Completing a degree in engineering is one of the best ways to begin a career almost anywhere in the world. Not only is an engineering graduate held in high regard by businesses and societies in every continent, they are almost always vital to the growth of a company.
The field of engineering is so large that almost every industry has a need for engineers, or at the very least the products and services that they create and supply. Here we take a look at the top ten careers available to you following and engineering degree.
1. Aerospace Engineer
This is perhaps one of the most glamorous forms of engineering because at the end of the day, it is actually rocket science. Aerospace Engineers are responsible for the research, design, development and testing of aircraft and spacecraft, the former known as aeronautics and the latter astronautics depending on whether the craft operate inside or outside Earth’s atmosphere.
Both require a detailed knowledge of aerodynamics, materials sciences and manufacturing as well as a real-world appreciation for the financial targets to be met in order to keep projects feasible. With some of the largest and wealthiest companies in the world employing aerospace engineers, the salaries can be extremely attractive.
2. Naval Architect
Responsible for some of the largest mobile objects in the world from oil tankers and cargo ships to offshore drilling platforms, naval architecture is a branch of engineering that involves the research, design, construction and use of marine structures and vessels.
As with aerospace engineering, the naval architect requires a comprehensive knowledge of the forces of nature that will act upon the craft and structures that they are creating, as well as the materials, construction process and layout needed to make it suitable for human use.
Traditionally naval architecture was more craft that science, however the sheer scale of todays cruise liners, aircraft carriers and oil rigs means that a thorough grounding in engineering is the only way to start a career as a naval architect.
3. Nanoengineer
At the other end of the scale from naval architecture is the field of nanoengineering, which is literally the practice of engineering on a nanoscale – a billionth of a metre.
Whilst invisible to the naked eye, nanoengineering and nanotechnology have emerged as one of the most important fields of engineering in the last decade, with huge implications for medicine and energy research – particularly sources of environmentally friendly fuels.
The University of Toronto in Canada was the location of one of the first courses in nanoengineering, with others emerging in Germany, Denmark and the US.
4. Nuclear Engineer
Although the first thought that come to mind when someone says ‘nuclear engineer’ is either power stations or military weapons, and increasing number of technologies have come to rely on the field of nuclear engineering as part of their day-to-day operations.
Hospital equipment such as x-rays, MRI machines and PET scanners were all developed by nuclear engineers, although the nuclear power and military industries continue to expand as fossil fuels make way for nuclear technology.
5. Computer Engineer
Working in computer engineering will often involve the combining of electronic engineering with software and computer science technology. Computer engineers are frequently involved in developing hardware components alongside the programs that will operate on them, as can be seen in household names such as Apple and Google.
It is also common to specialize as either a computer software engineer, responsible for designing and developing software, programs, applications as well as building intranets for companies, or a computer hardware engineer researching, constructing and testing circuit boards, microprocessors and routers.
6. Structural Engineer
Structural engineering is one of the oldest forms of engineering on the planet, dating back to the Ancient Egyptians and the construction of the pyramids, but it is equally in demand for the manufacture of high tech structures such as the International Space Station.
At its core, structural engineering deals with the load-bearing properties of structures and is one of the most universally applied forms of engineering required around the world for projects such as buildings and dams as well as roads, railways other mechanical structures.
7. Power Engineer
A sub-field of electrical engineering as well as being a part of energy engineering, power engineering concentrates on the generation, transmission and distribution of electrical power around the world.
Recently specialisations within the field have become more and more popular as climate change becomes an important factor in energy consumption, leading to increased research and funding for hybrid cars and clean energy sources. It is also increasingly being used in household applications such as inductive or wireless charging using electromagnetic fields.
8. Vehicle Engineering
A vehicle engineer is responsible for combining mechanical, electrical, software and safety engineering to design and develop cars, motorbikes, buses and trucks as engineering products.
With over 84 million vehicles produced in 2012 alone, this is one of the largest engineering sectors in the world and offers a wide choice of disciplines and specialties ranging from safety testing to software development as well as economy, durability and emissions, as well as the cutting edge technology being developed by vehicle engineers in the formula one racing world.
9. Mechatronics
Originally created as a merging of the fields between mechanics and electronics, mechatronics has since evolved to include computer engineering and control engineering to create entire systems that improve overall functionality.
These automated systems include industrial robots and antilock braking systems as well as everyday items such as autofocus cameras and the more extraordinary such as planetary expedition rovers like NASA’s Mars rover, Curiosity.
Mechatronics also include bio mechatronics, incorporating mechanical parts with a human being, such as prosthetic limbs.
10. Biological Engineer
The field of biological engineering is closely allied to the sciences of biology and chemistry, and seeks to use molecular biology to advance the development of living organisms.
This has a wide range of applications in the medical industry, ranging from developing inoculations and pharmaceuticals through to the mapping of the human genome.
Biological engineers also work in areas such as food production where vital work is being done to create disease-resistant food sources for the expanding human population.
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