Non-academic jobs for mechanical engineering Ph.D.

[wiggittywhack]

Hi all,

 

I'm curious if anyone knows examples (first hand or otherwise) of non-academic jobs mechanical engineering PhDs have gotten? Specifically for people focusing on computational/finite element work, like I am. I'm several years into my program but have had a lot of thoughts of bailing lately. At this point I definitely don't want to go into academia and I'm not in love with research, so I'm wondering if it makes sense to stick with it (I have acquired a Master's along the way at least). I am a little anxious at the thought of quitting and then spotting a PhD-level job later in life that looks like it would be great for me.

 

So I'm curious to hear of examples of computational/finite element-oriented PhDs getting jobs in industry or other non-academic settings, and what exactly those jobs entailed. I've poked around a lot of job postings for finite element people at the bachelors/masters level and think I would be happy with many of them. The thing that attracted me to the PhD to begin with was working on higher-level problems in that area, and there are some postings asking for PhDs catering to such things, but I'm just not into the strict research-application like I thought I would be.

[.letmeinplz//]

You can always work at companies like Google or Honeywell as a researcher in ME but since you don't like research...

 

You could leverage your PhD for senior level positions -> leadership to make the big monies but MS + experience could offer you the same. I want to go to graduate school (hopefully MS then convert to PhD) because I want to do research, I'm not sure what you should do when you don't like research though.