Job title differences

Question

Job title differences

LONDONDERRY (Mechanical)

(OP)

27 Apr 15 12:45

So I got a question on job titles:
Recently I've been working as a senior mechanical engineer for a company, heavy on the software side but has product design. Since January, our company is outsource more and more mechanical projects to a local contract manufacture (CM) and the projects I'm currently working on are being transitioned over to CM. Needless to say I'm concerned about my future here, but my manager reassures me I'm still needed here. However my job tasks are slowly changing from design work to configuration management (creating software BOM's) and clerical stuff. I have close to 18 years as a design engineer and now I'm being pushed into a role that's changed job title of Senior Mechanical Engineer to Support / Project Engineers. I'm thinking of bailing out of this company, but I'm considering waiting until July to be fully vested in 401K. Again I'm being reassured there is design work, but I'm think my manager is duping me and has his own agenda. Should I talk to him about my concerns about this or skip it?
My question is what the heck is a Support Engineer and is this a good career path or career death for a mechanical engineer?

lacajun (Electrical) · Answer 1 · 2015-04-27 17:28:20

Your language about it sums it up, in my mind. You feel like you're being "pushed" into a role and new job title and doing "configuration management" and "clerical work", which are not engineering design work. Search for a description of "support engineer" and see if it matches the new duties. If that is something you want to do, try it. If not, then vest and look. To me, a support engineer is not going to be as technically demanding as a design engineer; however, it could provide new tools for you to utilize in the future. It is always a good thing to discuss the changes with your supervisor. When you do, be careful that your suspicions about his "duping" and "agenda" are not revealed through your actions and words. Keep it positive and inquisitive, if you can.

Pamela K. Quillin, P.E.
Quillin Engineering, LLC

KENAT (Mechanical) · Answer 2 · 2015-04-27 19:54:04

To some extent, 'A rose by any other name would smell so sweet' applies. Within reason a simple job title is almost meaningless. However, there are exceptions, especially to HR weenies that don't really understand the job they are trying to fill and are just looking for keywords etc. as a rough cut selection. Even I might question an applicant if their current/previous title was too far off. If nothing else loss of 'senior' from the job title may imply demotion to some.

Personally, I'd probably suck it up till my 401k was indeed vested before I left but doesn't mean I wouldn't already start looking and at least update my resume, linked in profile etc. Being stuck doing the kind of stuff you ~~work~~ describe sounds miserable however, if you're open to doing it then I'm not going to tell you not to.

I'd also suggest asking for details of the new job description and softly poking around to work out what you will end up doing.

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LONDONDERRY (Mechanical) · Answer 3 · 2015-04-27 20:57:53

miserable.. yup ...
We just had a staff meeting and the sales director has been in contact with a contract manufacture for designing a kiosk, while I was sitting next to him..

MikeHalloran (Mechanical) · Answer 4 · 2015-04-28 03:54:04

If the CM screws up a job, they might re-evaluate the value of internal talent. More likely, they will blame you, because you're acting as an internal rep for the CM.
So, you have to keep up to date with what's happening, and prevent the CM from screwing up. It requires a different skillset, which may be valuable to you in other endeavors, so it's not all a bad thing.

If your company is slow about paying the CM, or he gets real busy helping other customers, he may be slow or sloppy in what he delivers. Again, that could go badly for you, so get familiar with the folks in Accounts Payable and find out what's going on there.

Be sure to keep track of the time you spend 'supporting' the CM. Keep a log of your interactions with them. Someday, the Big Guy might start inquiring about what outsourcing really costs, and you need to be prepared with some input about that. Be honest and accurate and factual.

Outsourcing could work out well for you, if you are able to manage multiple CMs well, and increase the net amount of work that goes through you, and the net amount of money that comes in thanks to your efforts.

Mike Halloran
Pembroke Pines, FL, USA

LONDONDERRY (Mechanical) · Answer 5 · 2015-04-28 13:40:53

Thanks. Our company is in the honeymoon phase with the Contract Manufacture (CM). Our internal SCM and Material planning manager, COO and CEO are pushing to use the CM's capabilties more and more without a second glance. The grumbling I'm starting to hear is from my friends in finance and CFO on CM's billing invoices. We are actually paying more money to leverage CM's assembly capabilties than in house.

One intersting thing I've noticed is now that we pushed all assembly, design and inventory over to CM; and dismanteled out manufcaturing capabilities, the CM is now starting to go after our employees with job offers, unware with to out upper managment. never seen this before

IRstuff (Aerospace) · Answer 6 · 2015-04-28 17:41:20

Seems to me that it makes business sense. Once your capabilities are reduced or eliminated, those employees are essentially redundant, while the CM would see these employees are significant assets, since they presumably have years of experience manufacturing those products, and they can quickly bring the CM up to speed. The CM has the luxury of cherry-picking to minimize the cost impact, while maximizing the benefits.

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KENAT (Mechanical) · Answer 7 · 2015-04-28 17:56:07

Careful pointing out the non-opacity of the czars outfit to anyone in senior management though, rarely goes over well for some reason.

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MacGyverS2000 (Electrical) · Answer 8 · 2015-04-29 11:07:40

If you only have to stay an extra couple of months for vesting, do it... but be looking for something new immediately.

Several jobs back I was in the unenviable position of watching my work go to CMs. Three times the cost and 1/3rd the speed, but it was making someone in management a boatload of bonus cash, so reality played little role in the decision. I moved on as quickly as possible, and it was a wise decision. Within a very short period of time I would have had zero to work on, many engineers were laid off, and I did quite well for myself salary-wise at the next job.

Dan - Owner
http://www.Hi-TecDesigns.com

LONDONDERRY (Mechanical) · Answer 9 · 2015-04-29 12:35:19

Hi Dan-
"Three times the cost and 1/3rd the speed, but it was making someone in management a boatload of bonus cash, so reality played little role in the decision

Our Material/SCM Manager is essentially the person who is pushing to use CM more and more. What I'm hearing from the folk is financing is the associated costs out company is dishing out. For example, we have one product line that was pushed to CM, but now we pay 3x times the costs when it was done in-house. And to make matters worst, since we disassembled our manufacturing base, the remaining staffing is quitting or reluctant to help to CM with questions on the product line now

spciesla (Mechanical) · Answer 10 · 2015-04-29 14:47:07

"And to make matters worst, since we disassembled our manufacturing base, the remaining staffing is quitting or reluctant to help to CM with questions on the product line now"

Sounds like the company is reaping what was sown.

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Job title differences