Are you planning to do mechanical engineering? Do you wonder what all career prospects open up after you acquire a mechanical engineering degree? Does the curiosity about all things mechanical compel you to dissect and closely examine them?
Mechanical engineering truly is the best pick for majors and careers for you. But, what kind of jobs are available for a mechanical engineering expert? This guide will discuss some top roles that you can apply for.
What is mechanical engineering?
Before we detail the jobs to apply for, let us first understand what mechanical engineering is?
It is a brand of engineering that focuses on production, operation, design, and machinery evaluation. Mechanical engineers study the materials required to manufacture, design, and maintain mechanical systems.
These skills also enable them to diagnose and design industrial machinery and equipment, weaponry, heating, and cooling systems, manufacturing plants, transportation systems, watercraft and air builds, and medical devices.
In addition, a mechanical engineer specializes in the following disciplines.
- Design – Also referred to as drafting, design requires you to create instructions that help with parts production and make technical drawings.
- Kinematics – It is the study of the movement of a group of objects or an object.
- Thermodynamics – It focuses on the transfer of energy from one form to the other.
- Mechanics – It involves the study of forces’ effect on matter.
- Structural analysis – In structural analysis, you learn how and why the machines or objects fail.
Skills for the CV
Regardless of the role you apply for in the workforce, you cannot ignore some vital skills. These should be mentioned in your CV. These will amplify your chances of landing a job and make your CV stand out. Like every other field, in mechanical engineering, too, you need both soft and hard skills to excel in the area and shine in the specific role you are interested in.
Hard skills depict an in-depth insight into the industry. For instance, the ability to present in a measured way is a vital hard skill. Further, the soft skills depict your personal trait and help you be your best self whether you work as an individual or in a team.
In addition to enrolling in a degree program, you can also take one of the best online mechanical courses if you wish to streamline the learning process.
Some must-have soft skills that you can include in your CV are listed below:
- Interpersonal skills
- Attention to detail
- Computer skills
- Analytical thinking
- Problem-solving skills
- Troubleshooting
- Creativity
- Mechanical skills
- Mathematics
- Teamwork
- Project management
To succeed in your chosen mechanical engineering role, you must possess both hard and soft skills. Employers will always hire someone well-acquainted with the field and who can work in a team harmoniously.
Top Jobs Needing a Mechanical Engineering Degree
- Mechanical Engineer
Naturally, most people learn mechanical engineering to advance their careers in the said field. Mechanical engineers are creative inventors. They are proficient in perfecting, designing, and developing mechanical devices.
Also, the role of the mechanical engineer is to create new mechanical objects like electric generators, automotive parts, engines, sensors, tools, air conditioners, and other related items.
Hence, it can be your go-to job option if you love science and math and get fascinated by new and latest technologies.
- Sales Engineer
Sales engineers have the technical know-how of the company’s products and services. Some sales engineers directly work with companies that design and manufacture products. They collaboratively work with the sales team and other engineers to design systems or equipment that address client needs. People who seek a sales engineer job must possess an associate degree.
Typically, the sales engineers have a two-year engineering degree or a similar degree in mechanical engineering, electrical engineering, computer engineering, computer hardware engineering, and biomedical engineering. The average salary of a sales engineer is $10830.
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- Biomedical engineer
Have you ever had a dental impact or a Magnetic Resonance Imaging or MRI? If yes, you have encountered a biomedical engineer. This fascinating engineering arena combines engineering design with biological sciences. The primary role of the biomedical engineer is to better the quality of human life. They work in the healthcare sector and work towards making it better every day.
The biomedical engineer’s work aids the doctors in the diagnosis, assessment, and treatment of any medical condition. Some products created by biomedical engineers include:
- Dialysis machines
- Wearable technology
- Large full-body imaging
- Prosthetic limbs
- Injectable nanorobotics
- Implantable drug delivery systems
- Large full-body imaging
The field of work for biomedical engineers is pretty comprehensive. More so, it is just as critical as the healthcare sector. Some engineered materials that have entirely revolutionized the patient’s life are:
- Stents
- Implants
- Dental products
- Pacemakers
- Artificial organs
- Automotive Engineer
When you work as an automotive engineer, you can develop and design the machines and mechanical components related to trains, cars, and other automated vehicles. Your job can be design and production or research and development. Engineers in the automotive industry formulate new ideas and designs associated with comfort, speed, and energy efficiency.
- Industrial Engineer
With your mechanical engineering degree, you can also apply for the role of an industrial engineer. The primary responsibility of the industrial engineer is to maximize efficiency. Some industrial engineers use their mechanical engineering and mathematics expertise to solve problems related to the manufacturing or production of products.
On the other hand, most industrial engineers work in specific niches like transportation and healthcare to better the company’s performance they work in. If you find the role of an industrial engineer fascinating, you need a bachelor’s degree. Mechanical engineering can be a good course for majors.
- Aerospace engineer
In some fields, aerospace engineers and mechanical engineers work together. For instance, a mechanical engineer can help manufacture and maintain aircraft. The engineer’s technical knowledge can come in handy to ensure that produced designs are compatible with the production or airport needs.
Further, an aerospace engineer might also work on national defence projects like working with spacecraft or missiles.
So, these are a few areas where your mechanical engineering degree can come in handy. Know of more such job positions? Please share them with us in the comments below.
