Advice for Field Engineer to transition into Office Work

[morgwreck243]

I'm going to be talking to my bosses about the following issues with my job, but before I went in I wanted to get some feedback; mainly to see if my expectations are way off.

Currently, I’m Field Engineer for my company. Most of my assignments involve direct site supervision of various projects for the past 5 years (since May 2010). Where I want to go is in the office for design work and potentially be the lead design engineer. I have felt that I have stagnated for the last 2 years. I understand that I’m not in the corporate office (Idaho Falls), where the engineering group is located, but I have been given the expectation from my boss (senior management) that I would be able to serve as an engineer out here in Greenville, SC. I also had been given the impression that by moving to Greenville I would transition into more office work. None of this is in writing and apparently was more wishful thinking on my part.

My expectation is that I would start performing more office work, but this has not happened. I have looked at what is coming up or where would I be needed for additional work at home (where are the design needs going to come from?) and all I foresee is more field assignments. The company is growing and winning projects so that's not the issue.

I have also tried to get plugged in with the folks at the corporate office and we have asked for their help on past projects, as another way to build a working relationship. I have taken a few field assignments out west, too. I've asked for advice / references on items they have worked on the past such as SPCC Plans and tank information (this is something I had very little previous experience with, but they have a lot of). I have felt that I have been banging my head against a brick wall to work with them or to get responses from (e-mail & phone calls).
I do have a PE license so I can perform some small tasks, but I also feel that is a hindrance to some of my development. I understand the budgeting reasons for not having a licensed PE do the work of an intern (detailing a small building pad for a 1-story structure). I feel more like someone who has had a PE license for 4 years instead of someone with 4 years of engineering experience with a license. I have started work on my master's degree, online, to help myself develop more depth in needed areas such as hydraulics, environmental remediation, and soil mechanics.

My two biggest frustrations right now are:
1) I’ve been on the road too much and need to be home (wife & 2 kids under 5 years old).
2) Where am I going to grow?

This is all something I should be talking with a Senior Engineer with, but I’ve been on the road so much I have not made any contacts with the local ASCE chapter. Any suggestions on making a mentoring contact?


--morgwreck243

 

[BUGGAR]

I've worked at about three companies that had a field engineer that had transferred into our design office. They became the in-house experts that all the young engineers went to for seeing if their designs could be built. They never did any design but were the go-to guys before anything went to the Contractor. They stopped a lot of claims before they started. They knew more about cost estimating than anybody. They could divide any volume by 27 in their head before the kids could reach their I-phones. Play to what you know and they don't.

 

[oldestguy]

It also might be a good time to see what may be available with anther firm. Your experience should be a great asset to designer groups as noted in the previous post.

 

[nickelkid]

Before making too much noise with your employer I would follow the oldestguy's advice.

 

[RocEngineer]

morgwreck, you're such an over-achiever ... you make me look bad!

My brother-in-law was in a similar scenario though he's a geologist. His company shipped him all over the country for years and it got old. When he started his family, he wanted to grow his skills while limiting travel. He had the talk with the bosses, they wanted him to stay with all his accumulated experience, and offered him an office position (and a raise I think). But he had to ask for it, and he was willing to leave if necessary. (That's what he told me anyways.) Sorry, but you may have to leave if you want a change in scenery.

Agree with BUGGAR, all that field experience is not stagnation, not if you're learning things and meeting new people (networking). I'd be careful about taking on too much though. Sounds like you have a nice family and, if it were me, that's always the priority. With pursuing the master's degree, it's a lot to chew on. In 3 or 4 years, those kids are going to want to do all sorts of things with dad: hike, bike, camping, fishing, etc. Maybe you could frame it like: more office work would broaden skills resulting in more knowledgeable, well-rounded staff who could fill in for one other, give advice, etc when someone isn't available. There's also the succession planning aspect.

Yeah, it's tough if you have to go outside work to find a mentor. I had a great one here. He just retired and I miss the heck out of him. I don't have much advice on the mentor thing, but ASCE seems like a good idea.

 

[rorybagleys]

Just make sure you pay some attention to proper workstation ergonomics when setting up your desk and workstation. Sitting behind a desk all day can do long-term damage if you have bad posture. A good chair and a keyboard tray are good first steps.

 

[HamburgerHelper]

Field experience is worth its weight in gold. Good design comes from seeing a lot of bad design. There are too many engineers that see nothing more than what is put on paper. In EPCs, there is a gap that is readily visible between engineers that have done field work and those that have spent their entire career copying a similar job.

 

[geo6]

Be political. Say 2 years of design work in exchange for willingness to be back to the field.

Have to strike deals nowadays.

 

[andriver]

Only advice I have is to be upfront with your managers, and let them know that your heart is in design. I say this because it worked for me, and they should at the minimum, give you an honest answer which will help your decision.

I would also like to reiterate what others have said, having field experience combined with a PE is a tremendous asset. You really understand how things are built, and when you have the field in mind, your design is going to be much better than those who don't. Seriously, a design engineer with no field experience may pick a certain design because it's the easiest to analyze, where as a design engineer with field experience picks a certain design based on constructability. That my friend is an asset you could sell in an interview.