What type of engineer works in the most interesting places?

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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around the environments and roles associated with different types of engineering, particularly focusing on mechanical engineering and field engineering. Participants explore various work settings and the nature of engineering jobs, including the qualifications required for specific roles.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory
  • Debate/contested
  • Technical explanation

Main Points Raised

  • Some participants list environments where mechanical engineers can work, including offices, workshops, laboratories, manufacturing plants, oil rigs, and construction sites.
  • One participant suggests that the role of a Consulting Engineer may offer the most interesting work environments, contingent on gaining experience first.
  • There is a question about the qualifications needed to be a field engineer, with some asserting that a degree is typically required.
  • Participants discuss the distinction between field engineers and field service engineers, with varying opinions on the educational requirements for these roles.
  • One participant mentions the role of a Field Application Engineer, describing it as requiring a 4-year degree and involving customer support in the field.
  • Another participant emphasizes the importance of aligning one's engineering studies with personal interests, suggesting that passion can guide career choices in engineering.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants express differing views on the most interesting engineering roles and the necessary qualifications for various engineering positions. There is no consensus on a single type of engineering that is universally considered the most interesting.

Contextual Notes

Some discussions include assumptions about educational requirements and the nature of engineering roles that may vary by region or specific industry practices.

Parsifal1
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I'm trying to decide which sort of engineering I want to do. I am leaning towards mechanical, what are examples of environments where mechanical engineers can work?

Thanks.
 
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Office, workshop, laboratory, manufacturing plant, oil rig, aeroplane, construction site, underground mine, chemical plant etc etc they're the same places other engineers work too.
You'll need a more specific question if you want useful answers.
 
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Parsifal1 said:
I'm trying to decide which sort of engineering I want to do. I am leaning towards mechanical, what are examples of environments where mechanical engineers can work?

Thanks.
billy_joule said:
Office, workshop, laboratory, manufacturing plant, oil rig, aeroplane, construction site, underground mine, chemical plant etc etc they're the same places other engineers work too.
You'll need a more specific question if you want useful answers.
Agreed. More info would be helpful. What kinds of places do you like to visit?

I'm an EE and have been many places, both for conferences where I was presenting, and for customer visits where I was helping to debug problems. There was the time I was hanging upside-down outside a train in a snowstorm with a portable oscilloscope trying to debug noise issues on the train's intelligent network. Would that be fun for you? o0)

I think the best answer to your thread title question "What type of engineer works in the most interesting places?" is "Consulting Engineer". But you will need a lot of experience as a regular engineer before you can go out on your own as a Consulting Engineer. As a consultant, you can choose what clients you work for (if you are very good at what you do), and you can choose where you work.

work hard! :smile:
 
Can you be a field engineer with a degree?
 
Parsifal1 said:
Can you be a field engineer with a degree?
Sure. Without a degree would be hard...
 
berkeman said:
Sure. Without a degree would be hard...
What about a field service engineer? (I meant to say).
 
Parsifal1 said:
What about a field service engineer? (I meant to say).
I'm not sure what that is, but with "engineer" in the title, I'd assume that a 4-year engineering degree is required. And for Field Service Technician, a 2-year Engineering Technology degree would probably be required.

I'm more familiar with the term Field Application Engineer -- those are engineers with a 4-year degree and good experience in the products they support. They help customers in the field with developing their (high-volume hopefully) applications based on the company's products. They also help (important) customers with debugging problems in the field. Working as an FAE can be interesting, depending on the product line, but it can also be very stressful at times.
 
billy_joule said:
Office, workshop, laboratory, manufacturing plant, oil rig, aeroplane, construction site, underground mine, chemical plant etc etc they're the same places other engineers work too.
You'll need a more specific question if you want useful answers.

You should find out what your core Interest is and follow that , it may be cars , engines , jet engines or simple machines , if your passion has a specific engineering course make sure you take that up , if you take up mechanical engineering you have a wider set of options to look up to as a mechanical engineer, you will learn all the basic principles of mechanical engineering in 4 years and then will have the opportunity to working in any field that required a mechanical engineer. More over your ideas and passion can keep changing with time when you learn you subject that interest you
 
berkeman said:
I'm not sure what that is, but with "engineer" in the title, I'd assume that a 4-year engineering degree is required. And for Field Service Technician, a 2-year Engineering Technology degree would probably be required.

I'm more familiar with the term Field Application Engineer -- those are engineers with a 4-year degree and good experience in the products they support. They help customers in the field with developing their (high-volume hopefully) applications based on the company's products. They also help (important) customers with debugging problems in the field. Working as an FAE can be interesting, depending on the product line, but it can also be very stressful at times.
Field service engineers do things like maintenance, repair, installation etc., as the name would imply. And a bachelors degree takes 3 years here (England).
 

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