How much do you know about mechanical engineering careers? Are you planning on carving out of career in mechanical engineering? Do you work as a mechanical engineer? Read on to see our summary of the available mechanical engineering careers out there.
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While I won’t go into detail about a mechanical engineer’s job description in this post, their job description does rely heavily on the field/sector that they work in. Mechanical engineering careers made up about 258,100 jobs in 2012. This number was made up of engineers working mostly in the architectural, engineering services, manufacturing industries and research and development, where of these sectors architectural and engineering services held the majority. The rest would be employed in fields such as automotive parts manufacturing, general-purpose machinery manufacturing and testing laboratories.
Typical mechanical engineering careers generally occur in a professional office setting. A lot of mechanical engineers (particularly mechanical design engineers) will spend a lot of time on programs like AutoCAD, Revit, Inventor and Fusion 360. Work-site visits are necessary when there is a problem or piece of equipment that may need their personal attention. Most of the time engineers will work in teams with their peers, engineers, engineering technicians and other professionals.
Employment of mechanical engineers is projected to grow just 5 percent from 2012 to 2022, slower than the average for all other professions. Mechanical engineers have the ability to work in many different industries and on many different projects, job opportunities will be best for those who keep up-to-date with the latest technologies and advancements in their respective field. This can be done by taking online courses and obtaining certifications on a platform like LinkedIn Learning, try it now risk free as you get the first 30 days for free!
Which Industries?
After graduation from a mechanical engineering degree, you can formulate mechanical engineering careers in almost all sectors of the engineering industry. Mechanical engineers should fare well and experience faster than normal growth in industries such as: architectural and engineering and related services, as companies in the future will continue to obtain work from firms such as these.
Manufacturing industries like machinery and transportation equipment will also keep mechanical engineers involved as they will be essential in designing the next generation of vehicles/vehicle systems and components. Human labor is becoming replaced with machines everywhere it can be as it is more cost efficient, this is going to drive up demand for mechanical engineers who design industrial machinery.
Oil and gas extraction are also profitable industries for mechanical engineers to work in as their knowledge of thermal energy is critical to advancements in these fields.
The newest industrial pursuits on this planet at the moment have mechanical engineers heavily involved in them. Alternative energies, nanotechnology and remanufacturing are all examples of industries that offer occupational growth. Remanufacturing (which is re-using goods that have been rebuilt) is especially exciting as it reduces the cost of disposing of waste and the effect of this waste disposal on the earth itself. “Green” mechanical engineering i.e remanufacturing, could become common practice at many colleges and universities as a focus on climate change and our effect on the planet becomes bigger and bigger.
Nanotechnology is the study and application of extremely small things, and mechanical engineers use nanotechnology to manipulate matter and the tiniest of scales. This another field that mechanical engineers will be needed for as there will need to be production projects designed based on this technology. Areas like biomedical engineering and computer science are a couple of examples of how nanotechnology can be used.
While the above mentioned industries are ones which are likely to see mechanical engineering growth in the future, the career opportunities for mechanical engineer is by no means limited to these industries.
Career Paths
The most common mechanical engineering career path is… You guessed it! mechanical engineering. This will include researching, designing and manufacturing mechanical devices, and working to create new mechanical devices such as: engines, car parts, air conditioners, electric generators, tools and sensors etc. The possibilities are endless when a path in mechanical engineering is concerned.
Industrial Engineering
“Industrial Engineering” is a broad field used to denote engineering in an array of fields where there is an emphasis on maximizing efficiency. To go down this path would entail a career of drawing on one’s mathematical and mechanical engineering knowledge to solve pissues that are encountered in the production and manufacture of products.
Healthcare and transportation are another two examples of how diverse a mechanical engineer’s career could be if the industrial engineering route is chosen. Industrial engineering can be studied as a prerequisite to this path, however a mechanical engineering degree is preferred.
Automotive
Automotive engineering is another infinite category of possible routes for an aspiring mechanical engineer. How many ways can the automotive industry be improved is akin to asking how long is a piece of string, there is no definite answer. Developing new automotive safety technologies/procedures, car parts, futuristic engines that use less fuel and other innovations such as these will all be a part of being an automotive engineer.
Healthcare
If a career in healthcare interests you, but you somehow ended up down the mechanical engineering path, fear not, as biomedical engineering is sort of a merger between the two. Prosthetic limbs are just one example of the innovation and creations that are expected of biomedical engineers. Medical devices/software and related technologies are the basis of what the role of a biomedical engineer would be in the healthcare sector.
HVAC
Choosing to work in the HVAC (Heating Ventilation and Air Conditioning) industry as a HVAC engineer will entail improving the available technologies in this field. The air quality and temperature that products (and people!) will be in will be the main priority here. Failure to keep a certain environment can cause issues with products and people will definitely have issues with your design if they are too hot or cold!
One way to gain experience as a mechanical engineer is to work as a mechanical engineering technician. This involves providing assistance to other mechanical engineers while performing calculations, analyzing data, drafting designs or creating reports. This route will only require a minimum of an associate’s degree.
As stated above, these are examples of paths that a mechanical engineer can take once obtaining their degree. The possibilities of a mechanical engineer after graduating are almost limitless and what route is chosen is down to the individual, their interests and their abilities.
A short list of the possible career paths for a mechanical engineer are:
- Aerospace
- Architectural
- Automotive
- Biomedical
- Civil
- Construction
- Electrical
- HVAC
- Manufacturing
- Nuclear
- Oil & Gas
- Power
- Process
- Railway
- Teaching
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