Where Do You Work?

[mdawg4x4]

Mechanical Engineer working as a Process Engineer for an internationally known auto manufacturer 1/4 of a mile North of PapaSmurf, but still in the same building.

So you work in Body then?

Did you go to the auto show on Saturday in Ridgeland?

Didn't know about it. Is that the ongoing drive in at Sonic, or a larger organized show?

[DJ_B_Easy]

Im a Senior Buyer and Import Coordinator for a promotional products and medical illustration and animation firm called Thomas Direct Sales. Pretty sweet, get exposed to a lot of new technology and things of the sort. Such as auto-stereoscopic TV. We have multiple units and create the animations in house. Its siiiiiiiiiiick in person....

[skydragoness]

Awesome photo you found!!
Landlord told me his son just started flying those out in CA.

If he just started flying them and is in CA, I can almost 100% guarantee he is in my squadron! We train the pilots.

Awesome...small world. His last name is Lindell.

[OriginalWheelman]

I'm an Engineer at Nissan.

I actually applied at NASA and had an interview scheduled with them, but it got canceled before it took place. The job openings all shut, and NASA downsized.

That was part of Obama's "hitch a ride to space with the Russians" plan for space exploration, wasn't it?

[PapaSmurf2k3]

f*** if I know... somehow through all these massive expenditures, seemingly none of the things I care about (save road and bridge repair) get any money. And I have yet to see any of that money put to use yet.

[twofortyesecks]

I'm a freelance television editor. Most of my work has been with Mtv shows. I'm currently with Dic khouse of Jackass fame. It's hands down the best place I've ever worked. In all the TV industry is a great place to work, aside from when you fall behind schedule and you need to work a 36 hour shift.

I wish I was a bit more of a go getter I'd probably be making twice what I'm making now.

[krimsonviper]

Holiday Inn Express. I stare at computer screens and answer the demon called "Phones." It's actually not a bad job, but I just really hate phones. Pay is making my bills, but not much else. Interesting people and the occasional tip.

I actually went to school for something else, but I'll never get hired as one. I am looking for dental tech though. I wouldn't mind driving my car all day delivering prosthetics to the offices and making them.

[Chaotic_Warlord]

Apparently Obama thinks that NASA is a pork barrel expenditure that needs to be cut out of the budget. I don't see NASA being around for much longer unless someone with some clout speaks up for them or we get a President in office that actually wants to explore space. Obama s*** the moon mission that was in the works as well as the possibility of a mission to Mars.

[sentrastace]

lotta smart people on here

I'm a full time social media manager for a PR software development and analytics company.
Translation: I get paid to sit on facebook and Twitter all day. I freakin love it.

[alms24sebring]

Yeah I heard of how Obama thought of NASA. He lost points on that from me. It seems eveything is getting bugdet cuts for the economy and all. Its a complicated issue that I am not trying to open up.

sidenote: it cost me $60 to fill my 240 today with cheapo 87. Not cool.

[420in240]

I install breathalyzers into drunk people's cars...

[DJ_B_Easy]

Im a Senior Buyer and Import Coordinator for a promotional products and medical illustration and animation firm called Thomas Direct Sales. Pretty sweet, get exposed to a lot of new technology and things of the sort. Such as auto-stereoscopic TV. We have multiple units and create the animations in house. Its siiiiiiiiiiick in person....

Here is a video that my illustrator's made from a DICOM (I think thats what its called?) file of my actual skull. I had my nose broken at an E-Town Concrete concert and this file was on the CAT Scan DVD. Edited it into a proposal for a client.

Since Im Polish and can never embed videos, click the link!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iC0Kuk-ibcY

And here is an illustration they made of me for an allergy medication. I guess Im kind of the unofficial model.

[bcar240]

Apparently Obama thinks that NASA is a pork barrel expenditure that needs to be cut out of the budget. I don't see NASA being around for much longer unless someone with some clout speaks up for them or we get a President in office that actually wants to explore space. Obama s*** the moon mission that was in the works as well as the possibility of a mission to Mars.

Trying not to derail this thread:
In the industry we call this the "4-year design cycle." It's like trying to build a house and the zoning office keeps telling you to move the foundation every time you get the framing done.

Back on subject, probably my favorite was working as an intern in the prototyping department of a factory that built linear actuators. I got to do everything from design, manufacturing, testing, production, etc and it was basically the entire engineering process rolled into one job.

[alms24sebring]

^thats sounds like fun. Sometimes I question if Im smart enough for that tho. I can understand physics behind it in my mind but finding exact numbers with some of the equations that are nasty looking and very complex, seems out of my league

[Chaotic_Warlord]

^^ Did you have any input on the new Moon Rover that James May drove on Top Gear last season (and Larry the Cable Guy also drove in his TV series on the History Channel)?

[bcar240]

^thats sounds like fun. Sometimes I question if Im smart enough for that tho. I can understand physics behind it in my mind but finding exact numbers with some of the equations that are nasty looking and very complex, seems out of my league

In my experience there are two types of engineers. Those that have a good mechanical aptitude and those that are basically mathematicians. The first type has an intuitive knowledge of how things work and how to make components interact and work together (ability to visualize these things). The math guys are aces at calculus and can throw out calculations that make your head spin. You give these types a problem and they will approach it in very different ways.

I am definitely of the first group. One of my engineering friends in school was a math guy, and I would trust him to do flight control stability calculations of a plane that I was going to fly in, but I would not for the life of me trust him to change my spark plugs, he had absolutely no idea how an engine worked. Not surprisingly, most of the students considered to be great academics (of the "4.0" variety) tend to be more of the second type. This is why when hiring engineers you can do yourself a disservice by making GPA a primary selection criteria. You get a bunch of brainiacs (for lack of a better word) that don't understand how their mechanical pencil works.

A problem can arise when HR gets too involved in the hiring process and hires a "Type 1" for a math job (my situation) or a "Type 2" for a design/testing job. The guys I work with that actually do design use a lot of instinct to get things done. They still do a bit of math, but it is not high level stuff. Mostly computing coordinates (trig stuff), and structural/stress calculations, which is a bit more advanced than basic mechanical physics.

[initial_jc]

Im an accountant for a pistachio and almond processing plant in Cali
I commute 150miles a day

[GrilledCheese33]

I work at Autozone as well. Saw a couple others in here. I'm a commercial specialist. Basically, the Commercial manager's right hand man. I dig it.

[sx moneypit]

I am a ASE certified automotive technician.I started out in 1975 at a Ford dealership as a drive out and new car check in guy.I moved to the new car department in 1977 and then on to working as a mechanic in 1978.I stayed at the dealership for 17 years and then went to work for some independent shops.I currently work at very busy Shell full service gas station with a 4 bay garage where i am the lead tech.I have been at this shop for 9 years.On side note i just want say to Danshaz( who is porter at Honda dealership i believe),I started out at a 1.90$ an hour,and now i make a fairly good living working on cars.

[OriginalWheelman]

I work at Autozone as well. Saw a couple others in here. I'm a commercial specialist. Basically, the Commercial manager's right hand man. I dig it.

Do they still call you "Autozoners"? to me that sounds like someone that smokes way too much and auto zones out.

[alms24sebring]

^^^ Good to know. I think I definantly fall in the mechanical type. Ive always wondered how even the simplest things work. I think I would much rather build and test instead of finding some Steven Hawking Calculus BS. I was thinking of taking some class like mechanical engineering or something but I wasnt sure if that was what I wanted. I mean I can and I do understand some of the math but some advanced stuff makes me wanna throw up everywhere. I should look into those options.

[frapjap]

I work in Research & Development as a food scientist for an international seafood company. If you've eaten a fast food fish sandwich this lent, theres a good chance we make it and a decent chance that I developed it.

[GrilledCheese33]

I work at Autozone as well. Saw a couple others in here. I'm a commercial specialist. Basically, the Commercial manager's right hand man. I dig it.

Do they still call you "Autozoners"? to me that sounds like someone that smokes way too much and auto zones out.

Yes, and agreed.

[PapaSmurf2k3]

^^^ Good to know. I think I definantly fall in the mechanical type.

Pretty much all of the engineers on this board would fall into that category... this isn't the type of place the type 2 brainiacs would hang out, and I completely agree with that summation of Engineering haha. I don't get too deep into the calculus aspect of things (although I went through all of it). I DO however hang on to a LOT of the equations and formulas that I was taught that actually apply to real world applications. I rarely use them in real life, but it helps to understand a lot of things just by knowing them.

[szh]

I am the Founder and Chief Technical Officer at a company in San Jose, CA that provides a North-America wide cellular data network for machine to machine communications.

We have a number of corporate enterprise customers, but one recent highly-visible one (with more automotive announcements to come soon! ) is Hyundai Motor Corporation. Their Blue Link product and service (announced at CES this January and due at dealerships ... soon ... in the Sonata!) uses our data network for the transport of a service similar, but superior, to GM OnStar. See the Hyundai web site for more info.

Z

[darkeagle]

I am a Bookkeeper. I work for my grandmother-in-law's tax and bookkeeping business. Its busy the first part of the year but after taxes are done, hours slack off. Which can be good to have the extra time during the day but really sucks not having those extra days and hours (pay check wise). Usually I go and hang out with my daughter during school hours and help out their classroom. I want to look into working in a medical office. I asked the director at my son's preschool as to what it would take to work there but I don't have a teaching field.

I have a big desk to sit at, computer to be on, and I can take my time working on my clients books. They can get their work done and I can help them out.

[Chaotic_Warlord]

Wow, there are a LOT of members on here that work at Autozone.

[dre1507]

McDonald's checking in here. Decent pay for a live at home college kid, if said college kid has no desire to spend money. i'm not that college kid.

Warlord (Forgot your name), i find the top half of your sig drop dead hilarious. *Off topic* i see you play homefront (guessing from the little pic in your sig). My GT is DizzyBeBizzy (lots of z's), wanna play some over the weekend?

[alms24sebring]

There are alot of autozoners and no pepboys'ers, Napa'ers, or Advanced Auto'ers. Just to let you know, all the guys in the shops talk crap about you guys allllll the time.

And since your off topic I would like to say that DarkEagle's Dave Chappelle reference had me laughing hard. I could picture all of that.

[mdawg4x4]

In my experience there are two types of engineers. Those that have a good mechanical aptitude and those that are basically mathematicians. The first type has an intuitive knowledge of how things work and how to make components interact and work together (ability to visualize these things). The math guys are aces at calculus and can throw out calculations that make your head spin. You give these types a problem and they will approach it in very different ways.

...

Excellent summation. I, too, am the mechanical type. I have used a few basic stress equations along with much company history and intelligent assumptions to design fork lift equipment for 8yrs. Throw in a small amount of FEA to reduce stress concentrations withing a design.

However, I spent my 1st 9 years after high school working in a body shop fixing wrecked cars, until I got to the point I wanted more from a career. Went back to college for 4yrs, designed forklift equipment for 8yrs, and jumped at the chance to get back involved with the auto industry. Very little mechanical engineering involved, but the mechanical aptitude is a must in a manufacturing environment.
I must say I miss design greatly, and am a manufacturing/process engineer only because of my love for Datsun/Nissan vehicles.

Pretty much all of the engineers on this board would fall into that category... this isn't the type of place the type 2 brainiacs would hang out...

I agree. I went to school with a few. They are better suited for the Phd market.

Also, new engineering grads beware. Just because you made it through tough education, doesn't mean you are automatically prepared for real world engineering and know all the answers. A lot of the real world was not covered in the equations you learned in school. The main thing you learned, or should have learned, is how to solve problems.