A third might be in the labratory, taking a different product every couple weeks and subjecting it to a few days of different lighting shocks, and then sandblasting it, then dripping water on it, the submersing in explosive fluids (thats a COOL test). Electrical engineers improve the lives of others via technology. I would rather do some designing, but you gotta start somewhere. I loved being outside and in different locations. With the battery powered vehicles and more and more consumer electronics begin plugged in the grid is constantly in need of upgrades and expansions. I spend most of my time designing and building platforms to validate my company's products against industry and customer specifications. Your preferences dictate your main reason for choosing the option. The military relies heavily on engineering support when engaged in combat or peacetime activities such as civil works projects. In your case, you were in construction for 15 years, and now work for a railroad. A place to ask questions, discuss topics and share projects related to Electrical Engineering. I just graduated end of last year and I specialised in power electronics and power engineering but now I'm working in a Telemetry/SCADA company.I spend most of my time in front of a computer creating SCADA systems and linking PLC's and RTU's to a central server but I also do a bit of R&D for our proprietary products and check out switchboards and other things onsite so work is varied. Good manager and co-workers. You have four years to learn a lot of difficult material and you have to learn it enough to be able to understand how and why electricity works the way it does. It depends on what you want to do and what you specialized in. Typically the designs are carry over from old projects. New comments cannot be posted and votes cannot be cast, More posts from the engineering community. Electrical Engineering is one of the most sought after engineering disciplines (evidenced by the amount of companies looking for Electrical Engineering students). r/engineering is a forum for engineering professionals to share information, knowledge, experience related to the principles & practices of the numerous engineering disciplines. Stuff where I would see a program for 4-8 months then go do a different area. That being said, your personality doesn't necessarily have anything to do with how well you do, but I notice that as you get further into the degree, you live the stuff more and more. Life after uni is a bit harder because I actually have to go every day and can't really do work from home (just yet). I've been out of school for two years and have been working for an engineering consultant firm for that long. Engineering is a way to pay the bills, and I respectfully submit to you the reality that you do not get just one choice, nor is your education complete. EE is a huge field there are so many different things you can do when you start work. Its a very large company, so plenty of stupid processes for HR, expenses, getting projects started (Way too many cooks in the kitchen), etc - although this does provide some small amount of stability compared to the startups I was at early in my career. Electrical engineering jobs are expected to grow at a slower-than-average pace from 2012 to 2022, so picking the right electrical engineering degree is crucial. A typical work week is 40 hours, although there may be overtime involved to meet deadlines. I thought" well gee, most toy LEDs circuits i could make in an hour, maybe some complicated small gadgets might take a week or two, even a bigger project like a robotic motor controller shouldn't take a year, how are all these engineers employed?". On a daily basis, Electrical Engineers design, implement, maintain, or improve electrical instruments, equipment, facilities, components, products, or systems for commercial, industrial, or domestic purposes. Press question mark to learn the rest of the keyboard shortcuts. Its a really tough major though and not for someone who wants to do it half-committed. The United States has 390 different schools where you can get a degree in electrical engineering. Electricians work inside or outside buildings to ensure lights, industrial equipment, and appliances operate safely and reliably. Seriously man, enjoy what you got. Dont just randomly pick the rest of your life, see it, live it first, and make an informed decision, because theres so many different options out there, and the degree you've graduated with doesn't really limit that at all! Consulting related to business process optimization, New comments cannot be posted and votes cannot be cast, More posts from the ElectricalEngineering community, Continue browsing in r/ElectricalEngineering. Looks like you're using new Reddit on an old browser. Location can also significantly impact an electrical engineer's annual earnings. An electrician is any skilled tradesperson who designs, installs, maintains, and repairs the electrical systems and products used in residential homes, businesses, and factories. I tweak them for my costumer by reading specifications and doing the worst case analysis to confirm the design meets the requirements. Entry-level electrical engineers typically earn annual salaries of around $66,000. It is also easier in ways because there isn't 1,000,000 things in the back of my mind I need to complete for my final year project so I actually have some free time, getting paid is also a bonus haha. The pay is good especially compared to my part time jobs in college. Electrical engineering is shiftin… I now have settled in to the avionics field as an EE/Systems engineer who assists with the design phase of airplane controls, doing some analog design work and learning the project, and then transitioning to systems work doing the integration/troubleshoot and setting up qualification tests. I am doing performance tests for base station radios and radio antenna systems. Lots of utilities around the country hire us to design their protective systems and even design the physical substations. It depends on what you want to do and what you specialized in. A career as an electrical engineer. I work as an electrical engineer designing electrical systems for buildings. What Electrical and Electronics Engineers Do. If you are under the mistaken belief that you know all there is to know, you have some additional shocks queued up for delivery. If you love technology and are fascinated by electricity and power, then working as an electrical engineer may be ideal for you. But if the only thing … If you tough out the classwork and get your degree, then you'll get a good job with a big company and be set for life. This is a great answer. I work as a test engineer. See below why it is "reasonably"... Design work is quickly evaporating from the USA (sorry for the bad news) and moving offshore. It has its moments and a whole lot of very general day-to-day activities which are neither exciting nor terrible (think writing documents and filling out spreadsheets). Few months ago, I was interviewing for a new job. I spend most of my time designing and building platforms to validate my company's products against industry and customer specifications. Read the sidebar BEFORE posting. On the other hand, most students don't really know why they want to be an engineer, let alone what type of engineer. So the experience is varied. As a result I get more visibility from the VPs than I want this early in my career. Ask questions, both in class and out. Then it gets build, the SW gets put on, nothing works, and we test the bejesus out of it, making tweaks as we go till it all works 100% Then we subject it to artifical Hell of several kinds (lightning, sand, hot, cold, water, low power, noisy inputs) and make sure it passes guidelines and adjust as needed. do an internship, do a rotational position, ask a company to do a job shadow. Choosing your concentration in EE is much easier to do after you have some practical experience within the field. Honestly, it’s not bad and not particularly great in general, which is pretty much what you’d expect from a job. Working in a big company equals slow system aka red tape. EEs work on everything from managing power lines to designing integrated circuits. They confer with engineers, customers, or others to discuss existing or potential engineering projects or products.. A typical day for an Electrical Engineer … Quickly went from being overpaid to underpaid when my engineering lead left. What I do on a daily basis consists of performing computer modeling and simulations of power systems on a number of levels (AC, DC, economics, transfer capability), analyzing those results and presenting the results to clients. I'm an electrical engineering major and am wondering what life after college is like. I was fortunate to have 3 internships throughout my undergrad. Look man, I don't mean to be a cynical Debbie Downer, but being an electrician is not like being the Fonz. What is the workplace of an Electrical Engineer like? NeoDymium January 27, 2016, 5:37am #2. The first position was by far my favorite (as an RF bench engineer) but for the next 2 internships I forced myself to try 2 completely different positions. another might be overseeing a team of factory workers making sure that each day X units get off the line and troubleshooting problems, noting down consistant failures and making changes to improve yields. Items 3, 4, and 5 are very much within the scope of both EE and CpE with Item 3 more of an EE topic and Item 5 being more of a CpE topic. In 2018-2019, electrical engineering was the 31st most popular major nationwide with 31,384 degrees awarded. If you choose to work as an electrical engineer, you could be involved in the design and operation of industrial control systems, communications systems, electronic circuits, the generation and distribution of electrical power, or other electrical and electronic products and systems. It's a lot of fun and business is booming. Reasonably interesting work (designing 40 Gbps and faster Ethernet switches). The site may not work properly if you don't, If you do not update your browser, we suggest you visit, Press J to jump to the feed. Electrical engineers work to distribute electricity and design electrical systems for vehicles and other products. Basically for part of the program i sit down with requirements and design circuits that meet that (given these inputs give those outputs with these tolerances) then we review the others works, do some analysis to prove it fits the design. An army engineer officer is part of the world-renowned Army Corps of Engineers. Press J to jump to the feed. Press question mark to learn the rest of the keyboard shortcuts. I did hardly any automation classes throughout uni so its a bit of a learning curve but I'm liking it, we also do consulting so I've got to do some energy audits and stuff like that. I had dabbled in EMI and digital circuits and had strong analog design skills. Tell us a little bit about what you do as an electrician. Your professors want you to learn. As a result I get more visibility from the VPs than I want this early in my career. We mostly just oversee design work that they do - we review it and when there are problems, help to debug. 3. My job is to ensure that all the pieces fit together, to write the software to control the hardware and perform the tests, and to also perform statistical studies to make sure that the entire assembly is consistent. There are many special types of electricians, including residential … The average salary for an Electrical Engineer in the United States is between $67,190 and $158,810 as of January 29, 2021.Salary ranges can vary widely depending on the actual Electrical Engineer position you are looking for. I work as a test engineer. Electrical and electronics engineers work in industries including research and development, engineering services, manufacturing, telecommunications, and the federal government. Dislike the nonexistent negotiation for raises and promotions. You will be hearing this a lot. There will always be room for good engineers in the USA, just remember that not everyone can be above average ;-). Then I spend months on documentation of the design. If you want to add on, what does your work/job usually consist of doing? This 609 less than the prior year, a decrease of 1.9%. I work with other engineers that design the mechanical pieces and electrical components. My job is to design protective relay system for transmission systems as contracted by electrical utility companies. I ended up doing design, test, even some coding and production/manufacturing, and i figured out exactly where i wanted to be. It really depends on what you want to do, electrical engineering is a really broad field. ... We will not do your homework for you. Office job, flexible hours, boss doesn't give a damn until something is late. When you decide to become an electrical engineer, you're committing yourself to a profession that involves developing, designing, testing and supervising the manufacturing of electrical devices and equipment, including navigation systems, electric motors and power generation equipment.. However, you can rest assured that freelance electrical engineer is a career that will give you a comfortable life, along with a low-stress working environment like the confines of your home. Benefits are reasonably good (pay + bonus + benefits), especially considering it's flexible hours (which is very useful since we have a teenager). One guy might spend a week on each sections of the circuitry, elbow deep in schematics designing. Sometimes too much down time (like now). Electrical engineers can be found working in a variety of industries, such as engineering services, manufacturing, telecommunications, research and development, and the federal government. Stuff like airplane controls and military communications and the like. But most importantly, I applied to rotational programs. Electrical Engineer Salary in the United States How much does the average Electrical Engineer make in the United States?. Planes seem pretty cool as they're new to me since I never had an interest previously. r/engineering is **NOT** for students to ask for guidance on selecting their major, or for homework / project help. I met a female software engineer in her mid 30s during one of my interviews. They say things like, "My parents told me that I would earn a lot of money if I became an engineer, even with just a bachelor's degree" or "My physics teacher said I would never be out of a job during good or bad economic times" or "I like telling people that I want to … The toughest part about being a female software engineer by@lilychendances. I could have just as easily transitioned into SW even though i only took one course in it, or firmware, or production controls which has NOTHING to do with my degree, i learned them on the job. Anyways the point of my rambling is GO DO. Below Note: I don't mean to say that all design jobs are leaving the USA. They have a high starting salary but are expected to … Now drink your coffee and get back to work while occasionally bouncing back and forth to Reddit. Since engineers were paid well, you'd obviously be happy. Strict experience requirements for each position with inline promotions and raises being take it or leave it. I graduated having NO CLUE what i was going to do day in and day out. Electrical systems engineers design, develop and construct power generation systems for communication systems, automobiles, buildings and other technologies. The upside is that EEs who are well-trained in a certain area - like RF engineering, or satellite communication, or fabrication - are very much in demand, and are predicted to remain so. But from where I stand, it sure looks like they are moving overseas at a faster and faster rate. Therefore, to be able to handle such complex concepts and theories, … Strict experience requirements for each position with inline promotions and raises being take it or leave it. Starting salary defines your financial position for the rest of your career for the most part. I started out working at a utility company, then moved to an indendent system operation/regional transmission organization, then moved to a consulting firm. Not to mention, hands-on work just makes you feel strong, independent, and manly. So, i applied to large engineering firms doing interesting, huge projects. To become an electrical engineer you will want to work on developing your math and science skills from high school onward. Leadership development, varied experience, whatever they wanted to call it, i applied almost exclusively to those rotation programs. Experience has an effect on salaries, with annual earnings rising to $97,000 after between 5 and 10 years. With more … Also, the need to improve the efficiency is driving utilities to the smart grid of the future. I'm graduating in June and I'm going to end up in the RF field since that's what I've enjoyed the most over the years. Said another way, we're responsible for the product, yet are doing less and less of the actual design work.SeeBelow. ... help Reddit App Reddit coins Reddit premium Reddit gifts. It takes longer to get there, but the high barrier to entry makes job security a little stronger. Dislike the nonexistent negotiation for raises and promotions. We previously had some co-workers with very sub-par work performance, but they were eventually let go. If you'd like help with an assignment, include your progress so far and specific questions that you have. Not the best manager I've ever had, but he still does a decent job of insulating the silliness from executives. If you think Biomedical Engineering is something you may wish to pursue at undergraduate/career level, STEM subjects are the ones you’ll want to focus on. IEs are in virtually … I work on automotive electronics. Quickly went from being overpaid to underpaid when my engineering lead left. Engineers who keep up-to-date with industry trends will have an advantage over the competition. I'm about a decade out of undergrad, but I work on analysis and planning of the electrical transmission network. Electrical engineers design, develop, test, and supervise the manufacture of electrical equipment. The only thing I can liken it to is it is like boot camp. There are 100000000's of engineering jobs though. Work Environment. I can assure you it is not all sunshine and rainbows. Software engineering is, by all objective measures, one of the best fields to get into today. So from that point on, yes, I knew I wanted to be an electrician. It was by accident that I finally realized what was causing me to always feel this unease, to constantly feel like there’s something missing. Electrical engineering is the study of electrical systems, devices, and circuits such as communication systems, automobiles, computers, machinery controls, and almost anything you can think of that uses electricity, or has a plug or a motor. I work with other engineers that design the mechanical pieces and electrical components. Item 1 above can be the task of physicists, chemists, chemical engineers, or manufacturing engineers, as well as electrical engineers. Note: I am not an Electrical Engineer, I just do electrical stuff as a hobby. Other EEs that I work with design PCBs, analyze data, and design new or custom products for customers. This is the closest subreddit I could find to my need. How much do electrical engineers make? Industrial engineers work in every sector. Item 2 may be done by electrical engineers but also by physicists. It is everything I hoped would be. Aircraft network designer and integrator. You may enjoy a career as an engineer officer, if you are college educated, technically gifted and a confident leader. Mechanical engineers - with hobby experience using Arduinos - who think they know better...then convince shitty management to go along with their ideas....that eventually fail and come around to me to fix.