Career Advice: What would you do? 2

[APhelps]

I found a few topics that touch on this issue and was going to post in them but I found it better to just create a new thread.

I live in San Diego and I'll be turning 29 tomorrow with a BSEE. I have been working at NAVSEA (shipyards) for almost 4 years (~3 years 10 months) as basically a technical writer and water bottle sprayer (seriously not joking). The technical writing job basically is extremely low level and is for re-testing requirements of piping systems and electrical systems (fluid pressures, operational verification). The water bottle sprayer was pressurizing piping and spraying soap solutions and checking for leaks. I'm disgruntled with NAVSEA and I realize a lot of that is on me for not just flat out quitting after working for a few weeks. Switching government organizations is not an option for me and I have found the task to be extremely difficult, if not impossible. At this point I have pretty much settled on quitting at the end of the year for the sake of my own sanity and I am currently applying to government contractors (LM, Raytheon) and other private sectors jobs as well. I have looked into changing careers like being a patent attorney but I don't think it is for me after struggling to read through the mundaneness of a patent. I have looked into taking the FE and PE to change jobs but I'm not sure how well that works in the tech sector since it is the area I am most interested in. I don't feel that I am that competent as an engineer to obtain a Ph.D. (masters isn't probably out of the question though) or I should pursue a totally different path (i.e. doctor, lawyer or etc.)? Anyone ever been in a situation like this and how did you rectify it?

 

[KENAT]

Phd have limited application in much of Engineering but not none. I work in what may be considered tech industry and we have a lot of doctors these days.

PE will probably be of very little use in the Tech sector - if you're even eligible to get it yet based on your described work experience.

Totally different path? Well only you can really decide that and should probably be asking folks from those other careers not a bunch of engineers on this site.

What aspect(s) of engineering beyond just saying 'tech sector' actually appeals to you? Why did you become an engineer in the first place? Once you've established that then you can start thinking about where you would get to do whatever it is makes you tick.

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(probably not aimed specifically at you)
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[SkipVought]

Hi,

Buy a copy of "What Color is Your Parachute?" And, of course, read it. Good guide for self evaluation and job search strategies.

http://www.JobHuntersBible.com

Skip,

_{Just traded in my OLD subtlety...
for a NUance!}

 

[APhelps]

My current understanding is that government employees (in CA) are exempt from needing to work under a PE and that my experience can be twisted enough into "eligible work experience" enough to be able to obtain the ability to test for the PE after passing the FE.

As far as another career path? That is probably true that I should not be raising that particular question here and perhaps better raised elsewhere.

As far as engineering fields other than the tech sector, I would probably say green technologies and construction (seems like a good avenue for engineers who want to build a PE firm). As far as what got me into engineering? Building fast cars. Which is kind of unfortunate since I am really turned off on the idea of living in the Midwest. Perhaps I should give another shot to applying to Mazda out here (Irvine, CA).

 

[KENAT]

https://chc.tbe.taleo.net/chc01/ats/careers/searchResults.jsp?org=TESLA&cws=1&act=sort&sortColumn=1

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[racookpe1978]

I earned my first PE while in the Navy as a naval officer (obviously government service) working as an engineering duty officer for NAVSEA. But! I got credit for only shipyard construction, core load, initial criticality, reactor servicing, repair and maintenance periods. Routine reactor operation time didn't count as "engineering service" .. and probably should not count. The PE's who signed for my time while at the shipyards were higher level supervisors - but were all PE's in various disciplines.

Your time - if you can take credit at all for your NAVSEA work - needs to be under a PE doing engineering or testing or construction (field) supervision. There are likely PE's above yo in the NAVSEA hierarchy that "could sign" for daily work but you need to upgrade the level of your daily tasks beyond test NDE technician (soap tests) and get into valve lineups, valve testing, instrument hookup and certification, calibration, test planning, test operations, test supervision, test evaluation and approval, etc.

You also need to consider your attitude expressed in public: "Bottle watcher" might be accurate, but it won't inspire high levels of self confidence and self assurance technically and professionally. 8<)

 

[APhelps]

KENAT - Tesla is something I have always thought about but didn't want to leave the San Diego area. Perhaps it is the right kind of work for me.

RACOOKPE1978 - I am sure you are well aware that PE licensing varies state by state and as far as I am aware of in CA government workers are exempt from needing a PE to sign off on any work references. You do need references to verify the level of work you did though. Since you were a EDO and mentioned all of those things I will elaborate that all my experience has been in Code 246 and is probably a code you are extremely familiar with. I have done all of those things you have listed and in my experience with future employers is most of them are not interested in that besides other government contractors performing marine engineering. I thought applying to a job with a contractor with a heavy emphasis in programming for some software application in marine engineering was something I felt would be the best ticket for me to get out of my work but that hasn't come to fruition.

I am very upfront and honest about my work experience since trying to present it as something other than a technician job seems like it would set up me for failure and to be promptly fired due to a lack of technical expertise. I look at it in the sense that I am playing Russian Roulette with a gun and I can either shoot myself in the foot or shoot myself in the head.

 

[Panther140]

APhelps " As far as what got me into engineering? Building fast cars. Which is kind of unfortunate since I am really turned off on the idea of living in the Midwest. Perhaps I should give another shot to applying to Mazda out here (Irvine, CA)."

Why are you asking Mazda for permission to build fast cars?

"Formal education is a weapon, whose effect depends on who holds it in his hands and at whom it is aimed." ~ Joseph Stalin

 

[APhelps]

Opening a shop isn't really in the cards for me. Working on cars (turning wrenches) is something that I have been there, done and got the t-shirt kind of deals. The wrenching aspect was something that I use to really enjoy but now not so much. In related news, I recently got into Autodesk Inventor (thinking of switching to Solidworks since the 3d modeling seems a bit more user friendly) to develop and re-design OEM parts for Toyota MR-2s to see if building restoration parts was a viable industry (I looked into the patent law aspects of this as well). I haven't spent too much money but it seems like I am just hitting brick walls every time I try to make parts due to the tolerance issues I am having. Perhaps this is a horse I should keep attempting to climb back on but the failures I have dealt with are small but discouraging (Reminds me of all the Michael Jordan/Wayne Gretzky quotes).

 

[Panther140]

APhelps- It cant hurt to keep getting better with Inventor especially if you're considering making something like that. I think it would be cool to do engine offset kits and engine swap plates. That way people could move their Engines/Transmissions backward to get better weight distribution

"Formal education is a weapon, whose effect depends on who holds it in his hands and at whom it is aimed." ~ Joseph Stalin

 

[GregLocock]

If you want to do cars then

(a) a PE will be of no help in particular,

and

(b) you will have to get used to moving. I have moved for every single new job in my life.

On the plus side I don't think you have exhausted all the possibilities on the west coast, and you should consider Tier One suppliers as well, they are (probably) easier to get into and provide a direct path into the OEMs.

Also to get my first job I wrote to EVERY car and truck and aircraft manufacturer in my home country, got 6 interviews and 2.5 offers.

Cheers

Greg Locock


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