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CAREER PLAN

Overview of Mechanical Engineering

EDUCATIONAL AND TRAINING REQUIREMENTS

Entry-level jobs usually require a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering or mechanical engineering technology.  It is wise to earn a degree from an ABET accredited program because it allows wide hiring opportunities and is usually required to pursue a Professional Engineer (PE) license. While still in college, internships and cooperative plans are ways to experience work in the field and finance education.  

 

Acquiring a PE license is not necessary to have an engineering career, but it provides more opportunities for leadership and allows for more freedom to work independently and make authoritative decisions.  There are two exams engineers must take to achieve a PE license: first, the Fundamentals of Engineering exam and second, the Principles and Practice of Engineering exam.  The first can be taken directly after receiving a B.S. degree, but the second is taken after a minimum of four years of work experience.

Engineering Positions

JOB #1

Company: Lockheed Martin

 

Position/Title: Mechanical Engineer Asc

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Expected Starting Salary: $58,000-64,000

 

Median Salary: $72,976

  • bachelor's degree in mechanical, aeronautical, etc.

  • engineering degree from an accredited college or equivalent

  • proficiency in Microsoft Office applications

  • good written & verbal communication skills

  • strong interpersonal skills

  • ability to work in a collaborative & team-based environment

  • minimum 3.0 GPA

  • ability to obtain a security clearance

Qualifications

  • understanding & ability to apply basic Mechanical Engineering principles, theories & concepts

  • solid math & science background 

  • missile/aerospace related education/exposure 

  • knowledge of Mechanical Design principles including Geometric Dimensioning & Tolerancing (GD&T)

  • fluency in Mechanical 2D and 3D modeling and analysis tools CAD tools, such as Pro-E, CREO, Autocad or similar tools

  • fundamental understanding of structures and materials 

  • training in Finite Element Analysis and/or Computational Fluid Dynamics

Desired Skills

  • participation in mechanical engineering design, development, and production support of lighter than air programs 

  • assigned varied tasks with direction from a senior lead engineer 

  • ability to work in a flexible & dynamic team environment 

  • responsible for assisting engineers in the support & development of systems, working with subsystem specialists to coordinate & conduct feasibility studies & perform trade analyses, prepare briefing materials & present results at internal reviews 

  • develop electronic package designs

  • investigate design factors such as equipment or part availability, manufacturability, ease of assembly, weight, cost 

  • evaluate vendor designs

  • develop & maintaining all assembly & test documentation

  • trouble shooting, correcting anomalies, discrepant hardware 

  • participation in failure investigation teams

Job Duties & Expectations

Professional Associations

American Society of Mechanical Engineers 

VISIT

American Society for Engineering Education 

VISIT

SOURCES

 

 

“Mechanical Engineers – Job Outlook.” Occupational Outlook Handbook, Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, 13 April 2018, https://www.bls.gov/ooh/architecture-and-engineering/mechanical-engineers.htm#tab-6

 

“Mechanical Engineers – How to Become One.” Occupational Outlook Handbook, Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, 13 April 2018, https://www.bls.gov/ooh/architecture-and-engineering/mechanical-engineers.htm#tab-4

 

“Mechanical Engineers.” Occupational Employment Statistics, Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, 13 April 2018, https://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes172141.htm#st

 

“Mechanical Engineers – Work Environment.” Occupational Outlook Handbook, Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, 13 April 2018, https://www.bls.gov/ooh/architecture-and-engineering/mechanical-engineers.htm#tab-3

 

“Mechanical Engineers – Pay.” Occupational Outlook Handbook, Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, 13 April 2018, https://www.bls.gov/ooh/architecture-and-engineering/mechanical-engineers.htm#tab-5

 

“Mechanical Engineer – Money and Outlook.” College Foundation of North Carolina, College Foundation, Inc., https://www1.cfnc.org/Plan/For_A_Career/Career_Profile/Career_Profile.aspx?id=mu1AXAP2FPAXUz7kSOfufoMms8XjAXAP3DPAXXAP3DPAX&screen=5

 

“Mechanical Engineer Asc.” Lockheed Martin, Lockheed Martin Corporation, https://www.lockheedmartinjobs.com/job/akron/mechanical-engineer-asc/694/9273070

 

“Mechanical Design Engineer.” Pratt and Whitney, United Technologies, https://jobs.pw.utc.com/job/middletown/mechanical-design-engineer/1737/9119416

 

“Mechanical Engineer with Engineering Design Skills Salary at Lockheed Martin Corp.” PayScale, PayScale, Inc., https://www.payscale.com/research/US/Job=Mechanical_Engineer/Salary/cbde9535/Lockheed-Martin-Corp-Engineering-Design

 

“Average Design Engineer Salary at Pratt and Whitney.” PayScale, PayScale, Inc., https://www.payscale.com/research/US/Job=Design_Engineer/Salary/df615ebc/Pratt-and-Whitney

 

“ASME.” ASME, The American Society of Mechanical Engineers, https://www.asme.org

 

“American Society for Engineering Education.” ASEE - American Society for Engineering Education, ASEE.org, https://www.asee.org

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