Any mechanical engineers looking for a job?

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07-20-2005, 06:22 PM

#16

mbquarts

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Originally Posted by verc

a lot of people go into mechanical engineering b/c they like cars or machines, airplanes, and end up doing HVAC since being ME you have a good background in fluids and dynamics. IMHO a person doing ME who wants to do the exciting (not saying HVAC isn't, I'm sure designing a complex system for a large skyscraper or something would be really fun!) should really try to get a master's so they can get into the thermosciences, or learn to do FEA (that's really fun, if you want I'll sne you a copy of FEMlab, you don't need to know finite element math to use it but it's really, really cool. You can model, say, the sound a muffler design will produce or the temperature distribution in a brake rotor undergoing braking, damn near everything in the world), or get into MEMS.

it's the same with EE as well. Undergrads usually (even if you go work for say Intel or Analog devices) end up doing hardware verification or designing test boards. Gotta get a pHD to do the cool stuff...

Its true that HVAC design is not the most glamorous industry, but it can be a great starting point for any ME. It gives you practical design experience, the ability to become a licensed engineer and if nothing else adds to your resume. I couldn't see myself working in this field my entire career, but for right now its fine. Advanced education is the way to go if you like school, but personally I don't and it would be hard for me to justify the cost of all that schooling for the minimal increase in salary it would actually yield.

I am not a number cruncher...I'm more of a hands on type of person. Like you said, most people get into mechanical engineering b/c they love machines. I will eventually work my way into race car/automotive design. Right now I am saving up for the russell mechanics training school, and hopefully I will be going in January.

07-20-2005, 06:37 PM

#17

verc

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yeah, don't misinterpret what I said by any means; most all jobs available to engineers out of college aren't super-cool but definately, I think it's all just paying your dues. Either a few years of grad school or a few years of work experience, then hopefully on to that dream job

I had a friend who worked for Ford out of college graduating with an BSME. Did dumb crap for a couple years but then he got to work on the GT40, GR1, and now new Cobra/Shelby Cobra, complete with hot lapping the GT40 for "scientific tests"

07-20-2005, 09:40 PM

#18

mbquarts

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Originally Posted by verc

I don't think I misinterpreted what you said, i pretty much agree with everything. My dream job would be working on cars in cali, but that might be really hard. I have seriously thought about moving to detroit but I have decided that will be my back up plan if this school doesn't work out. Your friends job sounds incredible...lucky guy!

07-20-2005, 10:16 PM

#19

verc

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yeah I've got the same dilemna. I had to turn down an internship at Ford b/c it required me to be in Detroit.

I think Toyota and Honda have R&D facilities in the bay area, and Nissan has one in LA though. Although I think Honda's bay area facility is more computer science based than engineering.