Just started my first internship, and it seems like a lot of full time engineers are making the effort to be personable. Is this something interns should be trying to learn?

Hey Y'all, I graduated this May with my B.S. in MechE. I've been on the job search these last 6 months or so with no bites. Unfortunately, during my time at school I had to work full time throughout. This led to me missing the majority of networking and career fairs so I did not land an interview during my time in school. However, I just got an offer to be a technician with a company that specializes in custom outfitting for emergency rescue vehicles. I would be doing the final assembly, testing and communicating with the engineers to assure the quality before they are shipped out. I would still be searching for an engineering role while working there. Just figured it'd look better on the resume than my current retail work experience.

To add, I am hoping to eventually work as a test engineer, hardware design engineer, or quality engineer. I'm searching mainly in the automotive and transportation industry.

Thanks for any input!

I now have 4 YOE and just got a raise and title change. My raise was 6% (3% COL increase + 3% for promotion), and I was definitely a little disappointed. I have received a 3% COL increase each year, and I received a 3% off-cycle raise about 2 years in. Do I have good reason to be disappointed with this, or is this pretty normal?

Each wheel houses large carbon-fiber cantilever beam springs mounted parallel to the wheel plane, each connected by a cable to a fixed variable-diameter oval profile at the hub; during braking, the wheel's rotation drives a planetary gear reducer that tensions all four springs simultaneously while a ratcheting mechanism locks them in place, storing energy mechanically; when the rider triggers the boost, the ratchet releases and the cables pull through the oval profile, starting at its smallest diameter to deliver maximum torque for launch and transitioning to larger diameters as spring force declines, transmitting energy directly to the wheel axle as an instant, purely mechanical torque pulse.

I don't know the ideal design of the springs nor the whole mechanism but I did a simple (and rough) sketch of a spring that seems better than a basic cantilever beam spring for this application

mechanical internships are scattered across hundreds of company career pages, so i pulled them into one list:

https://github.com/mehek-builds/Hiring-Now/blob/main/lists/engineering-internships.md

- 73 mechanical engineering internships, plus 270 more across manufacturing, electrical and civil

- 343 internships total at 168 US companies (Blue Origin, Northrop Grumman, GM, Allison Transmission, Micron, NVIDIA, Johnson & Johnson, Sierra Space)

- 88 posted in the last week

- 101 at employers with a visa sponsorship record

posting date on every row, rebuilt every monday.

comment which field you're looking for and i'll send you a list for it.

Hello! I took on a task of making a camera mount that should be able to rotate at least 45 degrees vertically back and forth, but I was told that I should do it without using a servo. This can be accomplished with some type of gear system, obviously, but my only question is how would I get it to reset to the original angle without a motor. Is that even possible or am I just being dumb? For context, the camera will be mounted to a robot that we will not be able to physically touch while completing its tasks.

I've been working as an industrial refrigeration tech for the last 10 years or so and I've always wanted to move over to the project engineer side of refrigeration. My current job has a flexible enough schedule that it will allow me to also go back to school full time (or close to it). My local community college has an associates in Mechanical Engineering as well as an associates in engineering that is meant to transfer to a 4 year. The mechanical associates doesn't have anything that will really transfer towards the 4 year. I also live close enough to NC State and NC A&T that I could have a quality program (assuming I get accepted). I've already got a bachelor's in Sustainability Management which was essentially project management with a couple environmental classes added in. But it's from one of those all online colleges that my former employer covered.

TLDR; is a decade in the industry and an associate's enough or should I shoot for the bachelor's?

Hey all! Quick question for the the MechE community: How employable would someone be with a M.S. in Mechanical Engineering and a B.S. in Chemistry in today’s job market? And from a career perspective, how would you compare that outcome to a career as a medical doctor?

For context, I recently graduated with a bachelor’s in chemistry and a minor in physics on a pre-med track, but I developed a strong interest in mechanical engineering near the end of my degree. I’ve always liked applied physics, so MechE topics like fluid/gas dynamics, acoustics, heat transfer, stress/strain, and FEA simulations really resonated with me.

However, I’ve heard a lot of negative things about the current engineering job market. I also obviously don’t have an engineering bachelor’s degree, and my real-world engineering experience is fairly limited. I did biophysics research in a MechE lab in undergrad, taught myself some CAD and FEA, and assisted with a small engineering startup project, but that’s about it. On the other hand, I’m fully set up to apply to medical school, which offers a much higher end-game income at the cost of many more years of training. I’m interested in more engineering-adjacent medical fields like ophthalmology and aerospace medicine, so I’ve thought about pursuing those career-wise while satisfying my engineering interests through side-projects and research, but I keep coming back to thinking about career paths in fields like ME, AeroE, BME, ChemE, etc.

So, for those who are currently building a career in mechanical engineering or related fields: What are your thoughts? Would a M.S. MechE + B.S. Chemistry be a terrible idea? Am I crazy for even considering it?

Hey everyone, I'm working on a transforming drone project and could really use a sanity check on a mechanical design since my background isn't in ME. I'm trying to figure out the best way to physically implement a specific wheel thruster assembly.

The basic idea is that the outer wheel needs to be driven by a timing belt and pulley setup, but right in the center of this wheel, there needs to be a BLDC flight motor that stays completely stationary while the outer wheel spins around it. On top of that, the three heavy phase wires for that inner BLDC motor need to pass directly through the center of the wheel assembly and route back into the main chassis without twisting or getting tangled when the robot drives on the ground.

I understand the rough concept of keeping the core fixed while the rim spins, but I'm struggling to picture the exact mechanical stack of bearings, dead axles, and mounting brackets to actually build it. How would you guys go about implementing this in CAD? Any advice on how to structure the hub, what specific types of bearings to use keeping in mind the weight, or how to route the wires through the center would be hugely appreciated!

Pictures are from ATMO research paper.

Hi everyone! For context, I’m a BME through and through, but I’ve recently found myself in a ME role where I am doing a whole lot of rapid prototyping and design work. We have a larger project that will need to be injection or urethane molded and I’ve been stumbling through the manufacturability of it. I’d love to know any recommendations for courses or certifications for this application or just design for manufacturing in general. My goal is just to get faster and more confident in my designs (and less revisions ofc)
Thanks!!

I see people talking about other major aerospace companies. I think Blue Origin is in the same category as SpaceX. Anyone who's worked there knows anything about their culture, stress level, and job security?

I am a senior in High School and I am not sure if I want to major in Mechanical Engineering or Electrical Engineering. I want to know what mechanical engineers do during their daily jobs.

Since then the goalposts have moved three times. The latest is a new policy capping contract extensions at one year. My manager recommended me for conversion, but that wasn't enough, and now I need to win over a director.
Before the layoff, I worked for a DoD subcontractor on mission systems. I loved that work, but getting back into a similar role has been tough.
Money has been tight ever since. Relocating isn't really on the table. My wife and I have a kid with another on the way, my aging parents live with us, and our whole support system is here. For personal reasons, I'm also not comfortable moving my family somewhere unfamiliar.
I'm getting interviews, but I don't go in with much confidence. It's frustrating to be 35 and still feel like I haven't figured this out. I've started over more times than I'd like.
If you've been in a similar spot, how did you get out of the contract cycle and into something stable? And how did you get your interview confidence back?

Hi everyone,

I'm a mechanical engineer looking for the best practical sources (books, websites, databases, or software tools) to help select materials and their corresponding heat/surface treatments based on specific working environments and application requirements.

What are your go-to references for everyday engineering work? Thanks!

Hey everyone! I'm graduating in May 2027, and I have my second interview with SpaceX coming up. It's a technical interview, so I'm assuming I'll be speaking with some of the engineers.

I previously interned at Blue Origin, and during my initial phone screen, the recruiter asked me a LOT of questions about my experience there (even though I have more internships), especially my projects. I'm not gonna lie, it made me a little nervous about what to expect during the technical interview.

For anyone who's interviewed with SpaceX, what kind of questions should I expect about my previous projects? How technical do they usually get, and what's the best way to prepare? I know they use engineering foundational, any topics I should review?

I'd really appreciate any advice or insight!

We are considering switching from Solidworks to Catia because the former is so weak handling large assemblies (20,000 components). But, we're on 2024. I've heard rumors 2026 and beyond have fixed this shortcoming. Opinions, please?

Hi, im trying to make a go cart-esk thing. A better word would be mini car. But i digress, i want to base it of the ramp cars from ff6 so yeah would would you all say would be the best way to go about making it?

I’m currently a sophomore studying mechanical engineering at my university and I was wondering if there are a good amount of jobs for mechanical engineers in the environmentalism and/or humanitarianism job sectors. After lots of thinking I decided I want a job that I feel makes a difference in the world, whether that be related to society, animals, or the environment. I feel like it might be better for me to switch to biological engineering with an environmental concentration, since in my mind it would be easier to find a job that is fulfilling to me with that degree. I would pretty much need to switch to it next semester or I would have to take an extra year of school. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Я работаю в сфере образования уже более 10 лет, и основная часть этого времени — педагогом дополнительного образования. Преподаю технические дисциплины, а именно: 3D-моделирование (Компас-3D) и 3D-печать, реверс-инжиниринг (3D-сканирование), ЧПУ-технологии (лазерный СО₂ и трёхосевой фрезерный станок). Ну и куда ж без модного сегодня направления БПЛА! Но мы рассматриваем его со стороны проектирования, сборки, обслуживания, ну и полёты, само собой. Не забываем про микроэлектронику и программирование микроконтроллеров (не сильно силён в этом направлении, но благо нейросети помогают преодолеть этот рубеж). И в целом занимаемся с учениками проектной деятельностью. Кстати, даже одно время занимались мехатроникой (направление интересное, но очень дорогое).

Если подумаете, что как-то много направлений для одного преподавателя, то на самом деле эти дисциплины смежные. Если поглубже разобраться в одном, то в другом не составит особого труда.

А вишенка на торте — всё это бесплатно!

В общем, ученики собрали себе 3D-принтеры, полотер, умные устройства, носимые устройства — короче, всё, на что хватает фантазии. И на вопрос со стороны: «А зачем?» — они отвечали: «Потому что могу и хочу».

Работал я эти годы с большим удовольствием! Во-первых, потому что во всех учреждениях, в которых я работал, были директора, заинтересованные в развитии технических направлений. А во-вторых, я с душой отдавался своему делу. Прийти пораньше и уйти попозже для меня не составляло труда (жена первое время смотрела на меня косо, но потом свыклась. Лучшая!).

Я знакомил детей с техническими дисциплинами, и условие было одно: пока я нахожусь на работе, можно приходить и заниматься. Я прекрасно понимаю, насколько сегодня загружены дети: репетиторы, онлайн-школы, спорт, домашние дела и т.д. Ну и на себя любимого тоже время надо выделять!

А некоторые из них, в свою очередь, погружались в те или иные направления даже глубже меня, тем самым превосходя мои знания. Это невероятное чувство, когда твой ученик на твоих глазах превосходит тебя! И вот уже ты сам спрашиваешь у него совета, обращаешься за помощью или просишь помочь другому ученику разобраться с возникшей задачкой. А меня самого это, конечно, подстёгивало расширять свои знания. Даже были ученики которые ходили на занятия ради «вайба» и общения.

В конкурсах, естественно, участвовали, много побеждали на различных уровнях. В учениках я даже не сомневался, потому что они свои проекты делали сами, своими руками и головой. Я был лишь наставником, куратором, критиком, ну и иногда приходилось быть скептиком.

Чуть не забыл! Оборудование всё покупалось и пополнялось на деньги грантов, на которые мы с моим руководителем писали заявки и благополучно выигрывали. Так что оборудования завались! Расходники и всякую мелочёвку, к сожалению, покупали самостоятельно, потому что заложить деньги на расходные материалы в бюджет — это прямо огромная проблема (AliExpress — лучший друг).

Ученики, которые выпустились из школы, до сих пор иногда забегают в гости чай попить. Это просто невероятные эмоции — видеть их, слышать рассказы об их успехах, возмущениях, и том, что они скучают по кабинету. И это при том, что некоторые учатся на гуманитарных специальностях. Со временем, конечно, перестают заходить. Обид естественно никаких нету, жизнь такая штука.

В общем, работал я с распахнутой душой, не жалея сил, и счастливый бежал на работу (как бессмертный пони).

Но наступил 2026 год.

Откуда-то очень сверху сказали, что надо бы сократить бюджеты, а именно — убрать дополнительное образование из школ. Потому что есть же различные центры дополнительного образования, вот пусть они и занимаются этим.

Хотя на самом деле таких учреждений довольно-таки мало, а где-то их вовсе нет. Ну и с зарплатами там не густо. Да и оборудование для технических дисциплин, если оно есть, такое, что плакать хочется. Потому что им напихали по всяким приказам, указам и программам свыше всякое г… , которое даже на Авито никому не нужно. Но зато, зато красиво всё представили и рассказали везде!

Да ещё и работоспособность этого оборудования под вопросом. Танцы с бубном даже не всегда помогают.

Но зато на платной основе в школах можете хоть с десяток направлений вести. Но, насколько я знаю, в центрах дополнительного образования тоже бюджеты порезали, а количество бюджетных мест ограничено. Ну и, конечно, на платной основе кружки можно вводить в каком угодно количестве, не стесняясь.

А уж о количестве педагогов с достаточным уровнем знаний и умений для преподавания подобных технических направлений даже говорить не хочется. Как правило, внутри регионов все друг с другом знакомы. И каждый раз, когда мы видимся на мероприятиях, нас становится всё меньше.

В целом вопросов много.

Где денег-то взять родителям столько? А как детям развиваться и познавать новое? А как же слова про раннюю профориентацию? Слова про доступность технологических кружков и секций? И так далее.

Кто бы ответил на все эти вопросы? Да и хотим ли мы услышать этот изворотливый и неоднозначный ответ, который породит ещё больше вопросов, но в итоге так и не решит проблему? Думаю, что нет. Легче и лучше от этого не станет, и мы, к сожалению, это знаем.

Не знаю, как закончить, потому что много есть чего сказать, но надо вовремя остановиться.

Пошёл поищу вакансии на всякий случай. Пока что директор пытается отстоять дополнительное образование, но думаю, что это вопрос времени.

И да, я не один такой педагог дополнительного образования. Нас таких мало, но мы есть. С теплотой вспоминаю специалистов, которые, к сожалению, покинули сферу образования. И мы рады были делать то, что делали, но, видимо, настало время прощаться с ребятами.

**P.S.** Нейронка помогла с орфографией и пунктуацией, да, плох я в этом 😅 А это просто оставлю здесь:**

- Распоряжение Правительства Российской Федерации от 01.07.2025 № 1745-р

- Указ Президента РФ от 7 мая 2024 г. № 309

- Постановление Правительства РФ от 26.12.2017 № 1642

I have completed a design internship at an automotive supplier, but I didn’t enjoy it much. I’m more interested in strategy, planning, and management. I have always like my manufacturing subject and want to explore a career in production engineering. What skills should I learn to pursue this path? My current skill set includes CATIA V5, AutoCAD, engineering drawing, GD&T, and manufacturing processes.

Guys i never want to be an engineer and want to do a normal job. I don't like a regular routine. And mechanical was never my interest. I want to be a theoretical physicist. But for that I have to study a lot. I really like to study and personally not have any issues with it. But I need job as soon as possible. So unfortunately I choosed engineering. And mechanical. Cause it seems me better than others. I was thinking will easily compete btech and get a job. But it's very hard to survive. My 1st is completed and i am completely tired up. I can't do it now. I wanna leave it, but can't do it either. And not seeing any chances of job either. Don't have any good hope for future.

Want to higher a design to put a seat and adjust tilt table on the rear cargo area of the tricycle.

Need design to commission fabrication of mount for set and table

Hello! I'm a sophomore in college getting my bachelor's in Mechanical Engineering, with a minor in computer science, and I have no idea what jobs will look like, application-wise.

I want to be a design engineer in the entertainment/theme park world, working on small mechanisms or mechanical programming, or such. The issue is that I don't know how and what I'll need to apply from my coursework to my career. I want to prepare for the workforce and know if I'm pursuing something that matches up with my expectations.

If anyone also has any advice on what I should be studying/working on outside of my coursework, that would be so awesome and cool. I can also repost this elsewhere if this isn't relevant to this subreddit.

Thank you!