If you go into engineering don't move to Cal. I have been a Mechanical Enginner for the past 15 years. Lots of engineering jobs here are going overseas. Most of our subsystems are designed in Asia . We just do the final packaging here. All our production is overseas. Nonething is built in Northern Cal. anymore.

A few years ago my company bought another company in New Zealand. Since then they have cut 1/2 the engineering jobs here and hired there. In fact my boss is in NZ.

I am in the telecommunications field and sit in a cube all day. Just got done writing a 3 page report on how to use Loctite since our manufacturing shops in Asia could not figure it out.

I looked into ME before I realized how completely incompetent I am with math. I also wanted to spend most of my time on the floor. At any rate, when looking into the field I somehow found out about "Test engineer." It was my understanding at the time that this entailed some engineering but mostly hands on knowledge of the systems in your specific field. I'm a machinist/engine guy and it was explained to me that a test engineer would basically be a high test mechanic w/similar pay & benefits of a ME.

It seems that TE is a little known deviation of ME and it may be something for you to look into. I have no advice or insight however as I opted instead for mechanical drafting.

I'm not sure.  I'm not really that picky either.  I hope to move out michigan which narrows out automotive.  

Thanks for all the info guys it is appreciated.  

Test Engineers have to be knowledgable in their field and on the equipment you are testing.  Math is a requirement - sorry.

If you like to work with your hands you try to be an Engineering Technician.  These guys are very hands-on on the equipment and spend all their time in the lab or on the floor.

Only problem with techs is around here they tend to be union jobs.  Lower 'formal' education requirements - but once you've maxed out the only place to go is 'Engineer' then you need that degree.

Some of the best people I've worked with were Engineering Techs, they usually were very happy with their jobs.  

An Engineering Tech is to an Engineer pretty much what an NCO is to an Officer in the military.  Not an exact correlation - but pretty close.

If you'd like an engineering job that gives you exposure to the shop floor once in awhile? Consider Manufacturing Engineering in the mechanical/structural arena. Aerospace and defense offer a lot of opportunity. Winston Wolf was right on the money with his comments. I'm in the same field. I started Lockheed in 79 as an R&D machinist and graduated to Manufacturing Engineering 5 years later. It was a natural transition and the machining background gives me an edge especially when it comes to tool design (manufacturability as well as functionality). I stayed with Lockheed for 18 years and was intimately involved in such projects as the Hubble Space Telescope, Milstar and the International Space Station Solar Arrays. There were many more that I can't mention here but believe me, very interesting stuff. Still doing defense work for a company here in Phoenix and find it just as interesting as I did 25 years ago. I highly recommend it and promise you will never starve for food... nor budget to spend on ARs...[:D]
--RR

StariVojnik and 89hawk are right.  I work as a ChemE on a FEDERAL funded project for Bechtel.   My boss was born in China, in my group we have one person who was born in India, two from Canada, several Philipinos and a minority of US born engineers although the "locals" have more experience, and are generally more knowledgable.  Why?  Easy, even the Canucks will work for less.  You used to have to have to be a US citizen to work on this FEDERALLY funded project but through "privatization" now cheap foriegners are just OK.   Other example, the last oil refinery that will be built in the continental US was built in 1971 right here in Washington State at Cherry Point.  Why?  Environmentalists and Lawyers have regulated and sued these type of business out of the country and they won't be coming back.  Boeing's days are numbered too.  It's just a matter of time before the Chinese and Koreans scale-up their aero-space/airplane production capabilities.  

You're better off trying to sell pills to old rich people.   That's were the money is in this country now.

Sorry, Dude, that's bullshit and not reality. Somebody already pointed it out: adapt or die. Don't blame your ineptitude on those who are foreign born.


Oh yeah, Medicare and insurance companies are always nice bedfellows. Clueless.

I love techsupport, I just hate answering the phone...

On other matters, something you might want to check out is a Weldment Engineer or better a Welding Applications Engineer. One point though, a Welding Applications Engineer may end up doing alot of travel for field work.

This was an area recommended to me when I got my AS in Welding Metalurgy and all my Certs. I worked my way through college doing production Welding. Then ending up not using the knowledge much once I took a position as a prototype machinist / CNC Systems Programmer and setup lead.

I will say this, our countries current economic structure is such that it is killing domestic manufacturing and exporting that work. The sum of OSHA regs, EPA regs, and union issues makes "Making" a near impossible task to do at a profit.

Even Japan is begining to suffer from this trend. Assemblies are now prefabbed in other asian countries and minimal final assembly and packaging is actually done in Japan.

[/soapbox]

I'm sure you are aware that engineering covers other disciplines besides manufacturing don't you? I mean, it's even covered in the 1000-level courses. A few posters in this thread, one being a building maintenance man and the other a member of his local White Citizens Council, seem to have forgotten this important point (they're probably busy building an Erector Set).

Nope. Although I've heard of him. I got there just as he left. I know the guys he worked with and I was the contract manager and technical manager for the 5 DOF arm that is flying on the two current rovers due to land in the begining of January. That arm was built by the same company that built the arm that is in Jeff's website.

A cool Mars Exploration Rover website is the one put together by the chief scientist of the project at Cornell university:

[url]http://athena.cornell.edu/kids/[/url]

Don't let the url fool you, it's not just for kids. There is good stuff in there for the layman.

Yeah, high profile missions on a budget are a bitch.

CW

My project manager at the time did the tiger team review and helped to figure out what the hell happened. I heard it was a frozen fuel problem in the lines that caused the joint at the valve to crack/rupture all due to the fact that there was no line insulation and/or heaters. I respectfully reserve my right to snicker if that was truly the case.

CW

This is hilarious. I feel like I'm at old home week on this thread. I was at LMart from 1980 to 1996. Did the SAFE array, MILSTAR array, looked over Mark Johnson's shoulder while he was designing the SS array. Did a bunch of other things there, I'll bet I know you. Sending an IM.

CW

I had heard (from those that stayed there) that one of the valves had leaked and the fuel/oxidizer mixed in the line rather than in the reaction chamber of the engine.

Not a surprise - the bus was designed for earth orbit and is fairly well protected there.  None of the components were designed for interplanetary space.

BTW I would also not be surprised if it were a fuel line issue - it was sent back several times for fuel line issues durring I&T.  It was a serious part of the delays while I was there.

Jim_Dandy has an amazingly wealth of knowledge on careers for Engineers for someone who is not, nor ever has been an Engineer:
While I admit I am purposefully trying to present the down side of Engineering careers for the benefit of the original poster who needs to be aware of that.  As a real ChemE with 16+ years of experience in several fields and with at least eight different companys, I do not think that Mr. Dandy's opinionated views truly represent the experiences of actual Engineers and caution those who need to know, against accepting Mr. Dandy's word versus those actual experiences that are being offered.  I suspect that Mr. Dandy feels threatened because he is investing time and money to become an Engineer and these negative stories threaten his vision (however warped) of his future.  I suspect the knowledge base he's quoting from comes from Engineering trade journals and a few real engineers he's talked too.  Don't worry.  Engineering is OK, but it's probably not as rosey as Mr. Dandy says and that's something you should be aware of.  

What is your point?

Actually Mr. Dandy works pretty closely with real engineers (i.e., NOT you) on a daily basis (mostly BSMEs, EE, a few environmental/civil, and an occasional chemical). The industry in which I work, electric utility, has been steadily hiring engineers since, well, FOREVER. The last ten years or so has seen an emphasis on environmental engineering (you see, there's this little Federal agency called the "EPA" that makes utility and oil & gas companies really uptight, have you heard of them?).

Locally, several companies, such as Kerr-McGee, have been recruiting AND hiring chemical and petroleum engineers from regional engineering schools (a LOT have been coming from University of Missouri Rolla). The Air Force and several local defense contractors have also been steadily hiring these new engineers at around $60K starting out. So yeah, based on what I KNOW FOR A FACT, I'm calling BULLSHIT on your ILL-INFORMED STORY.

I'm sorry if you're too ignorant to keep your white power attitude to yourself during a job interview and I'm sorry if you can't put together a decent resume. However, nothing in either of your posts reflects what the actual job market for an engineer is.

Coming into this late, so forgive me if I repeat what may have already been said...



I work in a cubicle all day, but that's the nature of the work I do (designing quality and business systems).



I don't think it's the degree. It's the JOB. I'm a Quality Engineer, and I sit in a cubicle all day. There are other Quality ENgineers here who live on the production floor. It's all in the job description of the job you're in.



WARNING! Do something you LIKE. Trust me, it'll be better than making lots of money and being miserable. Your health will fail from stress before you can enjoy it.

Besides, what makes you think engineers are rich?  [>Q]

M

It certainly won't hurt. In addition to my BS and MS in engineering, I have an MBA. I haven't changed companies since I got it, but recruiters are always impressed with TWO Master's degrees. Two BS's will be one more than the average guy coming out of school.

 My point is that Mr. Dandy is saying that people are full of shit who are only offering their real life experiences as actual Enginereers for the benefit of the original poster, when Mr. Dandy only claims to have worked one job, in one location and is not even an Engineer.  I wouldn't have a problem if he had said that his experience is such-and-such and it looks good from where he is.  But, How can he claim that other real Engineers who have 15+ years of experience in their careers are full of shit and that he knows more about their fields?   One thing is certain.  Mr. Dandy is a fully qualified, experienced Troll.  

Where did I claim to've only worked one job?  You've only offered a point of view from a bitter and frustrated individual. I stand by my statement, your point of view doesn't reflect reality. Dumbass.

polymer science work for the rubber companies
therefore Chem_E with emphasis on polymers usually Masters minimum