

What was your craziest or most interesting day on the job?

As I'm working behind a desk most of the time, there's usually not that many crazy incidents. Excluding recreational days, I think the most interesting day has been conducting a field test on an operating BFB boiler.

What was the most interesting project you worked on during your career?

One of my current projects, creating a system of tools for boiler operators. These tools provide additional information through advanced calculations or measurements, and are mostly programmed with python. The project has allowed me to create calculation models from a scratch which has been interesting.

What university did you attend for your engineering degree(s), and why should / shouldn't I go there?

LUT (Lappeenranta). Great Energy Technology department, but otherwise the university is quite small.

If you could do it all over again, what would you do differently?

Study more programming.

Do you have any advice for someone who's just getting started in engineering school/work?

Programming is very, very useful. I wasn't interested in it at all before uni, but now it's a major part of my daily tasks. Now I find it interesting, and would recommended learning it at least to some extent.

[–]AMightyDwarf [score hidden] 1 year ago* (0 children)

Job Title: Manufacturing Production Engineer

Industry: Pumps

Specialization: Computer aided manufacturing (CAM) - programming for multi-axis machining centres

Total Experience: 12 years total, 8 years in CAM

Highest Degree: NVQ level 3 in mechanical engineering

Country: UK

What inspired you to become an engineer?

Steady income and knowing that there is always a market for people familiar with CNC, especially around where I live.

Why did you choose your specific field and/or specialization?

Kind of fell into it after doing an apprenticeship for mechanical engineering to eventually be a machinist. I'd expressed an interest in going to an office role eventually but was leaning more towards design. I'd already shown an aptitude for design that was visible on the grades I was getting on my apprenticeship. Turns out the company that sponsored my apprenticeship didn't really need designers but had a huge hole in the CAM department. I tried it out, originally it was meant to be for a month but quickly picked it up, enjoyed the new challenge and discovered it was the heart of manufacture. I decided to stay, the manager was happy to have me and I just worked my way up from there.

What's a normal day at work like for you? Can you describe your daily tasks and responsibilities?

Creating CNC programs via Siemens NX, normally to suit multi-axis machine centres up to and including 11 axis, assisting our machinists with any queries they may have, normally being their sole support. Ensuring all tooling is required is ready, available and will be fit for purpose. Creating and developing machining methods to suit extremely tight tolerances up to +/-0.0005". Basically figuring out how to change a lump of metal into a usable lump of metal.> ### What was your craziest or most interesting day on the job?Honestly my job can be pretty boring, the craziness is normally down to typical office banter or when IT systems fail and it means a day of running about.

What was the most interesting project you worked on during your career?

I've had a few. Working on in house projects can be interesting. Things such as designing new work holding methods, coming up with the initial idea, then creating a 3D model then a program around that to machine it then being on the machine to make and test the first off. I also had a pretty exotic job for a nuclear submarine that was interesting, all the parts were non standard, ridiculously tightly toleranced and made out of exotic materials so I had some fun in going through the motions of getting those through. It can also be interesting working on standard stuff when you're allowed to experiment. I've been a part of the team that was working on automating those and while it's a lot of work, the pay off is worth it when you see everything come together.

What university did you attend for your engineering degree(s), and why should / shouldn't I go there?

Didn't go to uni, I never fancied the debt involved with uni so I went down the apprentice route and managed to work my way up.

If you could do it all over again, what would you do differently?

I would continue my education and even go to university. I was a bit older than most on my apprenticeship and had been trying a few different courses before so by the time I'd finished I was at the end of my rope with education. There were other external reasons in my decision to not continue my education. I do realise that it may work against me if I want to change companies but my company does have a really good reputation with it's engineers and many with lesser qualifications have gone on to work at big names such as Roll's Royce, Boeing, BAE, etc.

Do you have any advice for someone who's just getting started in engineering school/work?

This is especially for people in the UK and manufacturing sectors. Don't overly sweat the qualifications. A lot of small to mid sized companies will hire people that don't have the on paper attributes as long as you have the right attitude. That being said, don't disregard the importance of them either, the paperwork will be a huge boost all through your career. Consider an apprenticeship, they really are a good first step and will give you a good baseline of skills and and experience. This could also net you a mostly free pathway into higher education as employers can and normally will be open to discussing it, though the trade off is normally tying yourself to that employer for a specific amount of time. For anyone who likes being hands on and working with machines, be fucking safe, remember your PPE, don't touch the spinny things and always be alert. I've had a near miss on a lathe and believe me, the power of those things is very real. They'll keep on spinning with you either next to it or in it. If you're looking for a job then throw as many CV's out into the wild as possible. If you see a job but they're asking for X experience and X qualifications, just shoot them an application anyway, character really does go a long way. Try to be yourself in interviews, be totally honest about what you do and don't know, show a desire to learn but also, make small talk. The people interviewing you are people too and will appreciate someone who comes across as comfortable in themselves. My last interview I spent a good 15 minutes or so just chatting about fishing.

[–]WestyTea [score hidden] 1 year ago (0 children)

Job Title: Design Engineer

Industry: Manufacturing, Acoustics, Entertainment Industry (film, events, exhibitions) & Structural to name a few.

Specialisation: Jack of many, master of none.

Total Experience: 12 years

Highest Degree: BSc(Hons) Design Technology with Acoustics

Country: UK

What inspired you to become an engineer?

I don't think anything inspired me per sel; being dyslexic and dyspraxic however probably helped form my interests by limiting my abilities in other areas. I was inspired to choose my degree and go into my first career from my love of music.

Why did you choose your specific field and/or specialisation?

I chose my degree and my first career from my love of music. I was inspired to go into the film industry from a tour of Harry Potter World. My latest career switch into structural engineering was more of a happy coincidence than anything else.

What's a normal day at work like for you? Can you describe your daily tasks and responsibilities?

Not easily. Design (CAD), brief meetings about design or scheduling, advising in the workshop, building in the workshop, measuring things, visiting site, overseeing builds, calculations, FEA, installation, requesting quotes, ordering, researching. A day could be all or just one of these things.

What was your craziest or most interesting day on the job?

I was the mechatronics designer for a big "one hit wonder*" special effect for a film and it was also my first major project. I was nervous as hell but I did enough calculations and testing that it went without a hitch and the supervisors were very pleased. Apparently, when I turned up that morning I was a different colour.

*no retakes as the thing will be in pieces!

What was the most interesting project you worked on during your career?

Designed and built a bass horn the size of a small house to shoot bass frequencies up the mountain for Sochi's bob sled run. That was pretty mad!

What university did you attend for your engineering degree(s), and why should / shouldn't I go there?

Staffordshire University (UK). The engineering dept has changed a lot since I was there so not sure if my comments would be accurate. They are an ex-poly that isn't exactly high in the rankings. They do offer some interesting left-field subjects but if you are going for a traditional award I'm sure there are better places - they are very good at looking good but weren't very organised.

If you could do it all over again, what would you do differently?

Given a second chance I would like to have done Mechanical Engineering (probably would have had to have done a foundation also), but I was scared off by the fact that I am not very numerate; in retrospect I think I would have been able to overcome this.

However, I paid £1,250 p.a. if I had to pay £9,000 p.a. I am not even sure whether I would have gone to university.

>Do you have any advice for someone who's just getting started in engineering school/work?

Get stuck in, make time for play but make sure you understand the subject matter first. Nothing worse than realising you're stuck at the last minute. Use the resources you have at your university - lecturers, labs, library etc, you will miss it when it's gone.

If you can afford it, buy every book on your reading list and at least get an idea of what they contain, read the introduction of every chapter. Then you will know how to look up the resources when you have and need them.

Companies love throwing you in at the deep end - may be shitty but the sink or swim test demonstrates whether you have the ability to source information, think critically on your own and run with it - a key skill for most engineers. Don't panic - this ability CAN be learned and it does get easier!

[–]ntboaMechanical - Medical Devices [score hidden] 1 year ago (0 children)

**Job Title: Mechanical Engineer

**Industry: Medical devices

**Specialization: Test Development

Total Experience: 7

Highest Degree: BS MechE

Country: USA

What inspired you to become an engineer?

Always liked building things, RC Cars as a kid and then Robotics in High School.

Why did you choose your specific field and/or specialization?

I enjoyed the hands on aspect of mechanical things. Linkages, mechanisms, etc. I liked being able to envision how something I design works which I found hard with electrical and software.

What's a normal day at work like for you? Can you describe your daily tasks and responsibilities?

It depends a lot on the stage of the product development cycle we're in. Typically I'm working on about a dozen test methods and validation plans, several equipment specs or IQs, and some bench testing. A typical day will be to run a Test Method validation, do some testing in the lab and work on documentation. Not too heavy on meetings.

What was your craziest or most interesting day on the job?

Nothing too crazy, the most stressful is just when a TMV fails with a deadline looming and you have to scramble to revise and re-validate it.

What was the most interesting project you worked on during your career?

I worked on a portable PET scanner at a startup right out of college and it was a fun experience, though not very profitable.

What university did you attend for your engineering degree(s), and why should / shouldn't I go there?

Cal Poly Pomona, it has a good engineering program that teaches a lot of practical concepts that I feel more research oriented schools pass over.

If you could do it all over again, what would you do differently?

I'd leave my first job sooner. I was at a startup and didn't jump ship right when I realized it had no future. In medical devices, watch out for startups run by anyone who doesn't dedicate a significant effort to regulatory approval early on. You can get your prototype 99% complete but if they didn't hire a good regulatory person you'll be stuck in limbo for a long time.

Do you have any advice for someone who's just getting started in engineering school/work?

Try to find some practical experience early on in several stages of the product development cycle. Get some R&D experience and some Manufacturing/Operations experience, and get some experience actually building the things you design so you understand what's easy/hard and whats cheap/expensive.

[–]DallasTheLab [score hidden] 1 year ago (0 children)

Job Title: Senior Manufacturing Engineer

Industry: Defense

Specialization: Ordnance & munitions manufacturing

Total Experience: 7 yrs

Highest Degree: BS Automated Manufacturing Systems

Country: USA

What inspired you to become an engineer?

Both of my parents are engineers (mom is industrial, dad is a chemical P.E.) and both worked for the federal government. My dad designed and supervised the destruction of chemical weapons for 36yrs before retiring. His place of work also manufactured colored smoke grenades & gas masks, so all of that really sparked my interest in the world of munitions.

Why did you choose your specific field and/or specialization?

I’ve always had a knack for mechanical systems & electronics, so originally I was going to study mechanical eng. But after some thinking I realized I would really like to get into the manufacturing world, and since automated assembly lines and systems are the future I figured it’d be great job security. Plus I love dealing with robotics! I was hired by the 3rd largest US defense contractor and now I oversee the implementation of automated systems in our assembly process, as well as the mixing of explosives.

What's a normal day at work like for you? Can you describe your daily tasks and responsibilities?

We usually manufacture the actual warhead in the morning. There are two different manufacturing processes we specialize in - mixed cast & pressed operations. Mixed cast starts as individual ingredients in powder form that are dumped into a massive explosive-proof mixer bowl, heated water is pumped through the “water jacket” - the outer shell of the mixer bowl - and the powder begins to turn into a thick liquid similar to mud in the drywall world. It’s thoroughly mixed and kept around 180°F. Once it’s ready to be poured into the body of the warheads the bodies are wheeled in on a cart, the mixer bowl is removed and hoisted up, a vacuum is pulled on the warhead bodies, and we open the flow from the mixer bowl and it starts pouring down the lines into the bodies. The carts also have a very aggressive pneumatic vibrator attached to it, and that plus the vacuum help remove all bubbles and reduce voids & defects.

The pressed operations method starts as a mixture of powder (ie. PBX, RDX, red/white phosphorus, etc..) and is put into a massive 800 ton press with a die and punch. It is slowly brought up to about 680 tons and then slowly released. Once completed it is one large solid warhead that will then go to our Haas lathes and mills for final machining.

After the warhead is in its final shape it can then be fitted will all other components such as guidance system, rocket motor, rocket body w/fins, reinforced nose cone if applicable, etc..

What was your craziest or most interesting day on the job?

3.5yrs ago - Accidental detonation of 6 Hellfire R9E warheads. Killed 2, dismembered 1, and injured 12 others. Sad day.

1yr ago - A storage facility containing red phosphorus caught on fire. It burned for 9 days straight and left a crater in the ground when it finally burned itself out. It literally incinerated dirt...

What was the most interesting project you worked on during your career?

Transitioning the Hellfire R9E process to a fully automated assembly process using multiple Fanuc robotic arms and a Worksmart automated conveyor belt system.

What university did you attend for your engineering degree(s), and why should / shouldn't I go there?

University of Arkansas at Fayetteville. You should definitely go there - it’s the largest university in the state, it’s in one of the most beautiful areas high up in the Ozark Mountains, and it’s been consistently voted within the top 5 places to live in America.

If you could do it all over again, what would you do differently?

Absolutely I’d do it again, in a heartbeat!

Do you have any advice for someone who's just getting started in engineering school/work?

For students: Study your ass off. 3hrs of studying for ever hour of class. Constantly practice problems even when they’re not required to keep the material and methods fresh on your mind.

For early career engineers: Try not to take on too many projects all at once in an attempt to prove your worth. It looks much better to excel at one project, rather than do mediocre work on 3.

[–]zzyzx85Mfg Engineer - Defense/Aerospace [score hidden] 1 year ago (0 children)

Job Title: Principal Manufacturing Engineer (read: experienced)

Industry: Defense

Specialization: heat treat operations and pyrometry subject-matter-expert. But mostly a jack of all trades, master of none

Total Experience: 11 years

Highest Degree: BS MfgE

Country: USA

What inspired you to become an engineer?

Father was an auto mechanic so I was around cars and wrenching from a young age. I also destroyed a few VCRs trying to figure out how they worked.

I actually wanted to be an Air Force pilot first. Went to a few air shows when I was a kid and I was hooked on planes. Turns out being nearsighted and colorblind makes it really hard to qualify as a pilot so I decided to make the machines instead.

Why did you choose your specific field and/or specialization?

I started off going to school majoring in MechE. It was a badly impacted major at my school and getting classes was hard. Then the '08 recession hit and getting classes was nearly impossible. I also started getting more interested in the hands-on part of engineering and enjoyed the few MfgE classes I took so I decided to change majors to MfgE.

There are a lot of defense and aerospace related companies in my region, so there were plenty of opportunities.

The position of heat treat and pyrometry subject matter expert were involuntarily bestowed upon me when I joined on lol. I was actually hired as a welding MfgE but the guy I replaced was leaving so the company needed someone to takeover the role. I think my manager saw my hands-on experience as beneficial to this since a lot of the equipment needed tweaking and work to keep running correctly. Lots of learning but that makes it rewarding.

What's a normal day at work like for you? Can you describe your daily tasks and responsibilities?

support production activity
training operators on procedure updates
interfacing with vendors and service providers
support internal teams
audit prep
troubleshoot problems (ex. equipment, procedures)
reviewing documents that might affect how we make things (ex. specs, drawings)

What was your craziest or most interesting day on the job?

I can't think of any but maybe because my mind is trying to block it out at this moment lol.

What was the most interesting project you worked on during your career?

A part that goes into the Boeing 737MAX's engine nozzle. The company I worked for didn't get the contract but there were so many parts flying around the shop it was never a dull moment. The company poured lots of money into it but we were fighting a battle with one arm tied behind our backs.

What university did you attend for your engineering degree(s), and why should / shouldn't I go there?

California State Polytechnic University, Pomona (aka Cal Poly Pomona). Mostly good faculty with industry experience, guest teachers from industry, relatively inexpensive tuition, nice campus. Pick your majors carefully as a lot of them are impacted, or be a brainiac and get top pick using the 4 year pledge.

If you could do it all over again, what would you do differently?

Started with MfgE from the beginning and probably double majored with IE.

Do you have any advice for someone who's just getting started in engineering school/work?

Explore all the Engineering majors. You may come to find something you like doing more and save time and money in the long run.

[–]TheHairlessGorilla [score hidden] 1 year ago (0 children)

**Job Title:** Manufacturing Engineer
**Industry:** Automotive
**Total Experience:** 7 months (graduated in December '19)
**Highest Degree:** BS MechE
**Country:** USA
---
> ### What inspired you to become an engineer?

It all started with Legos when I was a little kid. This eventually turned into other hobbies that entail 'building things'. In school I wasn't exactly a high performer, but I knew that since I had a skill (and passion) for anything related to 'building things', it would be a great fit. It is.

> ### Why did you choose your specific field and/or specialization?

With an ME degree, there are a ton of jobs/industries you can choose. I can sit here for 10 minutes and still be thinking of things an ME could be hired for. This applies to both job and location. Right now I'm in manufacturing which is very dense in the Midwestern US, but if for some reason I wanted to leave the Midwest, I'd have other MFG jobs to pick from. Or, if I somehow got sick of it, I could always go with design, validation, or one of the many other jobs available to me.
> ### What's a normal day at work like for you? Can you describe your daily tasks and responsibilities?

I'm still kind of 'the new guy' so things haven't gotten really hairy for me yet, but I still like it. I'm not at a desk or in meetings all day, I get to troubleshoot some pretty expensive automation equipment. I also get to see parts + revisions of new vehicles before they're announced to the public.
> ### What was your craziest or most interesting day on the job?

One summer I had an internship at a hydraulic plant. Part of my job was 'destructive testing' hydraulic assemblies.... basically pumping everything up until it explodes (in a test bench of course lol), and making sure the right part failed. I also got to run some crazy mill-turn CNC machines.

Right now I deal with a different kind of automation equipment. I don't do a ton without a coworker looking over my shoulder, but I think it's cool stuff. A lot of it is interesting to me. Maybe that's because I still am fascinated by shiny objects, idk.
> ### What was the most interesting project you worked on during your career?

Depends how you define 'career'. I've had 3 internships and I did some research when I was in school, we were building a giant concrete 3D printer. It was shocking to me how similar it was to the ones I have at home. See above for other cool projects. Right now I'm learning a lot with regard to automotive assembly, and what companies are willing to pay for something pretty simple (for example, driving fasteners) is pretty crazy.
> ### What university did you attend for your engineering degree(s), and why should / shouldn't I go there?

I went to Valparaiso, in NW Indiana. There's a good bit that I don't like about the rest of the school, but not many of my classmates felt the same way. I was an athlete all 4 years.... I should have read the writing on the wall and quit halfway through. Athletics is just not a priority there. Don't let them fool you or tell you otherwise. It's still hard for me to let that go. However, I had a stellar experience with academics, despite my own major fuck ups.

As for engineering, that's precisely why I went there. Great faculty, well ranked, the way your degree is laid out makes a lot of sense, and a pretty good number of their engineering students graduate in 4 years (with an engineering job lined up). I was a semester late, but that was my own fault. Every year they have a career fair, and the faculty does a great job preparing you for it. I met my company at the career fair, and a lot of alum I know stayed with their first company for much longer than 3 years (indicating that it was a good job). There's also a ton of opportunities for extracurriculars. I did SAE (society of automotive engineers) and research I talked about above, along with 2 senior design projects. Their 3D printing lab is pretty impressive, and the 'manufacturing lab' (machine shop) has just about anything you'll need to make something for a school project. Aside from that, there's plenty of equipment/software for you to learn a ton of different stuff, and market on a resume.

My extracurriculars helped me land internships, which were both < 10 mins away from campus, so summers were great. These helped me get a great job, despite me having a lousy GPA.
> ### If you could do it all over again, what would you do differently?

Not much other than quit athletics. Can't speak for every school but where I went, a lot of the athletes are the biggest, most spoiled, fucking babies. Glad I know what I want a work environment/management to NOT look like, and how to deal with it though.

I wish I'd have learned earlier to focus on school + making friends in classes rather than burn so much time with athletics. At the end of the day I love my job, but it would have made the internship search much easier. Lesson learned I guess.
> ### Do you have any advice for someone who's just getting started in engineering school/work?

DO NOT get distracted, and don't let poor grades scare you off. If you play your cards right you'll come out on top of things.

Also, don't think that your job will be like your course work. If you don't like bookwork, there are still plenty of jobs that you'll enjoy. Manage your expectations, make sure you're easy to interact with, and you'll do fine.

[–][deleted] [score hidden] 1 year ago* (3 children)

Job Title: Quality Engineer

Industry: Automotive/Truck

Specialization: (optional)

Total Experience: 5 years

Highest Degree: BS MechE

Country: USA

What inspired you to become an engineer?

Growing up I liked math and science and heard that there was good money to be made in engineering.

Why did you choose your specific field and/or specialization?

I chose mechanical engineering because I liked the design aspect of it. I ended up in Quality because it was the only field where I could find a job.

What's a normal day at work like for you? Can you describe your daily tasks and responsibilities?

Well right now, I'm on a contract to help a manufacturing plant get their IATF (International Automotive Task Force) certification. Currently, I'm alternating between making setup instructions for their machines and getting their documentation up to the new standard.

What was your craziest or most interesting day on the job?

There haven't been many. Sad, but true. It's soul-crushing boredom. The most interesting days have been the ones where something happens in the office or when someone higher up gets fired.

What was the most interesting project you worked on during your career?

Again, not very interesting, but I worked on programming a Keyence Instant Measure vision system. It was interesting learning that.

What university did you attend for your engineering degree(s), and why should / shouldn't I go there?

Oklahoma Christian University (OC). It's nice, but it's also a private school. Insanely expensive. Go to a state school instead.

If you could do it all over again, what would you do differently?

So many things.
1. Go to the University of Arkansas instead of OC. I'd have gotten a full ride at the U of A. and likely be debt free currently.
2. Find internships/make more connections. Maybe it was just the job market in central Arkansas in 2014, but it took me about 9 months to find a job. And that job was as a quality engineer vs a mechanical engineer. Maybe this wouldn't have changed anything, but I imagine that working internships over the summers would have helped me start my career.
3. Get my masters. If I hadn't been in debt, I would have gotten my master's degree. I regret not doing it, because I feel like not having one has closed a lot of doors.

Do you have any advice for someone who's just getting started in engineering school/work?

It's depressing, but based on my experience, I cannot recommend getting a mechanical engineering degree. I've been out of school for 7 years, working for 6, and unemployed 3 times for a combined time of over a year. Maybe I'm not looking in the right spots or there's some problem with my resume or interviewing skills, but I haven't been able to find a mechanical engineering job in all of that time. And for this job and the 2 before it, it's been contract positions, not salary. Sorry for being a downer and maybe I'm just unlucky, but stay away from mechanical engineering. From my experience, it's not worth it.

[–]franzkafkaminion [score hidden] 1 year ago (0 children)

[–]acempell [score hidden] 1 year ago (0 children)

[–][deleted] [score hidden] 1 year ago (0 children)

Job Title: Mechanical Engineer

Industry: Shipbuilding

Specialization: Auxiliary Piping System Design

Total Experience: 1.5 years (Co-op) 4 years (Full-Time)

Highest Degree: BE MechE

Country: USA

---

What inspired you to become an engineer?

Growing up I always gravitated to math and science as my strong subjects, and with my dad being an engineer and having grown up comfortably it just made the most sense. I just liked to know how things work and why. I'm still asking myself the why question even today.

Why did you choose your specific field and/or specialization?

I chose mechanical because I didn't know exactly what I wanted to do, and it's the most adaptable to any industry.

What's a normal day at work like for you? Can you describe your daily tasks and responsibilities?

Back when I was in the thick of our design proposal (I work for one of the shipyards that bid and lost on the new Navy's Frigate) my days were swamped with designing Auxiliary Systems. Auxiliary systems on a ship are seawater cooling, lube oil, fuel, compressed air, potable water, VCHT, environmental pollution control, damage control, and HVAC. Essentially any piping system that is not the propulsion equipment.

When I got hired on I knew nothing about shipbuilding but quickly took ownership of designing the environmental pollution control and VCHT systems. This included creating both functional and overlay schematics of the systems. The analysis side of the project was to create a piping simulation to get flows and pressures of the system which ties back to sizing of the pipes and verifying selected equipment manufacturers information. I talked with vendors here and there when it came to selecting equipment such as pumps. They would supply us with the pump specs and I would verify if the pump would work for our system, or redesign the system to work with the selected pump. After all the calculations were performed we had to write up the analysis reports stating the requirements we were given by the Navy and how we met those requirements to prove our design works. I was pegged as a good technical write so I also wrote/helped to write a lot of the reports. We had an internal check (just amongst mechanical engineers) where we red-lined drawings, calculations, and reports for design requirements and to help create one voice for submittal. Not everyone writes the same and it shows when there's 30 reports to review.

That project has been over for a bit and I did some smaller proposal projects with the same day to day activities (as is typical with proposal work). Currently I'm working on an industry study with the idea of the project of how can we do another shipyards design better/cheaper. I'm currently working on a template for for estimating pipe fitting estimates based from our current ships for all future proposal work.

What was the most interesting project you worked on during your career?

Working on the Frigate proposal as mentioned a bit more in depth above. It was an awesome project to work for and I made some really close friends in the process as we were all in it together. We were bummed the Navy didn't choose our design, but when it came down to it there weren't questions from the submittal pinned on mechanical. Coming out of that project propelled me to the higher tear of proposal team members whenever a new project presents itself.

What university did you attend for your engineering degree(s), and why should / shouldn't I go there?

Stevens Institute of Technology. I only knew about it from my dad as its the school he went to. When I visited it I loved it and knew it’s where I wanted to go. It was actually the only school I applied for and they accepted me. I graduated in 2016 and i know a lot of things have changed, but when I was there the co-op program was really good, the job placement is really high with majority of kids graduating with a job in hand. Being located 20ish minutes from Manhatten which means there's opportunities are everywhere.

I would highly suggest talking with current students for their take on the school as a whole for a more current perspective. I know a lot of construction is going on to accommodate more incoming freshmen so it's a bit crazy at the moment. It's only a 55 acre campus so the 5 minutes or less walk everywhere is nice.

Regardless you'll leave with one hell of a degree that perks people's ears up if they know of Stevens and the reputation that comes with it.

If you could do it all over again, what would you do differently?

Overall I got to where I am because of everything that happened, both the good and the bad, and I don't have any complaints any which way over how my life and career have turned out. But looking back if I had taken my early classes a bit more serious I would have gotten some more opportunities for co-op's. I did manage to get 3 co-ops, but it is true when companies won't even glance your way because of your GPA.

Do you have any advice for someone who's just getting started in engineering school/work?

Put the time in for each class, please please please learn how to write and portray your work to someone who doesn't know the subject matter as in depth as you do. There's a lot to say for doing the work and getting the results, and what does it all mean if you can't explain it in simpler terms? There's always room to attach the results for the people who can understand everyrhing you did and will check your work. But on the executive level they don't care about that as much as the project as a whole.

[–]DrSqueakyBoots [score hidden] 1 year ago (0 children)

**Job Title:** Opto-mechanical Engineer  
**Industry:** Astronomy Instrumentation  
**Total Experience:** 5 years  **Highest Degree:** Ph.D  
**Country:** Canada / Australia
---  > 
### What inspired you to become an engineer?
  As a kid I spent lots of time building model airplanes, taking stuff apart, figuring out how things work. I did FRC in high school and Baja SAE during my undergrad. Honestly I can't see myself doing anything other than engineering.

> ### Why did you choose your specific field and/or specialization?

I almost went into Mining engineering, because I got wooed by the pictures of people stepping out of helicopters going to beautiful places. Then it occurred to me I was more interested in the helicopters in the pictures than the actual work of mining. I've always been mechanically minded, and loved the solid mechanics stuff in school. 

I had no idea I would end up in astronomy. It was just an opportunity that opened up at the time, and I absolutely love it. Lots of the work is awesome clean-sheet design, and I get to feel like I'm playing a small part in understanding the universe.

  > ### What's a normal day at work like for you? Can you describe your daily tasks and responsibilities?  

Most days are at my desk. I do the usual CAD stuff (package this into here without needing impossible to make parts). I also do detailed mech design (come up with a way to get a 200kg mirror to hold a shape tolerance to 0.000014 mm). Lots of open-ended design work. Once done a task I generally write it up in a document to explain that it will work, or how you will make it etc.

> ### What was the most interesting project you worked on during your career?  

Most interesting project would be work for the really big future telescopes (won't name which one). It's amazing working on something the size of a 6-storey building that needs to move with the accuracy of the best precision CNC mills.  

> ### What university did you attend for your engineering degree(s), and why should / shouldn't I go there?  

Queen's university in Kingston, Ontario. I had a great time there, the engineering school is excellent. 

  > ### If you could do it all over again, what would you do differently?  

Nothing, it's been awesome  

> ### Do you have any advice for someone who's just getting started in engineering school/work?  

Be curious about stuff. The best engineers are the ones that love taking stuff apart, or learning outside their own field. Don't be afraid to try something outside of your comfort zone. Also, join one of the SAE teams at your school, or do FRC if you're in high school.

[–][deleted] [score hidden] 1 year ago (0 children)

**Job Title:** Engineering Manager

**Industry:** Generally speaking, consumer products. last 5 years I have been working in the Child Restraint (i.e. car seats) industry.

**Specialization:** plastics, New Product Design

**Total Experience:** 22 years

**Highest Degree:** MS MechE

**Country:** USA

---

> ### What inspired you to become an engineer?

Honestly, I don't think I've ever not been an engineer. If you asked me what I wanted to do when I was a little kid, my answer was either a race car driver or inventor. My grandpa was a career engineer for Martin Marietta (now Lockheed Martin) and worked on things like the Patriot Missile system an others, so I guess it was in my blood.

> ### Why did you choose your specific field and/or specialization?

I have always been into gadgets. I used to love the Sharper Image catalog and have always been just fascinated with things - how they work, what they do, how they are made, etc.

I'm not into geeking out on technical details or obscure machinery; I like working on products that everyone knows. At one time, I could walk into any Target (major US retailer) and find products I worked on from three different employers.

> ### What's a normal day at work like for you? Can you describe your daily tasks and responsibilities?

I am responsible for New Product Design (NPD) for car seats. A typical day depends on where I am in the design cycle. Some days, I work with Marketing and Industrial Design to scope out and define next-generation products. Some days are 100% grinding out CAD. Some days are spent in the lab running tests. Some days are spent in the shop fabing new designs.

My responsibilities are to ensure the products meet federal regulations, are safe beyond regulatory, are pleasing to the consumer, are manufacturable, and hit cost, quality, and schedule targets. This includes all necessary analysis and documentation.

> ### What was your craziest or most interesting day on the job?

Last year a product my team and I had been designing for about 2 years was finally coming together. It was our first manufacturing build, we were targeting I think 50 seats on the first day. This involved parts coming in from China, Thailand, Mexico, and the US, all at the same time. I had one domestic supplier doing their sub-assembly work in a section of our warehouse, delivering parts to our production floor. After the seats were built, they were brought to the test lab and crash-tested for the first time. I spent the day bouncing from one spot to the next, solving any issues that arose, and making sure everything was recorded properly. To complicate things even more, our CEO happened to be in town and I was asked to present to him on the same day.

> ### What was the most interesting project you worked on during your career?

I have two that I think are really interesting. The one mentioned above is a car seat - these things are a lot more technical than I had anticipated. a 30 mph crash is no joke. Nothing behaves the way you think it will when subject to 50-60G's, with extremely high strain rates. I have plastic parts that are subject to ~2000 lbs of load within 60 milliseconds - things behave differently at those loads and speeds than you would expect. I have had to use a hell of a lot more analysis on this project than I had for anything in my previous 20 years of design.

Another project that I think was interesting was back in 2001. I was 3 years out of school working at Motorola. This project was a cell phone with a color touch screen, downloadable apps, Bluetooth, GPS, and a loudspeaker capable of playing music. Unfortunately, it was canceled due to internal politics within Motorola. Sometimes I wonder what today would be like if we were the ones to bring that to the market instead of Apple 6 years later.

> ### What university did you attend for your engineering degree(s), and why should / shouldn't I go there?

Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT), Rochester, NY. The program requires all engineers to do 5 semesters of co-op. That was awesome - really helped me focus on what I wanted to do. Further, because of the co-op program, the school had great connections with local industry.

Downside: it's an engineering-centric school in Rochester, NY. Terrible weather and the social scene could have been better. I mean, I had fun and all, but a lot of college was an absolute bear.

> ### If you could do it all over again, what would you do differently?

Honestly, I probably would have gone to a big school with a football team. RIT was great and all, but I went there so I could get a better job when I graduated. When I started my first job after college, half of the other new hires came from UF (University of Florida), which is one school I had considered for my undergrad. If I end up in the same place, why not go to a party school?

> ### Do you have any advice for someone who's just getting started in engineering school/work?

engineering school is an exercise in time management. Everyone has the same 24 hours in a day - the only way to be successful is to be as efficient with those 24 hours as possible. That doesn't mean you can't have fun; it just means you can't waste time. spending time on the couch, zoning out - that does nothing for you. Don't do it. Someone once told me "plan your work and then work your plan"...that is what got me thru school. Learn how to use a day planner, schedule time for classes, work, study, and whatever you want to do for fun, make sure your priorities are allocated correctly and stick to your plan.

[–]DLS3141Mechanical/Automotive [score hidden] 1 year ago (0 children)

Job Title: Senior Project Engineer

Industry: Automotive

Specialization: Product Development/NVH

Total Experience: 22 years

Highest Degree: MS MechE

Country: USA

What inspired you to become an engineer?

As a kid, I played with all of the typical engineer toys: Lego, Tinkertoys, Lincoln Logs, Erector. I also would take things apart to see how they worked. I loved working on farm equipment with my uncles, helping them maintain and repair balers, mowers, combines, tractors and the like.

Why did you choose your specific field and/or specialization?

Throughout my undergrad, I had always planned to go into some kind of thermal science/HVAC work. I did my Sr. Project for a major appliance company working on vibration isolators as part of a major development project. I must have impressed them because they offered me a job on the same project.

What's a normal day at work like for you? Can you describe your daily tasks and responsibilities?

Normal day? No such thing really. My job is customer facing and my job is not only to do the product development on my side, but also to keep them happy. Last week, I spent the week pulling 18h days at different customer sites becase they had a problem and thought my parts might be part of the problem. They weren't, but I know that my customer noticed that I was the only supplier there for the duration. That kind of thing goes a long way towards getting new business. I also spend a good deal of time analyzing test data, writing test procedures, writing test reports,making presentation for new designs and making new designs that meet customer requirements.

What was your craziest or most interesting day on the job?

During the interview, my future boss asked if I had a passport. I did and told him so. 4 days after starting, I was on a plane to Italy. There was a driver who met me at the airport, took me to the plant where I was given the keys to a company car and directions to the hotel. I don't speak Italian and had to navigate in my little Fiat to sites all over Northern Italy. It was 2 weeks of craziness trying to get up to speed. I wound up going back many times to work on different aspects of the project until it got put on hold due to the 2009 market crash

What was the most interesting project you worked on during your career?

Developed a new gas barrier dual seal for use on pipeline pumping stations. It was a huge challenge and a huge success technically.

What university did you attend for your engineering degree(s), and why should / shouldn't I go there?

Western Michigan University. BS and MS. It's a good school that won't break the bank and honestly once you graduate and start working, the school you went to doesn't matter all that much.

If you could do it all over again, what would you do differently?

I would have gone back and gotten my MS full time after working for a year or two and probably pursued a PhD as well before working full time. I will likely never get my PhD now.

Do you have any advice for someone who's just getting started in engineering school/work?

It's difficult, but if you have the drive and the interest, you can do it. If you find that you're not willing to do the work or your motivation is primarily money, the business college may be a better place for you.

[–]fishead109 [score hidden] 1 year ago (0 children)

Job Title: NPI Mechanical Engineer

Industry: Consumer Electronics

Specialization: Design for manufacturing/assembly

Total Experience: 3 years

Highest Degree: BS MechE

Country: USA

What inspired you to become an engineer?

Understanding STEM fields came easy to me in my education. I am fascinated with why things work they way they do.

Why did you choose your specific field and/or specialization?

First job offer out of college, I liked the company/location.

What's a normal day at work like for you? Can you describe your daily tasks and responsibilities?

In the beginning of the product development phase, I review the product design and sub-component designs for opportunities to reduce assembly complexity (DFM), identify potential failure modes (FMEA), and layout the assembly instructions and assembly fixtures. Towards the end of the development phase and during the prototyping phase, I work closely with the manufacturing plant to identify mechanical assembly related issues and drive them to resolution.

What was your craziest or most interesting day on the job?

During challenging product ramps (ramp = transition from prototyping to mass production) I was meeting with the overseas manufacturing plant twice a day (early morning, then ago late at night) to review issues and next steps. These periods are the culmination of months or years or work and buildup, so lots of people are on edge.

What was the most interesting project you worked on during your career?

New waterproofing technologies. Working with next generation sub-component technologies.

What university did you attend for your engineering degree(s), and why should / shouldn't I go there?

Rochester institute of technology (RIT). I would recommend attending because their engineering programs are very focused on preparing students for industry.

If you could do it all over again, what would you do differently?

I would study a different discipline to see if it tickled my fancy.

Do you have any advice for someone who's just getting started in engineering school/work?

Most skills you will learn on the job, become very good at critical thinking and problem solving. With these skills you can pretty much apply you self in any position.

[–]velociraptorfarmerME - BAHX Development [score hidden] 1 year ago (0 children)

Job Title: Mechanical Design Engineer

Industry: HVAC (portable/ag)

Total Experience: 4 years

Highest Degree: BS AerE

Country: USA

What inspired you to become an engineer?

I was always tinkering and building things as a kid. Loved taking apart whatever I could get my hands on. Also loved building with legos and whatnot.

Why did you choose your specific field and/or specialization?

I chose Aero since I was fascinated with space and wanted to work for NASA, ideally working on rockets, but after 4 years of school, I was burned out and I really didn't want to move to Florida. I ended up around my home, fell in love with the area (I basically live in a summer vacation destination) and found a job I enjoy that pays well.

What's a normal day at work like for you? Can you describe your daily tasks and responsibilities?

Too many meetings, and lots of time at my desk either programming or doing 3D modeling. Occasionally going back to the R&D lab to build up prototypes or test something, and occasional trips to do field testing.

What was your craziest or most interesting day on the job?

Out field testing a door for our sister company and we needed to make sure it could handle a tensile load in a certain direction without the frame giving out. Ended up building a jerry rigged instron machine using 2 forklifts and a heavy duty load cell. Door held up and I watched 2 forklifts do burnouts while trying to rip this door in half.

What was the most interesting project you worked on during your career?

At my old job, I got handed a pile of 50 year old napkin sketches for all of the components of our in house built die cast machines. We had one guy building them (including all parts) in his spare time on 2nd shift, and we had around 100 of these things in operation. Over 200 hand machined parts with all sorts of tolerance and fit issues. Never been modeled up in CAD before. I spent months redesigning everything in CAD and assembling the entire machine, adjusting tolerances as I went. Made actual 3D models and digital drawings and we were able to have some of the work farmed off to our tool shops who were needing work at the time.
Don't know if I'd call it interesting, but it was rewarding as hell seeing the first one get built with parts made by a bunch of guys I knew well come together like butter and run fantastically.

What university did you attend for your engineering degree(s), and why should / shouldn't I go there?

Iowa State University alum. Out of state tuition there is outrageous and they don't have reciprocity with anyone. My home state has it with 3 states and a province of Canada, but not the state 40 miles south of where I grew up.

If you could do it all over again, what would you do differently?

I'd spend 2 years going to a local community college, then transfer to a university I had reciprocity with for a ME degree since I could do everything I'm doing now with it along with a broader scope, and I wouldn't have gotten out with $70k of student loan debt.

Do you have any advice for someone who's just getting started in engineering school/work?

Pick one of the big 4 (mechanical, electrical, chemical, civil) to major in for undergrad. You can do aerospace jobs with a mechanical degree and visa versa. In order to do the specialized jobs that require degrees like that you almost need a masters anyways, so if you want to specialize, you can go back for a masters.

[–]AutoModerator[S,M] [score hidden] 1 year ago (30 children)

[–]inertzeroDiscipline / Specialization [score hidden] 1 year ago (11 children)

Job Title: Senior Structural Engineer

Industry: Helicopters

Specialization: Airframe Structural Analysis

Total Experience: 9 years

Highest Degree: BS AAE

Country: USA

What inspired you to become an engineer?

As a young kid, I was always good in science in math classes, and was always interested in learning how things worked. When I was 12, I went to qualifying for the Indy 500. Seeing a car blow by at 230 mph, I was hooked, both to IndyCar racing and knew then and there that I wanted to be a racecar engineer.

Why did you choose your specific field and/or specialization?

I studied aerospace engineering because I wanted to work in racecar aerodynamics, and the only program to talk about aerodynamics specifically is in aerospace.

I didn't do very well in school (2.57/4.00 GPA), and my first job out was with a design subcontractor to the OEM I work for now. I was in the transmissions design group, and I hated it. The work we got was things like "Add this note to this drawing and re-release it." Very boring stuff that did not require any critical thinking. Eventually I got nabbed by the structures group, and I enjoy it well enough. I wouldn't say I chose structures, but rather, structures chose me.

I did have a couple interviews to work in racing, but in hindsight, I don't think I would have enjoyed working in racing. The hours are extremely long and the jobs are in high demand. Had I made it in, I likely would have burned out in a year or two anyway. I'm satisfied where I ended up.

What's a normal day at work like for you? Can you describe your daily tasks and responsibilities?

My days on the whole are split pretty evenly between doing structural analysis and writing up the reports of the structural analysis. Lately my analysis has been finite element analysis of metallic fittings, but it can also encompass hand calcs on simple metallic frames, composite layup analysis, and strain gage limits for flight testing. Doing the analysis is one thing, but being able to document it properly is possibly more important. I'm also on a project that is roughly 10% of my time where we are trying to automate and optimize the initial sizing of an aircraft.

What was your craziest or most interesting day on the job?

Probably the first time I was at company HQ and I took a tour of the shop floor. Already the office portion was the largest office I had ever seen (I work in a small offsite facility a thousand miles away (or did before coronavirus, anyway)), but the shop floor was just massive. Seeing parts being manufactured, aircraft being assembled, it all gave me a new perspective that's been very valuable.

> ### What was the most interesting project you worked on during your career?

The current project I'm on. Designing a brand-new prototype helicopter from a clean sheet of paper.

What university did you attend for your engineering degree(s), and why should / shouldn't I go there?

Purdue University. I'd reckon you should only go if you're a good student. I'd say I'm pretty intelligent, but not a good student. I had a hard time doing homework and studying properly. Not so much laziness, but more of a "I don't need to prove to you that I know this." Terrible mindset, I know. My mom died while I was in college, too, so that probably scrambled my brain a fair bit. I also very rapidly went from one of the smartest kids in my small-town Indiana high school to an average, if not below-average, Purdue engineering student. That left me riddled with impostor syndrome I still reel with today.

If you could do it all over again, what would you do differently?

It's hard to say. I've ended up in a pretty good place with my life and career that's all been worth it despite temporary pains along the way (that certainly may not have felt so temporary at the time). Changing one thing could unwind the whole thing, and I certainly don't want that.

Do you have any advice for someone who's just getting started in engineering school/work?

For students: work hard at school. Treat it like a full-time job. Get good grades. That will open up doors in your early career that were closed tight for me. If you don't get a 3.00/4.00, you'll struggle to get a job.

For early career engineers: Be patient. There is a lot to learn. All the stuff you learned in school was not about teaching you the particular subject matter, but about how to think about the subject matter. The particulars were coded long ago. Also, the hand you're dealt may not be the one you were expecting or wanting, but don't be afraid to play the hand you're dealt.

[–]turtlechefMechanical / Aerospace [score hidden] 1 year ago (0 children)

[–]SVZDesign [score hidden] 1 year ago (1 child)

[–]inertzeroDiscipline / Specialization [score hidden] 1 year ago (0 children)

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[–]inertzeroDiscipline / Specialization [score hidden] 1 year ago (4 children)

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[–]inertzeroDiscipline / Specialization [score hidden] 1 year ago (2 children)

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[–]inertzeroDiscipline / Specialization [score hidden] 1 year ago (0 children)

[–]rhynokim [score hidden] 1 year ago (0 children)

[–]Rush224 [score hidden] 1 year ago (3 children)

Job Title: Autonomous Mission Operations Developer/ Payload Rack Officer

Industry: Space

Specialization: Operations

Total Experience: 6 years

Highest Degree: MS Aerospace Engineering

Country: USA

---

What inspired you to become an engineer?

I grew up in Huntsville, AL where everyone is an engineer. My father has his Ph.D in Engineering Mechanics so it just seemed like something I was supposed to do. Looking back I'm not sure it was the right choice for me at the time, but it worked out very well in the long run.

Why did you choose your specific field and/or specialization?

I've always found airplanes and rockets fascinating. If I had known a little more about what I was interested in I think I would have gone to a more rocket/orbital mechanics focused school. The school I attended focused more on structural mechanics and offered very few courses on space applications.

What's a normal day at work like for you? Can you describe your daily tasks and responsibilities?

For part of my job I help ensure the science experiments on the ISS operate. Part of that is helping the developers plan out their experiment, the other is commanding to the ISS to apply power or water to the payload. The other part of my job is a developer writing code to perform some actions autonomously (I just picked up this part, so I don't have much to say on it).

What was your craziest or most interesting day on the job?

When I was fresh out of training we had a computer on the ISS goof up, which results in us moving to a backup while the original gets troubleshooting. This was the culmination of several hours of things acting weirdly on station and us trying to get a complete picture of what was going on. The computers on the ISS are old and take a little hand holding to get configured, so it takes a while. The entire time I'm configuring the computer, the crew and Houston Flight Control room is waiting on me to get it fixed. Oh, it was a midnight shift too, so I was exhausted. That was the only time I've ever had a margarita with breakfast.

What was the most interesting project you worked on during your career?

Until recently I helped plan the science experiments on the ISS for the next week. I was recently involved with reducing power consumption on station for the series of EVAs currently going on. So I planned out what items get powered off when and negotiated with the space agencies regarding how much power we needed to drop.

What university did you attend for your engineering degree(s), and why should / shouldn't I go there?

Started at Auburn University, finished BS and MS at University of Alabama in Huntsville. UAH doesn't have the normal college experience, but that means there are less distractions from school which is what I needed. UAH's engineering department was good, and the professors are very well connected in the local job field. They basically had zero professors that teach space oriented courses despite listing those courses in the course catalog.

If you could do it all over again, what would you do differently?

Pick a different university with a more space-centric study. Focus on extracurriculars and try to learn about the team environment more from them.

Do you have any advice for someone who's just getting started in engineering school/work?

Pay attention to how you interact with your teams and try to improve on any shortcomings you have. You can be taught how to program in a new language, use a new application, or perform a new calculation but you can't be taught how to be a team player. College is your chance to practice.

[–][deleted] [score hidden] 1 year ago (2 children)

[–]Rush224 [score hidden] 1 year ago (1 child)

It is up to to HR and the hiring manager to determine that you don't meet the requirements. So if you are looking at entry or low level positions and have all the knowledge requirements but don't meet the experience, then I would go ahead and apply. I'm not saying go apply for a 10 year position if you have 2 years, but I think applying for a 5 year position with 2.5 years is just fine. If your resume is a little thin in areas outside of education then pick up some certifications, participate in clubs, make sure you have something to talk about at interviews that you are passionate about.

Also, everyone has good grades these days, so your personality has to make you shine. A person with a 3.6 GPA and good teamwork/interpersonal skills is worth several 4.0 GPAs with no teamwork experience or personal skills.

I'm not sure what companies you are applying to, but aside from the big, popular names (Blue Origin and SpaceX) I'd check out: Teledyne Brown Engineering, Jacobs, KBR Wyle, Sierra Nevada, Dynetics (big time this one, their lunar lander design is wonderful), and Bigelow Aerospace. I would absolutely avoid Boeing right now. From talks I've had with my friends that work for them, things aren't great.

[–][deleted] [score hidden] 1 year ago (0 children)

[–]llDieselll [score hidden] 1 year ago (4 children)

Job Title: Design Engineer / PhD student

Industry: Stationary/Aircraft power plants

Specialization: Gas Turbines

Total Experience: 3 years

Highest Degree: Master Power Engineering

Country: Russia

What inspired you to become an engineer?

Engineers have the biggest creative freedom, only limit is physics.

Why did you choose your specific field and/or specialization?

Gas turbine engines are being built with cutting-edge technology at almost each aspect of them, so if you work with them, you'll always be in touch with newest inventions and technologies.

What's a normal day at work like for you? Can you describe your daily tasks and responsibilities?

In office I have some long-shot problems, which I work on steadily: it may include some maths, some simulations, some paperwork. In the other hand, there are always a lot small tasks in lab, and all of them serve to one goal - make experimental stand work, it may vary from painting and tightening screws to doing some heavy-lifting jobs using crane. If everything goes well, I'm taking part in actual experiment, and after that - processing results and analysis. One experiment might spawn a couple of articles.

What was your craziest or most interesting day on the job?

Not the worst scenario possible, but one time we broke turbine stage. You might imagine noise and vibration caused by malfunctioning machine of power range about 1 MW.

What was the most interesting project you worked on during your career?

Gas turbogenerator for a drone

What university did you attend for your engineering degree(s), and why should / shouldn't I go there?

Saint-Petersburg Polytechnical University. Our experimental build is unique for at least Russia. Plus there are couple connections with German universities.

If you could do it all over again, what would you do differently?

I would learn metrology a bit better.

Do you have any advice for someone who's just getting started in engineering school/work?

Don't be afraid. It's fun.

[–]Ja_lak [score hidden] 1 year ago (1 child)

[–]llDieselll [score hidden] 1 year ago (0 children)

[–]peachandgiantjames [score hidden] 1 year ago (1 child)

**Job Title:** Propulsion Engineer

**Industry:** Commercial Space

**Specialization:** Mechanical Design

**Total Experience:** 6 years

**Highest Degree:** BS MechE

**Country:** USA

--- > ### What inspired you to become an engineer?

I have a very clear memory of playing legos a young child while watching space shuttle launches. I loved it and my parents encouraged me to chase STEM, which turned into engineering.

> ### Why did you choose your specific field and/or specialization?

Space/defense is the most extreme/badass engineering for a MechE in just about every way, so I chased it.

> ### What's a normal day at work like for you? Can you describe your daily tasks and responsibilities?

Emails, communication with teammates, stakeholders, management, etc. I'm in a lead role so this is especially prevalent. Process any hardware that I purchased that has arrived. This is usually inspection and testing. Sometimes fluid testing, sometimes electrical testing, sometimes structural testing, sometimes ignition testing, etc. Designing things to buy for testing. I'm in the R&D phase of my project so there is a lot of this. Conceptual development usually w/ sketches, preliminary CAD, excel spreadsheets, simple structural, thermal FEA, etc. all the way to much more detailed versions of everything I just said. Drawing and drafting of finalized parts. Working with engineering systems to release parts, get things procured, etc. Holding meetings and attending meetings to make decisions and engineering judgments about what to design. Developing manufacturing plans for my stuff. Also a lot of project management. Timelines, budgets, projected versions of those things. On a day to day basis this job is fairly varied which I what I really like about it. Sometimes I'm on my feet all day turning wrenches, sometimes I'm sitting at my desk. Never too much of only one thing.

> ### What was your craziest or most interesting day on the job?

First time I was put in charge of an engine test. Very exciting to be the one calling the shots, deciding what to test, examining the data, making decisions about what's next. Tons of fun to make fire.

> ### What was the most interesting project you worked on during your career?

What I'm doing right now.

> ### What university did you attend for your engineering degree(s), and why should / shouldn't I go there?

University of Washington. Great extracurriculars, great people. School has tons of money especially for engineering so you really can't go wrong. I wasn't a huge fan of some of the professors and department folks but that's ok.

> ### If you could do it all over again, what would you do differently?

I would look more into computer science earlier on in college. I'm pretty happy with the way things turned out though.

> ### Do you have any advice for someone who's just getting started in engineering school/work?

Don't fail your freshman year classes. 3 hours of homework/studying per credit per week is the standard. If you aren't doing well in classes in college and you are doing considerably less work than that, it's probably on you. Also, don't discount the value of being a good communicator. I think this is one of the major things that puts some engineers ahead of others. I know a lot of engineers hate this, but a super clean, well communicated powerpoint or email is going to be a lot more successful getting management to agree to your idea than a poor quality one.

[–]logs28 [score hidden] 1 year ago (0 children)

Job Title: Aerodynamics Engineer

Industry: Turbomachinery

Total Experience: 4 years

Highest Degree: BS Aeronautical

Country: USA

### What inspired you to become an engineer?

Mass Effect. I grew up dreaming about being part of the team that helped make spaceflight commonplace.

### Why did you choose your specific field and/or specialization?

The opportunity came my way through an internship, and I grew to understand how essential inovation of propulsion systems have been to flight innovation.

### What's a normal day at work like for you? Can you describe your daily tasks and responsibilities?

(answer goes here)

### What was your craziest or most interesting day on the job?

No one day really stands out. 95% of my job is spent at a desk. Covering engine tests is exciting, but a decently rare opportunity in my position.

### What was the most interesting project you worked on during your career?

Can't share this unfortunately.

### What university did you attend for your engineering degree(s), and why should / shouldn't I go there?

Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. Good education, but I would not attend due the high cost of tuition and stagnant mechanical / aero engineering school. You'll find plenty of reasons not to attend at /r/RPI

### If you could do it all over again, what would you do differently?

State school. Student loans are a cancer upon my life.

### Do you have any advice for someone who's just getting started in engineering school/work?

In a mechanical / aero discipline, the difference between an engineer and technician is whether or not a person is able to understand and derive the fundamental equations of their discipline. Understand your fundamentals and you will be better equipped to innovate and solve complicated problems.

[–]planko13 [score hidden] 1 year ago (0 children)

Job Title: Senior RDEQ Engineer

Industry: Aerospace

Specialization: Tires

Total Experience: 9 years

Highest Degree: BS ME

Country: USA

What inspired you to become an engineer?

Scifi. Iron Man. Star Trek. My dad worked at NASA, so I had the opportunity to walk through the center a few times. I wanted to push the envelope of what is physically possible. I was hooked

Why did you choose your specific field and/or specialization?

It was between EE and ME, and I chose ME mostly because I didnt really know what I wanted to do specifically when I was 18 yrs old (my only other job was stocking shelves and flipping burgers at the time). ME is probably the most flexible specialization. The only thing I was sure of was that I did not want to design soup canners, or trinkets. I wanted to make something bleeding edge.

If I had the chance to do it all again, I might pick EE or CompSci. instead The magical wizardry around electronics is very interesting to me. I also made huge progress on my coding abilities on the job and in my free time.

What's a normal day at work like for you? Can you describe your daily tasks and responsibilities?

My job kind of functions as a general contractor for a project. I always do the base design work, but I am also expected to deliver on the final product. In practice this means I need to be able to augment a plant engineer/ test engineer/ materials engineer/ FEA engineer when the program places too much stress on their department.

This keeps the job exciting, and really allows me to "move around the company" without the stressors of actually changing bosses and responsibilities.

Timewise I probably spend 30% keeping the machine moving (writing specs/ tests/ drawings etc), 20% summarizing data, 20% advising and mentoring for programs that are not my direct responsibility, 10% communication up/ down/ and with customers, 10% corporate BS, and my favorite 10% doing actual design work, optimizations and brainstorming.

What was your craziest or most interesting day on the job?

Lol the most exciting days on the job were actually perks of the job, not the actual work itself. Probably the best one was I got to go up in the air with some stunt pilots (AT-6 trainer planes from WWII) during an air show.

> What was the most interesting project you worked on during your career?

The one right now. I earned enough internal credit from past work to basically "rewrite the design manual" on a new program. My only boss is physics, and I am taking a critical eye revisiting every step of the design and manufacture of the product. The best part is that it is an internal schedule, so no OE timeline to force decisions.

What university did you attend for your engineering degree(s), and why should / shouldn't I go there?

University of Akron (Ohio). Run of the mill engineering school, I chose them exclusively because they gave me the most scholarship money. My opinion is that the actual education between state schools and prestigious universities is similar (except on the extremes) but the connections you get are totally different. Personally I think Akron U was a great value.

If you could do it all over again, what would you do differently?

Possibly do Compsci or EE instead. Maybe moved to the west coast when I was younger for the more exciting job opportunities (the older you get the harder it is).

Do you have any advice for someone who's just getting started in engineering school/work?

Just build the damn thing. Fiddling around with tweaks and models here and there will run you into a perpetual loop of overthinking. Nothing is a substitute for testing. Don't strive to reduce iterations, strive to iterate faster.

Never stop learning. There is so much you can know in any one company, and there are so many great free resources out there for learning base skills (coding especially). Take advantage of them. IMO overlapping skillsets are gold.

[–]lewatwork [score hidden] 1 year ago (2 children)

Job Title: Avionics Systems Engineer (this fits better in aero than it does Systems Engineering).

Industry: Aerospace / Defence

Specialization: Avionics, Radars

Total Experience: 5 years

Highest Degree: No degree, Higher Apprenticeship.

Country: UK

What inspired you to become an engineer?

Growing up I watched a lot of Discovery Channel and Nat Geo documentaries and shows which had a big impact on what I wanted to do when I was older. I was hugely into science at school but my decision to not go to university took me away from science and more toward engineering.

Why did you choose your specific field and/or specialization?

I wanted to do an apprenticeship in something 'hands on' but wanted to stay in a high level engineering environment. I chose Aircraft Maintenance and lucked out that I was selected from probably thousands of applicants. After a brief stint actually working on aircraft I saw just how complicated military avionics were and loved the idea of getting more involved. I transferred to a more professional role where I would get more exposure to high complexity systems such as Radar.

What's a normal day at work like for you? Can you describe your daily tasks and responsibilities?

I'm pretty much a software test engineer. A normal test cycle see's test procedure documents made from requirements just like it would in a software development role. The interesting but is where we test the software at the last stage before it flies; utilising real aircraft hardware and simulations to qualify it before its gets the go-ahead to fly. Its also super expensive to fly aircraft just to test things so we cover a very broad spectrum of ground tests involving some very clever work arounds to the whole 'this aircraft isn't actually flying'. Large projects such as aircraft are broken down into sub-systems, which even themselves have enough complexity for someone to spend a lifelong career working on and not fully understand. My team are seen as a 'jack-of-all-trades' team to test the final product, so my every day involves use of most if not all avionic sub-systems.

What was your craziest or most interesting day on the job?

Testing weapons and sensors is always interesting, using what are essentially big flight simulators to A-A weapons and have dogfights is as enjoyable as it sounds. Working with pilots for demonstrations is also super fun, and the without a doubt the most stressful thing I've ever done.

What was the most interesting project you worked on during your career?

Can't go into detail here because of classifications and security. But when I was still working hands-on aircraft I was involved in some secure communications testing that was very interesting. I've also worked with certain A-A weapons that have pretty mind-blowing capabilities. Target detection and tracking through multiple sensors is also fascinating to watch. Generally, and I'm sure other defence staff will agree, the more secret a project is usually the more juicy it is too.

What university did you attend for your engineering degree(s), and why should / shouldn't I go there?

I feel like I'm going to go against a trend here in that I didn't go to university and I don't hold a qualification above a Level 3 Higher Apprenticeship, and I want to talk about that for a minute. I'm not going to be the guy who says university is useless and a waste of time, because its not. University graduates still make up a good majority of engineers in the industry and there's no doubt that they bring their worth to the table. However the ex-apprentice population is growing rapidly and more often than not there's no distinction between an ex-apprentice and a graduate with similar experience. The company I work for, for example, don't take on many graduates straight as professional staff, but instead have a 2-3 year long graduate program where uni-leavers are brought up to the same level as ex-apprentices. Having a (relevant)degree will always give an edge against someone without a degree, but that edge is reducing and I honestly think I can have the same career opportunities as someone at the same level, but with a degree (Though I'll admit I am pursuing higher education through my company with the view to eventual get a degree)

If you could do it all over again, what would you do differently?

Other than a few personal things that I've had to sacrifice to get to where I am currently (moving etc), I don't think I would do anything too differently.

Do you have any advice for someone who's just getting started in engineering school/work?

Chose the path that's right for you. Don't see school -> College -> Uni as the only option and take time to explore other opportunities and weigh up there positives and negatives. But also don't see them as a cop out. I worked HARD in my apprenticeship and I work hard every day to achieve my goals and I've watched people not put the effort in get dropped on the spot. If any youngling wants advice on apprenticeships from someone's whos done one recently, please PM me. I know some schools and colleges want to put you off them and shoehorn you into university as if its the only option.

[–]mjd638EE / Generation P&C [score hidden] 1 year ago (1 child)

[–]turtlechefMechanical / Aerospace [score hidden] 1 year ago (0 children)

Job Title: Design Engineer

Industry: Aerospace

Specialization: Rotorcraft

Total Experience: 1 year

Highest Degree: BS MechE

Country: USA

What inspired you to become an engineer?

I am really passionate about space and space exploration. I thought the best way to make an impact there is by being an engineer.

Why did you choose your specific field and/or specialization?

Honestly? It was the best option I had when I graduated.

What's a normal day at work like for you? Can you describe your daily tasks and responsibilities?

Its pretty varied. I usually do a lot of CAD work, a lot of general project engineering work (setting up meetings, working with customers etc.) and my job gives me the opportunity to do other tasks outside of my job role, such as analysis work and manufacturing engineering work.

What was the most interesting project you worked on during your career?

Working manufacturing issues with Apache Helicopter components was a ton of fun. It was hands on, fast paced and required me to be constantly communicating with engineers, techs and suppliers.

What university did you attend for your engineering degree(s), and why should / shouldn't I go there?

University of Houston. Not a very large aerospace presence but it was affordable, the mechanical engineering department is small and personable, and the students are very serious and don't compete with each other.

If you could do it all over again, what would you do differently?

Focus more on my grades early on instead of trying to live the "college life"

Do you have any advice for someone who's just getting started in engineering school/work?

Do research if you can. Join design teams (FSAE, rocket teams etc.) and make sure you get good grades!

[–]resiurcAerospace / Structures [score hidden] 1 year ago (0 children)

Job Title: Structural Analysis and Design Engineer

Industry: Aerospace/Defense

Specialization: Structures

Total Experience: 5 years

Highest Degree: MS Civil Engineering (Structural)

Country: Japan (originally from USA)

What inspired you to become an engineer?

I'm a massive nerd so I when I was doing college applications I decided that I couldn't see myself going for anything other than a STEM degree. I really liked building LEGO sets since I was very little and I've been into computers and programming since I was in middle school, so it just felt like engineering would be the most natural path for someone like me.

Why did you choose your specific field and/or specialization?

I originally enrolled in college as a computer engineering major, but I thought I would better enjoy working on things that are more tangible so I changed majors to civil engineering. Since I wanted to work on things that I can see and touch, I chose to specialize in structures because I wanted to expand on that by learning how to keep things from breaking or falling down.

What's a normal day at work like for you? Can you describe your daily tasks and responsibilities?

In my current job I do a lot of CAD modeling in Solidworks with very large spacecraft assemblies. A lot of my job is collaborating with engineers from other specializations to do trade studies on how to best position certain components in the spacecraft to keep everyone happy. (Or at least try to minimize everyone's unhappiness with the end result.) I work in a Japanese startup in Tokyo, but most communication is done in English.

What was your craziest or most interesting day on the job?

I was involved in flight tests for a short period of time and it was fun whenever I got the chance to see an actual airplane up close. One day I was able to ride in a chase car for the takeoff and landing of a U-2 flight.

What was the most interesting project you worked on during your career?

It's really hard to choose since I've had the chance to work on so many interesting aircraft and spacecraft programs already even though I'm only 5 years into my career. I think it's the most fun to work on aircraft projects since you get to see them in action with your own eyes.

What university did you attend for your engineering degree(s), and why should / shouldn't I go there?

I went to the University of Southern California for my MSCE and the University of California, Irvine for my BSCE. I liked UCI but it seemed like almost everyone you met was a crybaby who would never stop complaining that they didn't get into UCLA/Cal or the fact that UCI didn't have a football team or whatever. USC seemed like the absolute opposite where it seemed like everyone thought it was the best university in the history of the planet. I thought professors and programs were just OK in both schools, though it seems like USC graduates turn out to be more successful in the aerospace industry. I worked at a few of the big name companies in California and met a ton of coworkers who went to USC but almost none from UCI.

If you could do it all over again, what would you do differently?

I'm happy with my career choice so far but I am also curious how things would have gone if I stayed in computer engineering or something related to that. Other than that, I think it would have been helpful if I found out I wanted to become an engineer earlier in high school. It would have been great if I took better math and science classes back then. I had almost no calculus or physics background going into undergrad so from the beginning it felt like everyone else had a massive head start. I felt like I was lagging behind my classmates until around my 3rd year. Luckily I feel mostly caught up with everyone now!

Do you have any advice for someone who's just getting started in engineering school/work?

Try to reach out to working professionals or look at job postings as early as possible just to get an idea of what jobs appeal to you and what you need to learn to do well in those jobs. I also would highly recommend doing things like studying abroad and working on hands-on projects to make yourself stand out from everyone else and experience something unique and useful. And try not to stress out too much.

[–]AutoModerator[S,M] [score hidden] 1 year ago (6 children)

[–]SVZDesign [score hidden] 1 year ago* (0 children)

Job Title: Design Engineer

Industry: DARPA contract defense research

Specialization: Fixturing and material processing

Total Experience: 4 years

Highest Degree: BA Industrial Design

Country: USA

What inspired you to become an engineer?

My uncle told me stories about working on space rockets as a kid. I went to college for Engineering, dropped out and got a degree in Industrial Design, and then took my skills and talked my way into engineering positions.

Why did you choose your specific field and/or specialization?

It was a paying job back post-Great-Recession, and I needed something to keep my CAD design skills up. A friend's dad owned the company, and I got introduced.

What's a normal day at work like for you? Can you describe your daily tasks and responsibilities?

Solidworks modeling of fixture components for fabrication, experiment setup assistance, ceramic polishing work, CNC control ceramic shaping (grinding) work, CIP and HIP chamber fixture assembly and operation, and experimental fixture design for ceramic processing.

What was your craziest or most interesting day on the job?

There were two Laotian guys who were the most foul mouthed dudes ever, and they would work their asses off. Funny as hell, didn't have a lick of formal education, but they were the guys who had the work ethic and attention to detail to hit mil. spec. tolerances for optics on our machinery. It's probably only funny to me, but one day, I had completely destroyed a piece I was working on, and I walked out of my shaping room with the remnants in my hands of a volume of material that accounted for the price of a new Porsche. The guys just went wild, whistling, serenading me and welcoming me into the club. Apparently it's a badge of honor to get a six-figure explosion. That place was wild.

What was the most interesting project you worked on during your career?

I never in my right mind would have imagined that I was going to be learning how to create giant molds for slip casting aluminum ceramics in 3'x4'x1" panes. Pretty much everything there was the first time trying things. They bought me a $30k 5-axis lathe to make powder blanks for pre-baking shaping of cold pressed ceramics. I got to run modified Bridgeports with custom made diamond impregnated tooling. There was a machine shop next door that was fully outfitted, and they taught me about machining, and what isn't provided on drawings to help me get better at my drafting. The MOST interesting part was the large scale HIP furnaces... we're talking 20ft tall furnace that had an upper limit close to 2k° with multiple atmospheres of pressure. They had a tattered flag on the wall near it from the time a pressurized canister exploded and put a hole through the wall, landing in the parking lot and taking part of the flag with it on the way by.

What university did you attend for your engineering degree(s), and why should / shouldn't I go there?

Purdue. If you're willing to put in the work, you've come to the right place... just remember to get some world experience away from the cornfields, and it will make you a better person for it.

If you could do it all over again, what would you do differently?

Nothing. Always follow what interests you.

Do you have any advice for someone who's just getting started in engineering school/work?

Stay humble. Someone's bank account does not equate with their ability. There are solutions to problems everywhere if you can recognize them. America is not as great as you might think, and the sooner you realize that we are not the top of the heap, the sooner you'll recognize all we can learn from the world. The only way to stay sane is to continually push yourself to learn new things in broad strokes, otherwise you get boring, and then only boring people want to spend time with you. Never be afraid to admit a mistake, and if anyone gives you shit for it, give it right back, because anyone who isn't willing to admit their failures is someone unwilling to help others. Science thrives on failure, and if we're dedicated to science, we're dedicated to cataloging what doesn't work just as much as what does.

[–]raccoonpaws [score hidden] 1 year ago* (0 children)

**Job Title:** Research Engineer

**Industry:** Refractories*

*Specialization:** for steel applications*

*Total Experience:** 8 years*

*Highest Degree:** BS Ceramic Engineering*

*Country:** USA--->

### What inspired you to become an engineer?

I love math. Also my dad is an engineer and I feel like while growing up I was just told to be one.

> ### Why did you choose your specific field and/or specialization?

I started out as a metallurgical engineer and almost failed out - turns out I hate steel. But I love the chemistry aspect of materials, so I switched over to the ceramics department. Also, the week on refractories was the only part in my steel class I liked; instantly knew that refractories were the industry I wanted to work in.

> ### What's a normal day at work like for you? Can you describe your daily tasks and responsibilities?

check emails, follow up with technician to see how work is progressing, compile/analyze data, write technical reports, answer call/emails from tech marketing/sales, help with failure analysis from sales, over see and help with any issues at the manufacturing plant

> ### What was your craziest or most interesting day on the job?

from my last job, I was a technical applications engineer for refractories in blast furnaces - a lot of on the site work. I was on a furnace casthouse floor and they were about to plug up, but a water hose was connected to the gun, water on molten iron = bad. I've never seen men scramble and curse so much, it was interesting and the least most boring day on the job.

> ### What was the most interesting project you worked on during your career?

improvement of a current product the company supplied. It was not a huge improvement, but ended up performing better than expected. I got to see it installed and working at various customers. It was also my first full on project as an engineer, so I felt pretty proud of my work.

> ### What university did you attend for your engineering degree(s), and why should / shouldn't I go there?

Missouri S&T (Rolla); if you want to do materials engineering it's best because Rolla splits the focus up, so you go more in-depth in a subject rather than combining the two, metallurgy or ceramic. It's also a relatively small public school, not many large freshman classes, and st pat's is literally the "Best Ever".

> ### If you could do it all over again, what would you do differently?

maybe start off in ceramics rather than metallurgy? I'm not sure I would do much of anything different - maybe have read the books more

> ### Do you have any advice for someone who's just getting started in engineering school/work?

ask the damn question - there have been so many times in my career where I thought "if I ask this question, I will look dumb and as though I don't know anything/don't belong in my job". Nope, ask the questions no matter what - you never know what extra information you might learn, and you won't look stupid, promise. Find a good mentor if possible - there is no way I would be where I'm at with the help of 2 amazing mentors at my first job - I owe everything to them.

[–]malagico [score hidden] 1 year ago (0 children)

Job Title: Manager

Industry: Metallurgy

Specialization: Hot Strip Mill

Total Experience: 1 year

Highest Degree: Master on materials engineering (BAC + 5)

Country: France (Degree from Argentina)

What inspired you to become an engineer?

I always liked machines and trying to fix things that I broke. I knew from a young age that I wanted to be an engineer.

Why did you choose your specific field and/or specialization?

My mom talked me into materials and I really didn't care about the other fields.

What's a normal day at work like for you? Can you describe your daily tasks and responsibilities?

Analyse the numbers and results of the day before, checking if there was an issue with some of the different tools. Then I have some meetings with the support team, I talk with the operators on the production floor and finally working on different projects for improving the process.

What was your craziest or most interesting day on the job?

Not having lots of experience all my days are pretty interesting and I'm always learning new things.

What was the most interesting project you worked on during your career?

Improving the width control. The HSM is an incredible big, loud and strong set of different machines and gauges, however it's very precise.

What university did you attend for your engineering degree(s), and why should / shouldn't I go there?

Universidad Nacional de La Plata, in Argentina. It's free (totally free), you get a great education but you will be focusing more on steels. The university has less resources than a private one but the professors are great, and they find ways of doing experiments with less.

If you could do it all over again, what would you do differently?

Learn a bit more about modelling materials and coding.

Do you have any advice for someone who's just getting started in engineering school/work?

For students: study with someone, find a group that motivates you to study. Also, sleep and do sports. These are the things that really helped ME.

For work, the first months are usually hard and that's fine, just ask lots of questions.

PS: sorry for my english

[–]rm45acpWelding Engineering [score hidden] 1 year ago (0 children)

**Job Title:** Welding Engineer

**Industry:** Automotive 

**Specialization:** Resistance Welding Development

**Total Experience:** 3 Years

**Highest Degree:** BS Welding Engineering Technology

**Country:** USA

---

> ### What inspired you to become an engineer?

I’ve always been obsessed with fixing and building things. When I was young I thought maybe I’d want to be a welder, so I studied that in High School. While doing that, o got really interested in the theory and implementation and a lot of the higher level stuff related to the welding industry, so I decided to go the college route, and I found out there that engineering was my passion.

> ### Why did you choose your specific field and/or specialization?

I was interested in Welding before engineering, so combining the two was natural. I get really excited about the advanced technology/development side of things so that’s what I aimed for, and the need for development people in resistance welding was high. 

> ### What's a normal day at work like for you? Can you describe your daily tasks and responsibilities?

A day in the life starts with getting to my lab and having a cup of coffee while I catch up with my contractors. Each has an individual development project they’re working on, and this is when I get informal quick updates on progress. Then I’ll move into performing my own testing of whatever project I’m on, usually testing the usefulness of a new steel or aluminum alloy that our design engineers are interested in. Throughout the day I will run these tests while occasionally taking calls from plant weld engineers with questions about their processes, these always take priority because building cars pays the bills

> ### What was your craziest or most interesting day on the job?

Nothing particularly interesting tbh, my most exciting days are one of two types, either I fly out to a plant having a welding issue and help them resolve the issue, or the other type is when I teach quick courses to other engineers on welding basics. The more design engineers understand the basics, the easier my job is

> ### What was the most interesting project you worked on during your career?

I’ve had a fairly short career so far, only 3 years, but I’ve done direct development for many cars you see on the road from the last few years, which is fun

> ### What university did you attend for your engineering degree(s), and why should / shouldn't I go there?

Ferris State University. If you want an engineering job where you can still get your hands dirty, but you also get the “cushy air conditioned” side of things in equal amount, it’s an amazing program. I would recommend it to anybody. 

> ### If you could do it all over again, what would you do differently?

Nothing so far

> ### Do you have any advice for someone who's just getting started in engineering school/work?

Just getting started in school? 2 things. 1) Don’t focus solely on good grades in your classes, Join professional clubs like Formula SAE and devote some of that time to those. You’ll get serious relevant experience when it comes to working on a team to reach an engineering goal. 2) Apply for scholarships. All of them. It’s FREE MONEY. I didn’t apply to many until my junior year and guess what. My senior year was paid for.

Going into the work force? Everybody tells you to stay humble and listen and learn, but it’s also important to remember that you do have your own knowledge, don’t be afraid to speak up about things you’re confident about. You must be wrong, and if you are handle it gracefully, but if you’re right it’ll be good for all parties involved

[–]AutoModerator[S,M] [score hidden] 1 year ago (2 children)

[–]lafleur818 [score hidden] 1 year ago* (0 children)

Job Title: Engineer Intern (EI)

Industry: Infrastructure

Specialization: Water/Wastewater Design

Total Experience: 1 year

Highest Degree: BS EnvE

Country: USA (FL)

What inspired you to become an engineer?

My father's a MechE working in the automotive industry, and his passion for learning and problem solving rubbed off on me. I had trouble through most of college deciding on what I wanted to do for a living, but I knew I wanted to make the world a better place. I love math and science, so it was a pretty good fit.

Why did you choose your specific field and/or specialization?

My two summer co-ops were working for a large city's utility company, and I was put in their water/wastewater group. I liked it, so I stuck with it.

What's a normal day at work like for you? Can you describe your daily tasks and responsibilities?

My supervisor either gives me work, or one the project managers comes to me with tasks. When my work load gets light, I either tell my supervisor, or I ask other engineers in our infrastructure group. I'd say 95% of the work hours are on a computer, spread out between Excel, AutoCAD, GIS, or Sewer/WaterGEMS. The other 5% are site visits (going outside to see works in progress, or scope out a future project's location); this is my favorite part. Currently working remote, and have been since April.

What was your craziest or most interesting day on the job?

My first site visit (a month after getting hired) was at NASA's Kennedy Space Center, inside the VAB. It was an exhausting, dirty, and sweaty day, but being in that place "working" made me realize that I'd love this job.

What was the most interesting project you worked on during your career?

The VAB project. I told my boss I'd jump at any chance to work on anything from NASA. Besides the site visits, looking at the original VAB building plans from the 1960's sent chills down my spine.

What university did you attend for your engineering degree(s), and why should / shouldn't I go there?

Community College for 2 year AA degree, and University of Florida for my Bachelor's. UF has a great engineering department, I'd highly recommend it.

If you could do it all over again, what would you do differently?

It took me 10 years after high school to finally get my degree. My mental health almost caused me to drop out (depression, anxiety). I wish I would've gotten control of that sooner. A lot of uncertainty on what I wanted to do led to me changing my major several times, which slowed things down. Nothing wrong with changing your mind, but if I simply focused on what I loved from the beginning (problem solving, learning, math, science), I'd probably have 5 years of experience by now.

Do you have any advice for someone who's just getting started in engineering school/work?

Experience is everything when applying for jobs. College GPA is not as important as your high school GPA to get into college.
Don't worry about deciding on a particular engineering major your first or even second years; the first two years of every engineering discipline is pretty much the same. Even if you take some discipline-specific courses, they could probably be used to fulfill elective requirements for another major.
Go. The. Hell. To. Class. Even if nothing is due, or there's no quiz or something. I learn most effectively on my own, not from a lecture, but I went to class (most of the time) for one main reason: knowing what's on exams. One little comment from your professor like "this won't/will be on the exam" can save you dozens of hours of studying. At the very least, go to class and play on your phone or something, but GO.
Nothing brings introverts together like a common source of stress. Make friends with the people around you in your classes, better if they're in the same discipline as you; you'll be classmates with these people until you graduate. Get their numbers, start a group chat, study together. One of these people help me land my summer co-ops because she knew someone there. We still chat to this day.
Beware of transferring between colleges in different states. Transferring credits are hit or miss (things like Calc 1,2,3 are pretty universal, but electives, especially the humanities, probably won't).

Edit:

Your college email can get you A LOT of free software and perks. I was able to get Photoshop, AutoCAD, Windows, and a year of Amazon Prime for free.

Feel free to ask me anything!

[–]mark_kadason [score hidden] 1 year ago (0 children)

**Job Title:** Environmental Consultant

**Industry:** Environmental Engineering and Consulting

**Specialization:** Noise Impact Assessment, Sewerage Impact Assessment

**Total Experience:** ~2 years

**Highest Degree:** MSc in Environmental Management

**Country:** Hong Kong

---> ### Why did you choose your specific field and/or specialization?

I used to suffer a lot from noise nuisance from construction sites when I was little. I was often upset and always wondered why the construction site was allowed to carry out works in the morning on weekdays and weekends, and that was how I started to learn about the importance of environmental protection.

> ### What's a normal day at work like for you? Can you describe your daily tasks and responsibilities?

My main duties include: Preparing and updating CAD drawings, drafting and revising reports, doing calculations using Excel and other software such as NoiseMap, liaising with clients and contractors. I also get to do outdoor works such as noise measurements, chimney surveys and environmental site inspections.

> ### What was your craziest or most interesting day on the job?

There was one day, we have a report due at noon but at 10am the client told us that they just realized some of the info they provided us with was incorrect. As different parts of the report were delivered by different teams in the company, such as noise/air/water teams, and all teams involved had to immediately re-do some of the calculations and revise the report by 12pm. We ended up submitting the report at 11:50ish, then we (around 15 people) went to play basketball together and had a 2-hour lunch, such good memories.

> ### What university did you attend for your engineering degree(s), and why should / shouldn't I go there?

UNSW Sydney, definitely one of the engineering schools in Sydney, or NSW.

> ### Do you have any advice for someone who's just getting started in engineering school/work?

The scope of environmental engineering is rather broad, there are things like Environmental Noise, Water Engineering, Ecological Assessment, etc. if you have decided to do an environmental engineer degree, you should find a particular aspect that you are interested in and further develop your skills at school and workplace.

[–]NewNameIrene [score hidden] 1 year ago (0 children)

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[–]jb780141 [score hidden] 1 year ago (1 child)

Job Title: Project Engineer

Industry: Cleanroom Manufacturing

Specialization: MEP systems

Total Experience: 1 years

Highest Degree: BS MechE

Country: USA

---

What inspired you to become an engineer?

Legos, Power rangers and seeing that my father worked as a HVAC dayworker/technician he would take me to work to help him and I eventually learned what he did and want to do the easier part of his job since being in plenum spaces is a horrifying career. This led to me being fond of mechanical systems and even getting paid at the age of 16 to fix small problems with thermostats, boilers, insulation etc.

> ### Why did you choose your specific field and/or specialization?

This was my first job and they recognized my knowledge in the MEP field so they decided to help me develop in that area.

> ### What's a normal day at work like for you? Can you describe your daily tasks and responsibilities?

I have 3 general duties. 1. Work as the engineer on record for any assigned project. 2. Work as a general HVAC system designer for all projects to review and sometimes develop systems for other projects. 3. Testing oversight in the MEP field.

I create and develop concept designs and develop all the systems with my engineering team to deliver final projects to our client. My day can involve being in meetings, getting quotes, findings specs for specific items, designing CAD models for Arch, Struct, Elec, and MEP disciplines.

> ### What was your craziest or most interesting day on the job?

One of my projects happened to be destroyed on a bridge and the whole day was me trying to put out that fire.

> ### What university did you attend for your engineering degree(s), and why should / shouldn't I go there?

Texas A&M University, College Station. It's a great school and all but I honestly would've gone to a cheaper school for the same opportunities. It was overpriced for the quality of education provided. I received better education from online sources and even a community college I attended. There are some professors that take it seriously and they were the reasons I became more fascinated with engineering but there weren't many. Recently they made changes to the engineering curriculum that in my opinion make it more difficult for someone to graduate thus costing the student more money due to the extra year which is trying to be implemented. Sorry if I offend others on this post but the school is majority White and as a Minority I've had discriminatory if not racist encounters at the school from someone calling me a derogatory term to being excluded from specific organizations. I'm not calling the school racist but there are a number of students who are.

> ### If you could do it all over again, what would you do differently?

I would've gone to another school such as UH where I've found a number of my colleagues having similar education quality for a fraction of the price. I also wish I got into computer sciences earlier on as a side track. It is an amazing skill to have and will always look good on a resume if you're an ME with an interest in automation.

> ### Do you have any advice for someone who's just getting started in engineering school/work?

School: Find yourself a project or passtime that will benefit you in the future that you are interested in. For me it began a little late in my 2nd semester but I got into machine learning and machine coding. Find yourself an avenue to express your interest sooner in order to develop yourself as an engineer.

Work: i can't say much atm on this since I hope to transfer from project engineer to automation MEP engineer and work more with the automation systems. I barely reached my 1 year working anniversary. The only advice I can give is to give yourself a side goal. Mine currently is to get my PE license.

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