office-based role 12

[engeeneer]

hello

I am looking to start an engineering career but not in a production/plant environment or in a greasy environment. Instead I am looking for a clean office based career.

Is this feasible with an HNC only and no experience at all?

Which such roles can you suggest me? Roles that are in demand and pay well, would be preferred.

Thanks!

 

[kingnero]

I even weld from time to time while being paid as an engineer - just don't want to lose my skills I acquired during my first two years of working.
Also, "my" weldors appreciate my way of doing things - as I know both sides of the story.

Get dirty or get out - you really don't want to know what "they" say about engineers who never come out to the production factory and let the people handle/solve the problems they created (by not having the necessary practical experience)...

 

[oldestguy]

Office work these days likely means a computer type job. Healthwise, sitting all day and looking at that screen is not an activity (or lack thereof) that the body likes. Indoor air may contain radon, fragments of asbestos insulation, formaldehyde glue gas and even higher levels of CO2. Then, out jogging to get better air, those crummy automobiles are spewing more harmful stuff. Gosh, it seems the modern world is full of risks. I'm glad I won't have to be your supervisor. I'd have to be looking for a replacement shortly after you came on board. On second thought, in the hiring interview you would be shown the door. Maybe an understanding relative can take you on as an employee.

 

[IRstuff]

At Northrop, one of the risks was that one of the airplanes landing at Hawthorne airport might zig instead of zagging, and clobber our office building.

TTFN
faq731-376

Need help writing a question or understanding a reply? forum1529

 

[KENAT]

IRstuff, the landing path for one of the runways at the local airport goes straight over our parking lot, if they're a bit low you can look out the 2nd floor window and be not much below eye level!

Posting guidelines faq731-376

http://eng-tips.com/market.cfm?

(probably not aimed specifically at you)
What is Engineering anyway: faq1088-1484​

 

[IRstuff]

Almost the same in Hawthorne, the start of the runway was across the street from the parking lot, but a 3-story building was next in line, so planes would have to come in over the golf course, fly over the street until they passed the building, and then did a quick left/right to line up with the runway. All in about 1/3 of a mile. 33°55.384'N 118°19.332'W if you're curious.

What's REALLY amazing is that the Marines actually landed an F18 on that same runway for an air show, but it took the pilot a 3rd pass to land it, and there was only ONE arresting cable. The runway is less than a mile long. As it was, the F18 stopped not that far from end of runway the fence, since the arresting cable didn't have an aircraft carrier attached to it.

TTFN
faq731-376

Need help writing a question or understanding a reply? forum1529

 

[carlharr]

Office-based - 9 hours sitting still, staring at a computer screen and breating re-cycled air probably isn't that good for you.
Any job will have it's health effects, you just need to be aware of them and look after yourself properly.

All that really matters is to enjoy what you're doing, thats what keeps work great!

http://www.jcb.com

NX 7.5 with TC 8.3

 

[engeeneer]

guys, I re-read the entire post and I wasn't able to find specific career choices for an office-based engineer role

apart from 'design engineer', which afaik needs more than an HNC/HND

can't you suggest me any roles?

from my research I think also an automation engineer won't leave the office but rarely, am I right?

any more suggestions?

thanks

 

[1gibson]

Software engineer

 

[KENAT]

"Designer/Draftsman/CAD technician or similar roles" from my earlier post.

In case you haven't worked it out yet, in the US (where many of the more active members of this forum are based) the use of the word engineer generally implies at least bachelors level education, and in many sectors to use engineer you may need the equivalent of CEng.

Posting guidelines faq731-376

http://eng-tips.com/market.cfm?

(probably not aimed specifically at you)
What is Engineering anyway: faq1088-1484​

 

[MikeHalloran]

>>>from my research I think also an automation engineer won't leave the office but rarely, am I right?<<<

You are wrong.



Mike Halloran
Pembroke Pines, FL, USA

 

[Latexman]

Our automation engineers spend a LOT of time out of the office and in the plants. We have 2-3 of them in China for a few months right now for commissioning/start-up.

Good luck,
Latexman

Technically, the glass is always full - 1/2 air and 1/2 water.

 

[zdas04]

Ditto. I've never seen an Automation Engineer that was worth shooting that preferred the office to the field.

David Simpson, PE
MuleShoe Engineering

"Belief" is the acceptance of an hypotheses in the absence of data.
"Prejudice" is having an opinion not supported by the preponderance of the data.
"Knowledge" is only found through the accumulation and analysis of data.
The plural of anecdote is not "data"

 

[SNORGY]

The guys and gals out there in the boonies in those scuzzy sites that have to break the ice off of their ATVs to get into the well sites, armed with a company-issued rifle to defend themselves against the bears that have found their way onto the lease - before they can even think about trying to figure out why the pumpjack just quit or the stupid air compressor won't start - those are the folks that the guys like me in the downtown office need to understand in order to help them keep the oil or gas flowing. To a person, those are the same folks who you will learn the most from. They are the people you need to keep safe, so that they can go home somewhat before midnight and tuck their kids in before getting a late night sandwich and five hours of sleep before doing it all over again tomorrow.

 

[oldestguy]

Engeeneer:

After over 50 posts on this thread, and maybe 99% of the comments are not real encouraging, wouldn't you think that maybe your quest is in vain? Also, a number of the posts show the advantages of not being in the office all the time. Those all are from experience comments. You are lucky to have such a response only meant to help you.

 

[SNORGY]

Well...I should apologize a bit.

I too feel that the years spent in university, getting a degree in an applied science (engineering) did entitle me to something more than the grunt jobs that the guys who smoked weed and dropped out of high school ended up with. That said, I look back on it now and I can honestly say that nothing taught me more about engineering than working in the field with the men and women who were ultimately left in charge of running the stuff that I simply drew. I have picked up hunks of clay in the field so that I now understand what "...1725 with 11% moisture..." looks, smells and feels like. Otherwise, it's just "...zone 2 fill..." - whatever THAT means on a drawing. I now understand why a welder would rather put a vent valve at the top of a 30" SCH 80 300# riser for hydro testing instead of just cracking open the blind at the top. I now know exactly what I am asking a guy to do when I call for an in-situ inspection, under mask, of all 30 bubble cap trays in an erected condensate stabilizer. I know how to turn a mounting flange inside out for a burner in an operating CO boiler to avert a site-wide outage at a major refinery (Syncrude in that instance).

My message, similar to that from others, is that it's the field work that makes you an engineer, at least to some extent. It's the best way to understand the impact that your work has on the people who inherit the finished product.

 

[IRstuff]

Curiously, none of the types of EEs and MEs and CSs I work with seem to have responded to the OP. In my industry, "field" experience is simply the final testing of a sensor on an actual platform, be it a tank or a plane. Other than that, most of our lab work is in an A/C'd office lab environment. HOWEVER, every last man and woman has a 4-yr college degree. Our noisiest environment is when the vibration testing equipment is running, but only a few people need to be there continuously, primarily the test engineers, and that only occurs in the second or third year of a development contract.

The last time I was in a factory environment was 26 yrs ago, at a semiconductor fab. While the diffusion furnaces are a bit noisy, the biggest health risk in a semiconductor fab are the nasty chemicals and gases, lots of fun acids, and lots of toxic, nerve-agent, gases.

TTFN
faq731-376

Need help writing a question or understanding a reply? forum1529

 

[MacGyverS2000]

I haven't responded yet mostly because I felt my response would be considered harsh. I simply cannot comprehend anyone who has an interest in engineering of any sort who also does not have an interest in getting their hands dirty from time to time. As a programmer, I spend the majority of my time in an office, but I definitely enjoy getting out in the field... not only do I get the satisfaction of seeing my work in action, but I get to refine my own development process by watching how the end user interacts with the equipment.

That said, I'm somewhat of a pansy for dirt. Oh, I'll get down in the hole and dig it myself, if need be, but the moment it's done I want to wash my hands. I'll full-fisted grab a gear covered in packing grease to get it onto a machine... but I'm immediately grabbing a towel to wipe it off of my hands. From that standpoint, I do not enjoy being "in the field"... but if you can't suck it up for such a minor inconvenience, you should seriously reconsider if engineering of any sort is truly your calling.

Dan - Owner

http://www.Hi-TecDesigns.com

 

[moon161]

Engeeneer,

this is a general reply, consolidating my thoughts regarding your posts.

Safety:
PPE do work. They should be properly used to be effective. They are not magic, their effectiveness ranging from somewhere in the mid to high 90's (seatbelts and condoms) to sex panther cologne (90 % effective 60% of the time.). If you breed, you may have a son who enjoys whacking your steel toes with a hammer.

If I could catalog my various injuries and their sources without calling them grievances it would be such.

Concussions: Several, one severe. Causes range from passing out after an exciting shower to bringing a compact car to a collision. Bringing a bicycle to a race. Bringing a bicycle to an automobile collision. None occupationaly related.

Chronic illnesses: Hypertension -> Genes. Athsma- genes, smoky clubs, poorly ventilated darkrooms. Occasionally triggered at work/in industrial settings. Damaged feet- neglect of broken toe. Thoracic outlet syndrome- symptoms range from nothing to the sensation of burning wires in my arms or hot rubber bands at my wrists. Cause- mouse & keyboard operation- DESK JOBS.

Acute injuries: 50-100 sutures due to accidental laceration/incision. All recreational, or working w/ tools at home. Tissue crushing- working as a roadie, healed.

Impatience/short temper with stupid, willful ignorance.- Desk jobs in tech support & engineering.

Toxic, simmering frustration- Not doing what I liked, not being creative.

So strangely the three things that afflict me most- dislike of stupid, thoracic outlet syndrome, and joint damage, 2 come from desk jobs.

So do what you like, don't let the tail wag the dog.

 

[MacGyverS2000]

LPS to moon for an amusing read... and sorry for the pain ;-)

Dan - Owner

http://www.Hi-TecDesigns.com

 

[GregLocock]

As the physiotherapist at work said, the worst thing ever invented for backs and arms was desk jobs.

Strictly speaking I think he'll find that shifting 50 kg grain sacks up ladders wasn't exactly good for backs.

Cheers

Greg Locock


New here? Try reading these, they might help FAQ731-376

http://eng-tips.com/market.cfm?