What is the main duty of mechanical design engineer?

Question

I'm really interested in continuing my education and become a mechanical design engineer/CAD. I was wondering after you get your degree what kind of jobs and duties do you expect? I really like this field and does anyone else thinks its a good Field to get into?

Answer 1

I am actually a mechanical design engineer, and use CAD (pro engineer specifically) and other cad programs to design mechanical parts and mechanical systems for aerospace.

my current jobs kinda sucks, though it pays better than my last.  My last job was in the desert doing prototype design and manufacturing engineering for UAV (unmanned aircraft) and that was great but they didn't want to pay me what I was worth.

really, my point is that it all depends on where you are working. if you can get a good education and find the right job, doing what you want (meaning if you like cars, you work with cars, you like airplanes, you work with airplanes) and you get paid enough, and you get along with the people, than design engineering can be one of the coolest most satisfying jobs for a smart and creative person.  That being said, if you get stuck doing repetitive and stressful drafting and engineering paperwork, you could go crazy.  I would seriously recommend getting an internship at an engineering firm before you get out of school, that way you have some heads up on what kind of place you want to end up in when you start working.

In term of getting an engineering job you really like, it's really just hit and miss...you go to interviews, you feel it out, but it's hard to tell until you start working there, and sometimes you have no money so you have no choice to work there!  there is a shortness of qualified engineers/cad designers these days, or so I have heard.

I am always looking for a new job, and I hope to get involved with alternative energy, that way I know my heart would be in it.

give me an email if you want, I can give you some more great advice on this subject. kevbeer2003(at)yahoo(dot)com  FYI I am 26 and live in california