Mechanical Engineer

A career as a mechanical engineer is not for everyone. One must have considerable aptitude for the science of mechanical engineering before even receiving formal education or training in the discipline. A mechanical engineer must not sweat when solving complex problems, as a typical day of work may involve more one tricky issue after another.

This career is for people who have an innate understanding of machines and their functioning. Fields such as chemistry, mathematics and physics in particular must come naturally to people who get into this career. Mechanical engineers must be equipped to not only work in constructing existing ideas, but also create new designs for mechanisms. Most of all, they must be willing to put in long hours and be patient with the results.

The main job of mechanical engineers is to invent, design, construct, operate, maintain and replace machines and machine products in industries.

They may be involved in the construction of turbines, generation machines, jet and internal combustion engines etc. They do their jobs by relying on the basic principles of physics ranging from robotics to thermodynamics to fluid mechanics, with a whole lot of concepts in between.

The field of mechanical engineering is constantly evolving with technology, and its parameters are on the rise. There are many new technologies that have emerged and require attention from mechanical engineers.

A mechanical engineer normally focuses on designing, producing, operating or maintaining a specific type of machine rather than all types of machines. If a mechanical engineer does not wish to specialize to such an extent, they may try to specialize in a particular type of technology (i.e. nanotechnology).

People in the profession can focus on any one aspect of the larger field of mechanical engineering. These include researching and developing mechanical systems, designing new machines, producing new machines, analyzing, testing as well as installing them and then finally maintaining these mechanisms. If they choose to make this specialization, they will mainly only be responsible for those tasks.

This career path is one of the most renowned and oldest types of engineering. Mechanical engineers have the option of working for a wide variety of organizations. This includes aircraft manufacturers, automobile makers, government organizations, large scale industries including steel, power plants, shipping agencies as well as engineering consulting firms.

A mechanical engineer must have a bachelor’s degree in engineering (BE). Although it is not necessary that this degree is with a focus in mechanical engineering, such a specialization would be preferred. While it is not necessary, master’s degrees and PhDs in mechanical engineering are extremely beneficial when applying for a job. Moreover, candidates with vocational training and internship experience are preferred.

The amount of money a mechanical engineering earns, like almost all other careers in the world, depends on a wide variety of factors. These include the employer, level of education and training as well as the geographical location where one is working.

According to statistics released by the US Government, a typical mechanical engineer earns US$ 65,000 per annum. However, another statistic reveals that the top ten percent of mechanical engineers earn, on average, US$95,000. This shows that there is plenty of room for advancement in terms of earnings in this field.

In India, while new entrants in the industry might not attract the most lucrative salaries, experienced mechanical engineers see rises in their salaries from Rs. 10,000 per month to Rs. 50,000 per month from when they entered the field.

A day in the life of a

mechanical engineer

involves spending long hours in adverse working environments. Although they normally work standard office hours, they are often required to work overtime to meet deadlines. Working in a factory involves getting used to a large amount of noise and difficult conditions.

However, mechanical engineers who have specialized in research and development in particular may benefit from working in an office environment in front of a computer with regular visits to libraries etc.

The biggest advantage of getting into the field of mechanical engineering is that there is an ever-increasing demand for professionals. The likelihood of being unemployed for a long period of time in the field is quite low.

Besides this, as technologies continue to improve, the demand for new machines continues to rise and there is constant work required innovate new ideas and then develop them. Even in times of economic turmoil, mechanical engineers are not quite affected as various firms try to develop new technologies and machines to stay ahead of their competitors.

Mechanical engineers are generally well respected people. Most people know what they do, and acknowledge their importance in the world community. These engineers are paid considerably well, and they have the added joy of seeing their ideas materialize into something that is useful for humanity.

There are a number of downsides associated with this career. The biggest obstacle as stated by most mechanical engineers is the working conditions one has to endure during a typical day of work. This can include dangerous industrial sites which are very noisy. Besides these conditions, the emotional and mental stress of such a job can take a toll on you.

The job involves meeting very tight deadlines on a regular basis. Besides the mental and emotional toll, mechanical engineers must be physically fit as they have to work with heavy equipment on a regular basis.

While the best jobs obviously go to the most qualified people available, the field is not as competitive as many would expect. There is a large disparity between the number of jobs available and the number of mechanical engineers in the market. As a result, people with even basic qualifications tend to get hired quite easily.

The most competition is for mechanical engineers who have the ability to manage projects on their own and handle the administrative side of development as well. In order to get the best jobs, a

mechanical engineer

should pursue a master’s degree in the discipline.

There is a demand for mechanical engineers in almost every country in the world. However, the best places to work are industrial hubs in both developed and developing countries. Globally, while the developed countries pay considerably more than developing countries, the amount of jobs available in regions in South Asia and South East Asia are significant.

If one chooses to work in India, they should try working in a place where there is a large concentration of industry. Most opportunities are available in these regions.