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MourningGlory posted:Does anyone have any insight into the NYC job market for mechanical engineers? I graduated in May and took a high paying software job for 6 months which I hated and left. I really want to get into a proper ME position but I don't have any local connections, so I'm just blindly applying at the moment which isn't necessarily the most effective method. Yeah, construction is probably the best bet, although there are a few design places too. Manufacturing isn't as common, but it exists - I worked in a factory in the Bronx, with a focus on manufacturing. There are also a few package engineering options, though package engineering tends to interact heavily with marketing and the business team, and I personally find that really frustrating but hey. So yes, there are options.
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Dec 19, 2013 01:19
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SeaBass posted:Don't be a fool, stay in school. The real world sucks balls. You say that, but stay in school long enough, it becomes Academia. It's like high school with gray hairs, abuse/occasional sexual harassment of foreign graduate students, and grudges that came from a conference in the 1980s. I'm trying to get the hell out of it and work for a company... though finding that first non-academia job is pretty distressing. "We want 5+ years experience" doesn't accept the time you put in at a research university and a postdoctoral fellowships.  That being said, would y'all say it is a better idea to go shooting for smaller, start-up sized companies to get started, or try to work for larger, more established organizations when starting out (when looking in the Bay Area)? I've mostly been looking at start-ups, but maybe that isn't a good place to go establish yourself?
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Dec 19, 2013 01:27
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Claverjoe posted:You say that, but stay in school long enough, it becomes Academia. It's like high school with gray hairs, abuse/occasional sexual harassment of foreign graduate students, and grudges that came from a conference in the 1980s. I'm trying to get the hell out of it and work for a company... though finding that first non-academia job is pretty distressing. "We want 5+ years experience" doesn't accept the time you put in at a research university and a postdoctoral fellowships. I think there is a window of 5-8 years between experiencing work enough to desire to go back to school, and not being that weird industry guy in class (who asks too many questions about the syllabus and constantly tries to insert his work experience in every anecdote). eh engineering grad school is full oddballs and foreigners, no one will notice.
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Dec 19, 2013 01:32
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I'm a Mech Eng. With ~8 years experience via co-op and working full time. A little over a year ago I got a new job and I wanted to talk about an argument I had with my boss today. Mostly venting but I'm going to try and keep it somewhat anonymous but I would particularly like input from Chem E. as it is a chemical issue and I'm not well versed in them. I've got an application where a customer of ours uses a product of ours as a component in their end product that mixes oxygen (100% in, 0-100% out) and the (silicone) grease that is in our current design is not certified by the grease vendor for oxygen concentrations beyond 20%. We've gotten the customer to agree to change the seal material from nitrile to FKM, which is a good start for oxygen applications but I also wanted to change the grease to something that is good in 100% oxygen and okay for breathing (think SCUBA gear). I told my boss that this is a good opportunity to make the change, the current stuff isn't rated for this use and we need to find something that is. To that end, I recommended contacting the customer and asking if they had a preferred lubricant or if I should just find one on my own. The customer is pretty upset with us over the current failure rate (they're replacing this component after about 1 year of use) and my boss said he didn't want to contact them as it would raise a red flag on the customer's end and we could lose the business, so just use what we've got, it hasn't been a problem in the past and the grease vendor is just not wanting to assume liability for any problems that could arise in 100% oxygen applications. However, at this point I know that we're using a product not for its intended use, I don't have a ton of information about what is downstream from our component, so I have no idea if the grease is traveling into peoples lungs or not or if it is even a problem if it does, but I'm also not knowledgable enough to make that call. I told him if we aren't going to change the grease then he should get another engineer to do the ECO because I don't want my name on it. He said “That's an interesting position to take” and got quiet. I gathered up all the paper work into a folder to hand off to him and he made a historical use argument: (boss  , me  ) we've used it in the past, it hasn't been a problem people used to put lead in wine, that didn't make it okay. Well, we can't fix the world we can fix our product, right here, right now He reiterated that the grease vendor is really just covering their asses, I told him we have no documentation supporting that, we don't know what regulations our customer has to adhere to and we need to find out, I'm not a Chem E and neither is he, we only have vendor documentation/government regulations to work off of, etc. He eventually acquiesced but I feel like a jerk for having to refuse work to get him to pay attention to the issue here. The sales guy came by (my boss had left at this point) and called the customer, no big deal, they recommended a lube, we've got to send them a prototype, etc. I found out there is a filter downstream so I feel a lot more comfortable about this application but why am I having to go nuclear to win an argument with my supervisor over contacting a customer about technical details?  Am I making a mountain out of a molehill here?
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Dec 19, 2013 01:36
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Sounds to me like you did the right thing. Refusing to sign off on something that you're suspicious about but don't have the expertise to make a call w/r/t safety is like Engineering Ethics 101.
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Dec 19, 2013 01:51
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SeaBass posted:I guess I'm making my six figures the hard way, i.e. earning it. Congrats on the cushy gig. Err, what? I simply meant that making a nice living is a lot better than being a poor college student (and actually doing things as opposed to studying them is a lot cooler too). Not sure how you got "cushy gig" out of that. I'll end up with over 2800 hours on the year and the vast majority of that was not behind a desk (I'm a field engineer for an electrical testing & maintenance company), so trust me it's earned.
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Dec 19, 2013 02:30
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CatchrNdRy posted:I think there is a window of 5-8 years between experiencing work enough to desire to go back to school, and not being that weird industry guy in class (who asks too many questions about the syllabus and constantly tries to insert his work experience in every anecdote). Oddballs I could stand and often enjoy their company. What got to me is the occasional professors trying to corner and gently caress the Iranian grad student because he has way too much control over her visa status because he was her dissertation adviser, and other sundry tales of people with tenure being shitbirds. Though yeah, I probably should've worked a few years before going to grad school. Oh well, lesson learned.
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Dec 19, 2013 03:40
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Molybdenum posted:Engineering ethics example I agree with you here, quite strongly. It sucks that engineering ends up playing the cop in poo poo like this, but I think you made the right call.
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Dec 19, 2013 03:49
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Claverjoe posted:Oddballs I could stand and often enjoy their company. What got to me is the occasional professors trying to corner and gently caress the Iranian grad student because he has way too much control over her visa status because he was her dissertation adviser, and other sundry tales of people with tenure being shitbirds. apropos of foreign grad students, I saw my friend's graduation program and between the number of extremely long Indian last names and really short Chinese ones, I surmise the volume of printing ink used was probably just average.
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Dec 19, 2013 03:54
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http://www.nspe.org/Ethics/EthicsResources/BER/index.html Read a few of those and see if any of them look similar to your situation. I think that's a good litmus test for your situation. WWNSPED.
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Dec 19, 2013 04:11
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Olothreutes posted:14 credit hours between me and my bachelor's now. And my department head just hinted about funding for a masters. This has been a good week. Go get some job offers and make sure you still want your masters. Best decision I made was doing this and going to work instead of school. Also make sure you know what your masters will get you.
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Dec 19, 2013 04:39
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Does anyone offer a "ruggedization" service? I know that select phones/laptops/SOCs are available in rugged forms, but say I have a board with whatever dumb things on it. Is there a company that could take that board and quote me some kind of ruggedizing?
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Dec 19, 2013 22:40
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Thoguh fucked around with this message at 16:18 on Aug 10, 2023 |
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Dec 19, 2013 23:14
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Corla Plankun posted:Does anyone offer a "ruggedization" service? Is this a one-off thing, or a mass produced product? If it's one-off, just coat it in lots of hot glue and/or epoxy and put it in a waterproof box.
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Dec 20, 2013 03:50
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KetTarma posted:What's it on? INQUIRING MINDS WANT TO KNOW I'll be improving the image analysis algorithms in a satellite module used for navigation by viewing stars. First playing around in Matlab and then implementing in C. Really cool. Anyone here working with anything space-related?
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Dec 21, 2013 16:14
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Does anybody know any companies that employ chemical engineers and have high turn over rates? Companies that people generally avoid unless they have no choice.
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Dec 22, 2013 00:26
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Xeom posted:Does anybody know any companies that employ chemical engineers and have high turn over rates? Companies that people generally avoid unless they have no choice. Schlumberger, Halliburton, Weatherford, Baker Hughes, the smaller energy service companies....
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Dec 22, 2013 00:46
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What's a good resource for teaching myself calculus/differential equations? I've already taken the classes for these subjects but I don't feel like I really understood them. Right now I'm looking at these Dover Books on Mathematics on Amazon.
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Dec 28, 2013 16:21
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Aardlof posted:What's a good resource for teaching myself calculus/differential equations? I've already taken the classes for these subjects but I don't feel like I really understood them. Right now I'm looking at these Dover Books on Mathematics on Amazon. Paul's Math Notes got me through those courses when I took them, and Khan Academy has a few limited videos on Calc and DiffEQ. You may get some better suggestions in the math questions thread in SAL.
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Dec 28, 2013 16:37
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http://www.khanacademy.org/ http://ocw.mit.edu/courses/mathematics/18-02sc-multivariable-calculus-fall-2010/1.-vectors-and-matrices/ http://www.engineeringtoolbox.com/mathematics-t_54.html
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Dec 28, 2013 17:14
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Xeom posted:Does anybody know any companies that employ chemical engineers and have high turn over rates? Companies that people generally avoid unless they have no choice. CB&I is an embedded engineering contractor for Honeywell in plenty of places. Look into Honeywell's Resins & Chemicals or Specialty Products departments.
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Dec 28, 2013 18:13
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I'm looking for some advice on negotiating my entry-level contract. I just graduated in December and got an offer to work on basically my dream project (  ), but the pay is about 25% below what I could be getting at most places, and the other benefits aren't particularly good either. They gave me this offer much earlier than I expected them to, and the other companies I've applied to (all of whom are good but I'm not as interested in working for) won't be making their decisions/offers for another few months.How much negotiating power do I have at this point? Are entry-level offers pretty much take-it-or-leave-it, or can I bargain for more? Any particular tactics you'd recommend? I've been pretty honest with them in all my interviews; they know I have a lot of other options (even though I don't yet have any other offer letters) and I'm not desperate for a job, but I'm really in love with the particular project I'd be working on there, which is the only reason I'm considering the offer.
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Jan 2, 2014 19:08
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Sgt. Slobber posted:I'm looking for some advice on negotiating my entry-level contract. Negotiating is always in your best interest, if it "hurts" you then the company is run by crazy people and you dodged a bullet. You're probably not going to get a massive difference, but it's always a good idea. I'm sure there are plenty of people that are way, way, way better at negotiating than me on here, but saying "I'm really interested in this project, but I'd really like to be a bit closer to market rates, is there anything we can do to meet a bit closer together?" can work. Also, and this is just my take, but working on projects you're really into, especially early on your career, can pay dividends as you build a CV and portfolio - I feel working on projects I was really passionate about helped me out on later interviews and job selections. Also you spend 40 hours a week working on projects, having ones you enjoy can make a big difference.
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Jan 2, 2014 19:26
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Sgt. Slobber posted:I'm looking for some advice on negotiating my entry-level contract. I wouldn't let your preconceived notion of interest impact your acceptance of a significantly below market offer. It may seem like a dream job going in but until you get there and meet bosses/coworkers and get a better feel for workload, culture, incentives, etc it's hard to say. You should be able to pretty easily find national starting salary average for your major and scale it for cost of living for the location. If you are a good student that will get several offers then you definitely have a bargaining chip to at least get close to average. You should at the very least find out what typical raise/bonus structure is like. Will you get 20%/year raises as you prove yourself? Then starting out below average for a year might not be so bad. Will you get yearly or quarterly bonuses based on personal performance (not company performance)? You might end up making back the shortfall in salary. Will you only get raises to offset inflation? Then they are loving you.
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Jan 2, 2014 19:33
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Sgt. Slobber posted:Entry-level negotiations I haven't had any job that worked out in my favor where I accepted less money than I was worth in exchange for cool projects or potential bonuses. Projects get taken away or lost and compensation policies change. Basically poo poo happens and more often than not the employees get shafted. Shoot high and offer to meet in the middle, closer to your desired salary range. Pretty basic strategy but it worked for me the last time I got low-balled.
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Jan 2, 2014 19:52
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Is anyone else taking the new computer-based FE this year? I'm registered to take it in early February and aside from reviewing the handbook and taking the $50 practice exam through NCEES, I don't really know how to prepare for it.
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Jan 3, 2014 04:28
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3mfHRoVZswa9bGC9QtTi LsQYnJD4y21dRBLNgbIc fQi0CrQIVblRtqtD6ukZ Ofez1veWRZBhsPypw45o iF9qxEjoqkDVZaWtdqeu LiPTqwSppbnDHi4eOwzh OzBS9cx7Gc12ZaKXmLEl s9MCzIOloqbyWjYvDq2t NHWDhWsLlq9tjmVtL3m5 6F49WNwOWfrJ2ZFFVSj4 Plasmafountain fucked around with this message at 23:19 on Feb 27, 2023 |
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Jan 3, 2014 14:47
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I don't think anyone would even know Your resume education section should look something like this which doesnt give away anything about how long it took: College College B.S. in Engineer Engineering, May 2016 GPA In Major: 0.00 Cumulative: 0.00 I would list your bartender job like this, assuming you could take credit for improving the bar: Bartender November 2006-December 2012 Happy Friendly Bar, London, England -Improved customer service by process improvement resulting in 10% increased revenue over previous year.
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Jan 3, 2014 16:07
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Something like this. Tongue in cheek as possible. Yeah, everyone will know you were a bartender, but it can still sound pretty relevant if you spin it right. Bartending Engineer November 2006-December 2012 Happy Friendly Brewing Company, London, England -Managed fluids acquisition and distribution processes for 8 product lines. Performed complex chemical mixing process, developed new chemical compositions based on customer requests. Something something sales and marketing, and leadership of product distribution team.
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Jan 3, 2014 16:28
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grover posted:Something like this. Tongue in cheek as possible. Yeah, everyone will know you were a bartender, but it can still sound pretty relevant if you spin it right. I would be really careful about putting it tongue in cheek like that because there are engineers that take engineering very seriously. It could also run afoul of the law (seriously, in Texas it is illegal to represent yourself as an engineer without a PE license or the protection of working for an approved engineering company).
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Jan 3, 2014 17:24
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Anyone have any insight into MechEng jobs in Seattle area? My GF is graduating later this year and we'd be moving out to Olalla area in early 2015, so would be looking at jobs in downtown (ferry commute) or over in Bremerton/Tacoma mostly. Her ideal gig would be something with a smaller company, maybe in green tech, but googling around for small shops like that is obnoxious. She's got 3 years of CNC machining experience backing up the degree (and lots of fiddling in the garage with her Bridgeport, rebuilding giant military trucks and the like, making unicycles and props/toys, etc), if that helps. Shalinor fucked around with this message at 18:03 on Jan 3, 2014 |
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Jan 3, 2014 17:59
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KetTarma posted:I would list your bartender job like this, assuming you could take credit for improving the bar: If I saw that kind of dumb poo poo on a CV I'd laugh my rear end off and throw it in the bin. Then again I'm not an HR monkey, maybe they actually do eat that kind of corporate-speak poo poo up even for service industry experience.
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Jan 3, 2014 18:31
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Thoguh fucked around with this message at 16:18 on Aug 10, 2023 |
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Jan 3, 2014 19:06
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Oil! posted:I would be really careful about putting it tongue in cheek like that because there are engineers that take engineering very seriously. It could also run afoul of the law (seriously, in Texas it is illegal to represent yourself as an engineer without a PE license or the protection of working for an approved engineering company). 
grover fucked around with this message at 19:18 on Jan 3, 2014 |
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Jan 3, 2014 19:16
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Humour doesn't really come across in a resume and it seems silly to try. Don't try to make your bartending sound super amazing on the resume. If you try to tongue in cheek thing it's going to read like you're serious because there are people who will actually try that kind of thing and there's no context to understand that you aren't serious. Just focus your resume on your academics (put them first), then when you get to your job list how it's helped your skills and demonstrates your work ethic and things like that. Then explain yourself in your cover letter. You can even be clever there if you'd like because there's actual context to show that you're joking.
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Jan 3, 2014 21:50
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grover posted:Bartending Engineer November 2006-December 2012 Oil! posted:I would be really careful about putting it tongue in cheek like that because there are engineers that take engineering very seriously. It could also run afoul of the law (seriously, in Texas it is illegal to represent yourself as an engineer without a PE license or the protection of working for an approved engineering company). SubCrid TC posted:Humour doesn't really come across in a resume and it seems silly to try. Don't try to make your bartending sound super amazing on the resume. If you try to tongue in cheek thing it's going to read like you're serious because there are people who will actually try that kind of thing and there's no context to understand that you aren't serious. I'd put it on your resume because if someone can't see or appreciate the blatant humor, then you don't want to be working with or for them.
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Jan 4, 2014 04:34
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Alternatively, they think he's keyword gaming their HR software and/or misrepresenting his experience.
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Jan 4, 2014 07:59
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KetTarma posted:Alternatively, they think he's keyword gaming their HR software and/or misrepresenting his experience.
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Jan 4, 2014 13:06
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I would enjoy something like that because resumes generally range from banal to outright bullshit. 'At this internship, implemented a change to the production line which saved the company over $100 million annually' 
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Jan 4, 2014 15:46
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I would say bartending is quite a positive thing to put on an engineering CV: it shows you can work with "normal" people, and are not a geek who only knows his equations.
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Jan 4, 2014 19:06
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