What are good professions for an EE?

I am a relatively new EE grad and I love a challenge but I don't
exactly want to be stuck in a cubicle, but I hate paperwork, I like to
learn new things and I love problem solving. I don't mind working long
hours but I want to be recognized for my work. Can you tell me what
field you're in and what you think of these fields:

Applications Engineering (seems to me like it's more sales as you're
dealing with customers)

Systems Engineering (seems more like you push buttons and report on if
the device works or not)

Manufacturing Engineering (seems like you do a lot of paperwork and
hand down the actual interesting design work)

Design Engineering (seems interesting but seems to be outsourced to
India and China nowadays and the work also seems to be
underapperciated)

Which of these branches of EE is the most interesting and if I left
any out, pls let me know as I'd love to learn more about what EE's
actually do. Thanks.

 

[John Larkin]

On Fri, 07 Sep 2007 13:35:40 -0700, stacyr29@yahoo.com wrote:

I am a relatively new EE grad and I love a challenge but I don't
exactly want to be stuck in a cubicle, but I hate paperwork, I like to
learn new things and I love problem solving. I don't mind working long
hours but I want to be recognized for my work. Can you tell me what
field you're in and what you think of these fields:

Applications Engineering (seems to me like it's more sales as you're
dealing with customers)

That's a good way to get out, see what's going on, and maybe later do
something else.

Systems Engineering (seems more like you push buttons and report on if
the device works or not)

Manufacturing Engineering (seems like you do a lot of paperwork and
hand down the actual interesting design work)

Design Engineering (seems interesting but seems to be outsourced to
India and China nowadays and the work also seems to be
underapperciated)

I don't think so. If you're *good* at it, you'll be valued and have a
lot of fun anywhere. But very few EEs are really good designers.

Aerospace engineering is interesting. Big fun gadgets, generally good
management, low tolerance for doofusses, lots of funding, and a lot of
old-timers retiring.

John

 

[John Fields]

On Fri, 07 Sep 2007 13:35:40 -0700, stacyr29@yahoo.com wrote:

I am a relatively new EE grad and I love a challenge but I don't
exactly want to be stuck in a cubicle,

---
Why should physical bounds matter when it's your boundless soaring
mind that's doing the work?
---

but I hate paperwork,

---
Get over it or get out of Dodge.

Good documentation is a critically vital part of any engineering
endeavor and hating it will most likely cause you to give it short
shrift, threatening the success of any project you might be trusted
to join.
---

I like to
learn new things and I love problem solving. I don't mind working long
hours but I want to be recognized for my work.

---
So will your boss, who might try to steal your accomplishments if
you don't document them.
---

Can you tell me what
field you're in and what you think of these fields:

---
I'm a consultant.
---

Applications Engineering (seems to me like it's more sales as you're
dealing with customers)

---
What's wrong with sales?

Where do you think _your_ salary's coming from?

I _love_ applications engineering.

Clients call up and say, "How can I do this" and I get paid to show
them how.

And then there's USENET, where we get to do pro bono work and slug
it out with each other as to what's the best way to get something
done...
---

Systems Engineering (seems more like you push buttons and report on if
the device works or not)

---
What's wrong with that?
---

Manufacturing Engineering (seems like you do a lot of paperwork and
hand down the actual interesting design work)

---
What's wrong with that, and what do you mean by "hand down the
actual interesting design work?"

The function of manufacturing engineering is to devise ways to
minimize the cost of getting widgets ready to sell. If you don't
think that's interesting then I suggest that you think you're in an
ivory tower, somewhere, where you think that sales work is beneath
you and best left to troglodytes whose job is to support your tower.
---

Design Engineering (seems interesting but seems to be outsourced to
India and China nowadays and the work also seems to be
underapperciated)

---
Your point being?
---

Which of these branches of EE is the most interesting and if I left
any out, pls let me know as I'd love to learn more about what EE's
actually do. Thanks.

---
Which branch is more interesting is going to depend on what
interests you.

What we do depends on what we want to do and what pays the rent.


--
JF

 

[Matt J. McCullar]

Talk to your professors. I found each one of mine had a favorite specialty
in EE and was always glad to talk about the pros and cons within.

I actually enjoy documenting things. I enjoy technical writing. Ever buy a
brand-new DVD player and found the manual written in the most
incomprehensible Japlish? Ever try to troubleshoot a circuit without
schematics or documentation? Writing things down clearly for future users
really helps.

Look around you and you'll find just about anything within arm's reach could
benefit from a EE's talents. Appliances, toys, entertainment electronics,
automotive, etc. Subscribe to trade journals. Most of them are available
for free. Check your campus library, too.

Heck, you might find a job you like with the school you just graduated from.
It happens!

Find a need, and fill it.

Myself, I don't really enjoy designing circuits. I like repairing them.

I remember a visiting professor once told my class, "There's never a
recession in the electric power industry."

 

[Eeyore]

"Matt J. McCullar" wrote:

Ever buy a brand-new DVD player and found the manual written in the most
incomprehensible Japlish?

Surely that should be Chinglish by now ?

Graham

 

[David L. Jones]

On Sep 8, 6:35 am, stacy...@yahoo.com wrote:

I am a relatively new EE grad and I love a challenge but I don't
exactly want to be stuck in a cubicle

Probably not the best field to avoid that!
Most likely the majority of us either cubicle or lab dwellers of some
form.
Best way to avoid that is to get involved in an industry that has
products or projects used out in the field. e.g. I used to work in the
marine industry, hence you had the option to travel the world and go
out to sea if you wanted. Another guy I know worked at a company that
did airborne radar mapping stuff, so he spent half his time in a
helicopter.

, but I hate paperwork,

Then definitely avoid companies that do military or medical stuff.

I like to
learn new things and I love problem solving. I don't mind working long
hours but I want to be recognized for my work.

You will rarely be appreciated or recognised for extra hours you put
in, avoid extra hours at all costs unless you are paid by the hour.
Get a life outside of work and learn to enjoy it.

Can you tell me what
field you're in and what you think of these fields:

Applications Engineering (seems to me like it's more sales as you're
dealing with customers)

Yep, an applications engineer is generally an engineer who doesn't
have any useful skills (probably the majority of grads). At least you
won't be stuck in a cubicle all the time, and there is generally a
fair bit of travel.

Systems Engineering (seems more like you push buttons and report on if
the device works or not)

Systems engineering is mostly paperwork. generally not very exciting
stuff, but generally not a bad option if you want to climb the ladder
into management one day.

Manufacturing Engineering (seems like you do a lot of paperwork and
hand down the actual interesting design work)

You get your hands dirty having to fix or build big stuff yourself,
and the pressure can be very high to get something either introduced
or fixed. e.g. I used to work in the production engineering field and
if something broke or something was a day late the company would lose
$100,000 a day. People get a bit up-tight about that.

Design Engineering (seems interesting but seems to be outsourced to
India and China nowadays and the work also seems to be
underapperciated)

If you enjoy desinging stuff then this is the place to be. Generally a
cubicle or lab dwelling job, but you get out an about occasionally.
Generally not very high paying.

Which of these branches of EE is the most interesting and if I left
any out, pls let me know as I'd love to learn more about what EE's
actually do. Thanks.

Some others:
"Field Engineer" - Sometimes you are no more than a glorified
technician, but you get to travel the world a lot. Well worth
considering when you are young and single.

"Software Engineer" - usually involves embedded firmware or some such.
Your EE skills will make you more suited than a regular computer
science geek. Cubicle city.

And of course there a ton of specially fields within all the above
areas. e.g. you could be a PCB designer or VHDL specialist.

All of these "fields" vary greatly between industries and companies,
it's hard to define them.

Dave.

 

[David L. Jones]

On Sep 8, 7:12 pm, "Matt J. McCullar" <mccul...@flash.net> wrote:

Talk to your professors. I found each one of mine had a favorite specialty
in EE and was always glad to talk about the pros and cons within.

Since when does a professor know anything about the real world? :->

Dave.

 

[Bob Masta]

On Fri, 07 Sep 2007 13:35:40 -0700, stacyr29@yahoo.com wrote:

I am a relatively new EE grad and I love a challenge but I don't
exactly want to be stuck in a cubicle, but I hate paperwork, I like to
learn new things and I love problem solving. I don't mind working long
hours but I want to be recognized for my work. Can you tell me what
field you're in and what you think of these fields:

Applications Engineering (seems to me like it's more sales as you're
dealing with customers)

Systems Engineering (seems more like you push buttons and report on if
the device works or not)

Manufacturing Engineering (seems like you do a lot of paperwork and
hand down the actual interesting design work)

Design Engineering (seems interesting but seems to be outsourced to
India and China nowadays and the work also seems to be
underapperciated)

Which of these branches of EE is the most interesting and if I left
any out, pls let me know as I'd love to learn more about what EE's
actually do. Thanks.

If you are not too concerned about income, consider a
job in engineering support for a university research lab or some
small-to-middle-sized company. You may have to do
a certain amount of equipment repairs, especially if
you are the only EE-type around, but that can be quite
educational if the equipment is exotic stuff.

But the best part is the stuff you will get to design and build.
It will usually be custom stuff that can't be bought off-the-shelf,
so the design work will be interesting. You will have *much* more
control over the project than you would in any of those "conventional"
EE positions. You'll have to keep up to date on new technologies
that you can apply. You'll have to spec out and order parts.
(Yeah, there will be *some* paperwork... but it won't dominate you.)

Basically, you will almost be your own boss, but with benefits,
a pension, and a regular (if modest) salary.

Best regards,


Bob Masta

D A Q A R T A
Data AcQuisition And Real-Time Analysis
www.daqarta.com
Scope, Spectrum, Spectrogram, Signal Generator
Science with your sound card!

 

[Michael A. Terrell]

stacyr29@yahoo.com wrote:

I am a relatively new EE grad and I love a challenge but I don't
exactly want to be stuck in a cubicle, but I hate paperwork

Even burger flippers have to do paperwork.


--
Service to my country? Been there, Done that, and I've got my DD214 to
prove it.
Member of DAV #85.

Michael A. Terrell
Central Florida

 

[Eeyore]

"David L. Jones" wrote:

On Sep 8, 7:12 pm, "Matt J. McCullar" <mccul...@flash.net> wrote:
Talk to your professors. I found each one of mine had a favorite specialty
in EE and was always glad to talk about the pros and cons within.

Since when does a professor know anything about the real world? :-

One lives in hope !

Graham