Career Choices in Mechanical Engineering
Mechanical engineers (and particularly those with degrees from Brown) work in so many different areas, there is no simple way to describe them. Some fields involving mechanical engineers are technical, including
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Product Design, which involves developing products ranging from aircraft to hair driers;
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Research and Development, which involves discovering new science, or new solutions to human needs;
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Manufacturing, which involves finding new ways to make things, or running a production line;
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Systems Management, which involves overseeing operations of a large system such as a power plant.
But many mechanical engineers also go into less technical careers, including
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Finance;
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Law;
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Management Consulting;
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Administration;
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Public Service.
So what do all these careers have in common, and why is a mechanical engineering degree so useful? Well, in all applications, you will be called upon to solve problems. Usually the problem you will be trying to solve will have to do with finding new ways to make money. (Unfortunately as an engineer you won't actually get to keep the money - that's for shareholders and executives). But along the way you will work on more interesting problems, perhaps including
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Developing new products, from biomedical products to engines
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Improving existing products, perhaps saving energy or costs in the process
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Discover new science, from mathematical techniques to materials
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Manage people;
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Manage investments.
In all these applications, you will need to make decisions. A training in mechanical engineering gives you a systematic way to make decisions, using mathematics and science.
So what kind of decisions do mechanical engineers need to make? Well, look around you at some of the products you use every day, from the computer system in front of you, to the appliances in your kitchen. An engineer had to decide on the size, shape, and material for every part of each one of those products, engineers also had to find a way to manufacture the product, and someone had to convince you (or your parents) to buy it. Sometimes the decisions engineers make can make a difference between life or death for the customers who use them. For example, think about the airbags in your car: if the device works properly, it could save your life, but if the airbag fails to deploy, or deploys with too much or too little force, or deploys at the wrong time, it could have the opposite effect.
An example of one of the most complex mechanical engineering systems ever developed: the prototype Boeing 777. Look at the complexity of the design - the airplane contains hundreds of thousands of parts, each one of which had to be designed. Think about the difficulties of designing a system like this - even just making sure everything fits together properly is a challenge, without having to worry about aerodynamics, fatigue, fuel efficiency and manufacturing costs. But imagine coming to work every day and watching your design take shape as the prototype is assembled; and imagine too the satisfaction of watching your design take to the air for the first time. Mechanical engineering can indeed be a challenging and rewarding career.
