I'm a structural engineer with a background in design work. I have about 5 years experience and I'm going for PE this fall. Does anyone have any advice on how to get OUT of engineering? I despise design work. I think crunching numbers all day slowly kills your soul. However I feel like after of 5 years experience in design there is nothing else anyone will hire me for. How the heck do I get out of design and still get paid something that resembles a decent salary with my background? (FYI I've been told I don't have the mentality to do well in a high pressure project management type position). I know there are lots of people out there with engineering degrees that have gone on to do very well in fields other than engineering. I just don't know how to get started.

Hmm, your last thought kinda kills my suggestion. I went back and got a masters in engineering management. I don't like doing design work either, but I like telling other people what to do and figuring out logistical problems (as opposed to design problems). If you're not the management type, I don't know what to tell you.

Are you good with money (i.e. how well did you do in Engineering Econ)? I've always found cost accounting and/or quote/bidding to be quite interesting work.

Go work for the government. There are many review positions out there.

How does one get one of these nice government plan review jobs with pension? USAjobs.com always seems to lead to some description that is indecipherable and maybe a call back 6 months after applying if that. I personally disagree with those that have told me I don't have the temperment for project management work. However nobody out there is willing to let someone with a design background crossover when there are so many experienced PMs out there looking for work.

You could try a little lateral move to a consulting/existing structures field. That's what I do. Spend your time figuring out the answers to problems or other folks screw-ups. There is still a bit of design, but it is always something different and definitely not cookbook type stuff. Plus, you get out of the office frequently. Might be a start.

After 5 years and license seems like you should be transitioning towards more of a management role, with less design - just because you have been told you wouldn't be good at that (by your current employer?) doesn't mean you won't be. Maybe you need to try your same job at another company. Maybe get more involved in some associations, pick a material and become an expert. The nice about being an engineer is you can drive where you want to go quite easily.

Being a calc monkey is no fun. That's why nobody in charge does it. Look at what your bosses do and ask yourself if that looks any better.

anyhow, just my

What was your response to the person who told you this?

I would have told the to F@#K O$$! Sounds bad but loyalty is with family and friends. Your boss ain't your friend, he's there to make a buck as well. Go work for another design firm.

If the person who told you that your skills would be poor in project management was your immediate supervisor or within your company I would have a strong skepticism. It is probably in your boss's best interest to be part of the discouragement fraternity to keep you in your spot where you're making money for him consistently.

Just a personal note: several people I've met in project management are absolute dolts. Don't think that you can't do any better. With a strong analysis background you probably would easily outshine them.


Best of luck.

I wish I had your problem... I desperately want to do design. I love crunching numbers and solving puzzles. Instead I'm stuck in the field as a client's inspector on a large public works transportation project where all I do all day is stand around and watch tradesmen who make more than me do things, then write down what it is they completed for that day. A job is a job and money is money, but I feel like my talents are being wasted doing something a trained chimp could do. Not to mention the taxpayer dollars wasted because of the bureaucratic red tape that created my position. The grass is always greener, I guess. Good luck anyway, I hope you can get yourself to where you can be happy with what you do.

So after 5 years and license, I can expect not to be a calc monkey? I am getting tired of this too. I am seriously thinking about switching to something different due to the stress and the low pay. If the stuff is interesting I still enjoy it, just getting tired.

Why not get on board with an EPC/contractor and try field engineering?

Could look at Forensic Engineering (i.e. why did something fail or go wrong). They are always looking for structural types.