Job Prospect as Materials Engineer
Job Prospect as Materials Engineer
(OP)
I will be graduating soon and I am looking for a job as entry level materials engineer. I would like to know the earnings, job outlook and growth area. Thanks
INTELLIGENT WORK FORUMS
FOR ENGINEERING PROFESSIONALS Come Join Us!Are you an
Engineering professional? Join Eng-Tips Forums!
*Eng-Tips's functionality depends on members receiving e-mail. By joining you are opting in to receive e-mail. Posting GuidelinesJobs |
Job Prospect as Materials Engineer
|
RE: Job Prospect as Materials Engineer
If you will be graduating as a Materials Engineer, I would strongly suggest you join ASM and/or TMS. They have excellent resources for obtaining this type of information, and more importantly for career networking;
http://www.tms.org/TMSHome.html
http://www.asm-intl.org/
If you conduct an internet search, I have seen web sites posted by various Universities that show starting salary levels for Materials Engineers.
RE: Job Prospect as Materials Engineer
To get a job at the time being.... I am not sure... a lot of engineers in these forums seem to have a hard time getting a job.. The market is low. But, if you are willing to relocate, I don't see any problems for you to get a job.
As gor the growth area, it depends on the company where you get hired and what you get hired for. The trend that I've seen is that those who get hired as metallurgists, in the lab, stay in the lab.
Besides the TMS, you can also look into becoming a member of the Order of Engineers if there is one where you live. That is the most direct way to get in contact with the right people.
Good luck!
Coka
RE: Job Prospect as Materials Engineer
(the United States) $47,691 $52,342 $54,931
You may drill down by states in U.S.:
http://swz.salary.com/salarywizard/layouthtmls/swzl_compresult_national_EN04100012.html#bottom
Also usful information on employment for materials professionals at:
http://www.materialsforum.net/bbs/viewtopic.php?t=18
http://www.materialsforum.net/bbs/viewforum.php?f=8
Compare the cost of living in hundreds of U.S. cities(salary calculator):
http://www.homefair.com/homefair/calc/salcalc.html
RE: Job Prospect as Materials Engineer
That said There arnt a large number of us out here and we will likely be some of the last to be offshored.... (Not like the Mechanicals, theres tons of em and they tend to be utilized much more as I can see it.) But evy body know s at least 5 ME's and the world graduates tons and tons of them.
Good Luck!
nick
RE: Job Prospect as Materials Engineer
Regarding employment opportunities for MatE's, it is really dependent on location and type of work. I don't see any off-shoring in the Technical Services area (failure analysis, research, equipment condition assessment activities, material consulting, etc) because you need to have engineers see and touch equipment. I work in the Power Generation sector and like everyone else companies will look to cut costs. However, if you provide an engineering skill set that can't be easily obtained thru outsourcing you should be ok. Most failure analysis companies started with engineers that saw a need to fill gaps related to outsourcing needs of companies.
I agree that there are fewer and fewer metallurgists. Although, when I was in school, metallurgical engineering was still a subject area that had the least number of graduates because most people misunderstood the field. I do know that when I graduated, metallurgical engineering was the second highest paid profession behind petroleum engineers.
All is not lost!!! I believe there will be a critical shortage of MatE's (especially hard-core mets like myself). If I had to do it over, I would still become a metallurgist.
RE: Job Prospect as Materials Engineer
I have had no real problems finding employment during the past 35 years, predominantly with EPC firms engaged in Power and Petrochemical arenas. Also there has rarely been a dull moment and the travel has been enlightening as well as financially rewarding.
Good luck in your engineering career but don't be afraid to change if it does not turn out as you had envisioned. In today's world embrace change. I've known many highly competent engineers that switched careers and were amply rewarded.
RE: Job Prospect as Materials Engineer
Maui
RE: Job Prospect as Materials Engineer
RE: Job Prospect as Materials Engineer
RE: Job Prospect as Materials Engineer
My specialty is technical maketing of special alloys. I am good at explaining to people how to select alloys to meet their needs.
I have found (changed) six good jobs over the last 30 years. Considering the number of MatEng's out there, there are a fair number of openings. Just don't expect to find a job that doesn't require you learning a new industry or moving a long ways. There aren't that many MatEng jobs in the entire US.
As companies managment becomes more and more short sighted and screwed up, the long term potential of engineers like us that work based on accumulated knowlage and not computer programs is becoming worse.
The future in this biz is strictly contract consulting. If my kids were older I would jump now. Nobody wants you on the payrole, just bring you in when they have a problem.
My suggestion for a first job is to go someplace where you can get experience. Take the job in nothern Canada or the Middle East or where ever. Any more no company is going to want to keep you longer than 7-10 years anyway. Get you hands dirty, learn, meet people, and go to every conf. that they will send you to. All the while looking for your next job.
And when it comes time to leave don't worry. They would not pause 2 sec. in droping you. When you find an opportunity take it and move on.
= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =
Corrosion never sleeps, but it can be managed.
http://www.trenttube.com/Trent/tech_form.htm