What do Mechanical Engineers do?
The skills that mechanical engineers acquire through their college education have the widest area of application of all engineers and lead to the greatest diversity of employment opportunities. This diversity benefits mechanical engineers because they are able to obtain employment in a different economic sector when another is declining. This has served them well; and because of it, most recent mechanical engineering graduates have been able to find employment.
The mechanical engineer's domain is the realm of motion and energy. Mechanical engineers design and build automobiles, aircraft, rocket ships, and much more. Civil engineers build buildings, but mechanical engineers design and implement the systems to control the buildings' temperature and relative humidity. Chemical engineers develop new plastics, coatings, and adhesives; mechanical engineers use them in the design of new products. Mechanical engineers work hand-in-hand with electrical engineers in the design of electrical devices. Computer engineers build computer programs, but mechanical engineers use them to solve problems.
Mechanical engineers touch almost every aspect of technology and society. The field of mechanical engineering plays a critical role in many industries, such as energy, automotive, aerospace, biomedical, and consumer products. Mechanical engineers apply their skills in technologies such as mechatronics, alternative energy systems, and manufacturing. Additional areas where mechanical engineers play an important role are fuel cells, robotics, and environmental control.
Mechanical engineers practice in a variety of settings: industry, consulting practices, government, and universities. They may work in classrooms, factories, offices, or laboratories as teachers, managers, researchers, or sales engineers.
Companies that hire ME graduates include:
| Ford | Black and Veatch |
| General Motors | Accenture |
| Daimler Chrysler | Ernst & Young |
| Nissan | Timken |
| Boeing | Ingersoll Rand |
| General Electric | Tecumseh |
| 3M | Colgate |
| Shell Oil | Whirlpool |
| Dow Chemical | Union Pacific |
| Hewlett-Packard | Allied Signal |
| Motorola | Eaton Corporation |
| Consumers Energy |
Starting job titles for ME graduates include:
| Mechanical Engineer | Product Design Engineer |
| Product Engineer | Manufacturing Engineer |
| Process Engineer | Industrial Engineer |
| Systems Engineer | Production Engineer |
| Powertrain Engineer | Project Engineer |
| Research and Development Engineer | Application Engineer |
| Testing Engineer |
What happens after earning an undergrad degree?
Most mechanical engineers (approximately 50% nationally and 75% of the MSU graduates) go on to receive advanced degrees. Many receive a technical Master's degree, while some focus on the MBA. Mechanical engineers who find themselves in management positions quite often have both a technical M.S. and an MBA. A few mechanical engineers receive Ph.D. degrees in engineering degrees and pursue academic or research careers. The Bachelor of Science degree in Mechanical Engineering is also a strong foundation for those who plan to attend law or medical school to become lawyers and doctors.
Learn More! Visit the Mechanical Engineering site: https://me.msu.edu/
