To echo what I think [USER=15649]@pbrme[/USER] is saying. Just because you passed the MD&M exam does not mean you couldn't do HVAC or TFS. You're allowed to practice in any area that you are competent in, but make sure you can justify that competence somehow.
My experience. Sounds like we're in a similar situation. I have 17 years of experience in various manufacturing environments, both government contractors and commercial companies. None of the companies that I've worked for needed PEs to stamp anything. It all falls under the industrial exemption. I just always wanted my PE license as a personal accomplishment, so I got it. Honestly though, I don't really care if I never use it. I'm not interested in changing industries.
Industries where I live:
- Manufacturing: Like I said, this is where most of my experience is. Nothing in manufacturing requires a PE license.
- Oil & Gas/Refining/Chemical Plants: O&G is big here too. If you're working directly for the main companies you're covered by the industrial exemption and don't need a PE license. But there are tons of consulting companies that support this industry. They use a lot of MD&M PE's for structural/strength analysis of lots of different stuff (oil platform and oil rig structures, piping and pressure vessels structural analysis, crane lift work, rotating equipment like compressor design & analysis, etc)
- Construction: This industry employs lots of PEs, but like you said, Mechanicals are all TFS and HVAC.
- Government: Local government "public works" agencies employ lots of PEs. Honestly I'm not sure what types but I think all kinds. I'm not super familiar with local government stuff.
I don't know about other industries, but of the ones I'm familiar with, your best bet to actually use your MD&M PE would be to work for an O&G/Chemical consulting firm.
Another option: I had a professor with a PE license and the only thing he did with it was expert witness testimony in court. So when something would break and someone would sue, he'd get hired to do some very basic forensic engineering and testify in court.
That's another option, forensic engineering... I'm not sure if that's big enough to to call it an industry. It's definitely seems more niche, but forensic engineering firms definitely need MD&M PE's.
