Working at a research facility

[eliou]

Hi everyone,

I'm wondering if anyone has, or knows someone that has, done mechanical engineering work at a research facility (ie. particle accelerator lab taking care of their machines and designing new components). If you have, how was the pay/work environment etc?

Thanks for your help in advance

 

[IRstuff]

Nope, I went to an on-campus interview for Bell Labs when I graduated, but they blew me off because my GPA was less than 3.5.

However, my expectation is that most research labs would be looking for the top-flight engineers, even for rather mundane portions of their labs.

TTFN

FAQ731-376

 

[PSE]

Think of where the funding comes for any research lab you are interested in. They can be subjected to project cancellations and budget cuts. You might work with some exciting technologies but from a career advancement standpoint would likely be limited (unless you advance your academics as well).

IRstuff,

Top-flight engineers might not always have the highest GPA though I agree that labs tend naturally to weigh GPA higher for candidates likely due to the tighter association with research academia than with practical application.

Regards,

 

[Maui]

My brother worked on the linear accelerator at Stanford University for years, and loved it. But he wasn't a mechanical engineer. He was an electrical tech. The pay was good enough, and the benefits were fantastic. He just seemed to really enjoy the work environment and the people that he worked with. I guess it boils down to a question of what type of work you enjoy, and if a research facility environment suits you.

Maui

 

[strokersix]

One caution: You may be considered a low ranking and less valuable member without a doctorate in a research environment. Whether this is a problem or not will depend on the culture and personalities of the individuals involved.

 

[plasgears]

I was plant engr at a chem R&D lab. It was the best job I ever had. The director gave me the model shop, maint, safety and security, purchasing, field engineering projects, etc. The only problem: I couldn't sell my first house, then everything went downhill from there.

 

[eliou]

Did you get some good, transferable experience out of it?

 

[Twoballcane]

I did two Mechanical Engineering internships at a national lab and it was great! Life there was like one big experiment. The MEs that I helped out were more like toy builders for the Physicist than traditional ME work. ME’s work consisted of understanding what the Physicist was trying to do and then create the apparatus to accomplish the experiment. We worked on some far reaching ideas, truly cutting edge during the time (15 years ago). However, like PSE was saying, budgets for experiments are fleeting and at the whim of the DOD and DOE. Depending who is in the White House, will dictate what level of funding will be awarded to the national labs. I wanted to go back and even got the wink to come back, but when it came time, they laid off 25% of there staff and only took in PhDs.

Tobalcane
"If you avoid failure, you also avoid success."

 

[SylvestreW]

Way back I did a summer job at a high-tech materials research lab. It was a great job working in the lab etc. but for long-term prospects, I would not have considered it. Without a doubt, the PhDs dictated the tests, controls etc. and at most, the engineers simply operated the equipment.



-
Syl.

 

[ScottyUK]

Had an interview and offer from Rutherford Appleton Laboratory at Harwell, UK some years ago. Pay was indifferent, pension was a non-contributary final salary scheme which has a value which I didn't appreciate at the time. Technically it looked fascinating. The working environment looked fairly informal, campus-like. I think I would have enjoyed it if I had taken the job. Looking back I made the right decision at the time, but maybe would make it differently now.


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