Careers in Engineering
Aeronautical/Aerospace
Engineer
• Use computers to design and model a new kind of jet
engine or calculate the lift of a new wing design.
• Develop new navigation or guidance systems for
commercial or military aircraft, missiles, and spacecraft.
• Design blades for advanced windmills used to harness
the wind's power and generate electricity.
• Investigate airplane crashes: recover and examine
debris, interpret 'black box' information, and determine
cause.
• Build and test materials, machines, or structures to be
used on the International Space Station or lunar colony.
Work Environment
• Government agencies, primarily NASA
and the Department of Defense, employ
about 14%
• Many more are working for government
contractors in the space, aircraft
manufacturing/repair, or guided missile
industries.
• Several aeronautical engineers teach or
work in research labs.
Starting Salaries
• $50,993 with a bachelor's degree
• $62,930 with a master's degree
• Job Growth - Slow
• More Information:
• American Institute of Aeronautics and
Astronautics
Agricultural Engineer
• Design and build irrigation and drainage systems to
provide water to crops and cut down on soil erosion.
• Establish and supervise conservation or recreation
management plans.
• Devise new ways of harvesting crops like apples,
tomatoes, corn, cut flowers, and fish.
• Apply new technologies, like computers to farming
operations like processing and distributing animal feed.
• Develop specialized greenhouses used to grow exotic
plants for florists.
Work Environment
• While some work in small communities in
regions were farming is an important part
of the economy,
• Agricultural engineers can work in
anywhere, from urban industrial parks to
remote wilderness areas. Their hours and
work-days vary depending on the type of
job they are doing.
Starting Salaries
• $46,172 with a bachelor's degree
• $53,022 with a master's degree
• Job Growth – about average
• More Information:
American Society of Agricultural Engineers
Biomedical Engineer
• Use computers to study and model human movement
that could aid have applications in physical therapy for
the disabled or building a better basketball sneaker.
• Design new medical instruments to aid doctors in
surgery or patient treatment.
• Develop the manufacturing process for new medicines
to fight AIDS or cancer.
• Create bio-materials that will aid healing bones or
enhance mobility for patients who've suffered traumatic
injuries.
• Build biotic hands, arms, or legs.
Work Environment
• Many biomedical engineers work in
research labs.
Starting Salaries
• $48,503 with bachelor's degree
• $59,667 with a master's degree
• Job Growth - rapid
• For more information:
Biomedical Engineering Net
Chemical Engineer
• Pilot test new methods of manufacturing products, like
paper or photographic film, and oversee the
implementation of those methods in full scale production.
• Develop cost-effective processes for recovering raw
materials from the ocean or outer space.
• Generate and efficiently mass-produce new medicines.
• Produce new, cleaner-burning fuels, from plants or other
renewable resources.
• Design pollution prevention technologies to protect
water, air, or human health.
Work Environment
• Most chemical engineers work in
manufacturing industries, in research and
development labs, productions plants, or
management.
• Some provide engineering services as
consultants in research and testing,
design, or policy.
• The environment and hours that they work
varies with the industry and kind of job.
Starting Salaries
• $53,813 with bachelor's degree
$57,260 with a master's degree
• Job Growth – about average
• For more information:
History of Chemical Engineering &
Chemical Technology
Civil Engineer
• Build skyscrapers, bridges, or tunnels.
• Design structural supports for human colonies in
space or on the moon.
• Construct dams or flood control structures to
create wetlands or recreation areas.
• Plan and supervise the development of new
road, railways, or airports.
• Demolish old buildings by implosion: plant and
detonate explosives in such a way that the
structure falls into itself.
Work Environment
• Anywhere people build things, you can
find civil engineers. Some work in offices,
others on construction sites. Depending on
the project, civil engineers can work
regular business hours or longer.
Starting Salaries
• $43,679 with a bachelor's degree
• $48,050 with a master's degree
• Job Growth – about average
• For more information:
American Society of Civil Engineers
Computer Engineer
• Write and debug new software programs for system
operation or applications.
• Develop new special effects technology for animated or
live action films.
• Design and build the "intelligent" computer system for
an exploration vehicle used on the moon or another
planets.
• Maintain and prevent problems for a major computer
network, like the New York Stock Exchange.
• Use advanced computer systems and modeling tools to
process data and generate information like weather
forecasts.
Work Environment
• Computer engineers can work anywhere
there are computers, and telecommuting is
becoming quite common for many
computer professionals.
• They usually work 40-hour weeks, but can
work longer hours on special jobs or
projects with pressing deadlines.
• Computer engineers often work with
teams of other engineers or scientists.
Starting Salaries
• $52,464 with a bachelor's degree
• $60,354 with a master's degree
• Job Growth – about average
Electrical Engineer
• Design and oversee large electric generator systems as
connected with a dam or other power plant.
• Devise and build new electronics equipment, like
cellular phones or hand-held personal organizers.
• Develop a new computer processor.
• Plan, troubleshoot, and upgrade electronics
equipment used in everything from medical instruments
to space vehicles.
• Work with others to create fully automated
manufacturing systems.
Work Environment
• Electrical engineers usually work 40-hour
weeks, but can work longer hours on
projects with pressing deadlines or in
emergency situations.
• They often work on teams with other
engineers and scientists and can find jobs
in industry, government, universities, or in
consulting.
Starting Salaries
• $51,888 with a bachelor's degree
• $64,416 with a master's degree
• Job Growth – about average
• For more information:
Institute of Electrical and Electronics
Engineers
Environmental Engineer
• Develop and implement an environmental
management plan for a company, a community, or
special area like a national park.
• Supervise and verify that a business or organization is
taking the proper environmental protection measures.
• Design and build a machines that are efficient and
environmentally friendly.
• Work with other engineers ensure that projects are
developed with environmental requirements considered.
• Build structures for environmental purposes, like a dam
to create a new wetland or a series of terraces to reduce
soil erosion
Work Environment
• Since environmental engineers focus on
the environment, there is usually a
component of outdoor work to their jobs.
• Many work in industry, but some work with
government from local communities to
federal agencies.
• Their work hours are typically the standard
40-hour week, but can vary with the
project or type of employer they work for.
Starting Salaries
• $47,384 with a bachelor's degree
• Job Growth - rapid
• For more information:
American Academy of Environmental
Engineers
Industrial Engineer
• Devise a new method for storing and distributing
inventory or supplies for an Internet company.
• Develop training manuals for employees in a service
company.
• Work on engineering teams designing structures for
large crowds, like sports areas and amusement parks.
• Use computer modeling techniques to test and develop
recommendations for improving transportation systems
like airports or subways.
• Design equipment or facilities that is ergonomically
correct
Work Environment
• As you might guess, most industrial
engineers work in industry for
manufacturing or service companies. But
since their skills are so versatile, industrial
engineers can work in virtually any kind of
industry or organization including
government agencies and consulting
firms. They typically work standard 40hour work weeks.
Starting Salaries
• $49,567 with a bachelor's degree
• $56,561 with a master's degree
• Job Growth – about average
• For more information:
Institute of Industrial Engineers
Materials Engineer
• Create new strong, light-weight fabrics for
protective gear in hostile environments, like
forest fires or outer space.
• Generate new superconductive material for
application in advanced computer systems.
• Design advanced biomaterials that can enhance
healing the human body.
• Use knowledge of materials to develop
enviroment-friendly packaging techniques.
• Develop new methods for producing or
recycling metals.
Work Environment
• Most materials engineers work in research
and development labs in industry or at
universities. While the environment and
hours that they work can vary substantially
with their industry and job, most material
engineers work regular hours.
Starting Salaries
• $50,982 with a bachelor's degree
• Job Growth – about average
Mechanical Engineer
• Develop nanobots - tiny, even
microscopic, machines.
• Design and build manufacturing facilities.
• Build and test prototype machines from
artificial organs to Mars explorer vehicles.
• Use computer models to design a product
and test it before production.
• Maintain and improve complex machines
like submarines or power generators.
Work Environment
• Mechanical engineers work in all areas of
manufacturing industries. They can work
in production operations, maintenance,
management, as well as research and
development. Some provide engineering
services as consultants in research,
design, or testing of technologies. The
environment and hours that they work
varies with the job.
Starting Salaries
• $50,236 with a bachelor's degree
• $59,880 with a master's degree
• Job Growth – about average
• For more information:
American Society of Mechanical
Engineers
Nuclear Engineer
• Design nuclear power systems for spacecraft.
• Develop medical or industrial uses for
radioactive materials.
• Inspect and evaluate nuclear power plant,
including those aboard ships or submarines.
• Research and design fusion reactor systems.
• Consult with law firms or medical research
facilities on nuclear issues.
Work Environment
• While there are some risks to working with
radioactive material, there are excellent
safety procedures to minimize those risks.
Most nuclear engineers work a standard
40-hour week, although some projects or
jobs may require different hours or
overtime to meet deadlines.
Starting Salaries
• $51,182 with a bachelor's degree
• $58,814 with a master's degree
• Job Growth - slow
Petroleum Engineer
• Search the world for reservoirs containing oil or natural
gas
• Work with geologists and other specialists to understand
the geologic formation and properties of the rock
containing the reservoir, determine the drilling methods
to be used, and monitor drilling and production
operations
• Design equipment and processes to achieve the
maximum profitable recovery of oil and gas
• Develop and use various enhanced recovery methods
• Research and develop technology and methods to
increase recovery and lower the cost of drilling and
production operations.
Work Environment
• Options include working outdoors at a field
location, indoors with a computer -- or both
• You can develop your talents within a
multinational corporation or a small
company, or become an independent
operator and head your own firm.
Starting Salaries
• $61,516 with a bachelor's degree
• $58,000 with a master's degree
• Job Growth – decline through 2014
Society of Petroleum Engineers
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2005 Starting Salaries
$70,000
$65,000
$60,000
$55,000
Bachelor's
Masters'
$50,000
$45,000
$40,000
Careers in Nursing
•Ambulatory care
•Burn care
•Cardiac care
•Developmental disabilities
•Diabetes
•Dialysis
•Emergency Department
•Employee Health
•Forensics
•Geriatric Nurse (Care of older adults)
•Gynecology
•Home care
•Infusion Therapy
•Intensive care
•Medical
•Neonatal intensive care (Care of critically ill
newborn)
•Obstetrics (Care of mother/baby)
•Occupational Health
•Oncology (Care of patients with cancer)
•Operating Room
•Orthopedics
More Nursing Positions
•Pediatrics
•Physician's Office
•Psychiatry/Mental health
•Quality Assurance/Utilization Review
•Recovery Room
•Rehabilitation
•Respiratory Care
•Research
•Risk Management
•Schools
•Surgery
Wound Care
Mathematics Careers
Teaching
The teaching of mathematics at the K-12 level is a high-demand field and
the need is expected to grow in the future. The place to go for explicit career
information is the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics homepage.
Actuarial Science
Actuarial science takes mathematics and statistics and applies them to
finance and insurance. Actuarial science includes a number of interrelating
disciplines, including probability and statistics, finance, and economics.
Check out Be An Actuary.
Computer Science
Computer science is the study of the theoretical foundations of information
and computation and their implementation and application in computer
systems. Mathematicians, with their training in logical and precise thinking,
are highly prized in this field. See the student section of the Association for
Computing Machinery for career advice.
Operations Research
Operations research is an interdisciplinary branch of mathematics which uses
mathematical methods to arrive at optimal decisions to problems in maximizing or
minimizing things like costs or profits. The eventual intention behind using
Operations Research is to elicit a best possible solution to a problem
mathematically, which improves or optimizes the performance of the system. The
group INFORMS is the world's largest society devoted to operations
research/management science.
Biomathematics
Mathematical biology or biomathematics is an interdisciplinary field of study. It
models natural and biological processes using mathematical techniques and
tools. Results have been applied to areas such as cellular neurobiology, epidemic
modelling, and population genetics. The education page of the Society for
Mathematical Biology links to schools offering biomath degrees along with a
description of the coursework needed.
Cryptography
Cryptography is the practice and study of hiding information.
Cryptography is considered to be a branch of both mathematics and
computer science. Not just for spies anymore, cryptography
applications include the security of ATM cards and computer
passwords.
Finance
Finance is a field that studies and addresses the ways in which
individuals, businesses, and organizations raise, allocate, and use
monetary resources over time, taking into account the risks entailed
in their projects. Mathematicians can build models to help explain
and predict the behavior of financial markets. Several schools offer
Master's degrees in Financial Mathematics. A quick web search will
take you to their web pages.