Moving on from slow "Desk Engineering"
Discussion
I have endured 20-odd years in engineering (and gained satisfaction from almost none of it). It has mostly been desk-based and in highly regulated industries. I have learned very little over the past five years or so.
Since the Covid-19 pandemic arrived I have been WFH, on projects that are tedious, vague and with ever extending time-scales.
I am bored and unsatisfied. My motivation and interest are both somewhere around zero.
I am not really a specialist in anything. I am not a fan of working on detailed design documents for systems or software (and definitely not endless checking of schedules!), but I do have a very broad knowledge and understanding and I am happy to get my hands dirty, both figuratively and literally.
Unlike many from an engineering background, I am good with people and enjoy meeting people of all backgrounds. I am also able to compose fairly readable written communication.
My ideal would be to do varied work that helped people, gave me a sense of achievement, had some urgency and required some outdoor and/or site element, working alongside other people.
At this point, ideas and suggestions for jobs types to look into would be welcome.
Since the Covid-19 pandemic arrived I have been WFH, on projects that are tedious, vague and with ever extending time-scales.
I am bored and unsatisfied. My motivation and interest are both somewhere around zero.
I am not really a specialist in anything. I am not a fan of working on detailed design documents for systems or software (and definitely not endless checking of schedules!), but I do have a very broad knowledge and understanding and I am happy to get my hands dirty, both figuratively and literally.
Unlike many from an engineering background, I am good with people and enjoy meeting people of all backgrounds. I am also able to compose fairly readable written communication.
My ideal would be to do varied work that helped people, gave me a sense of achievement, had some urgency and required some outdoor and/or site element, working alongside other people.
At this point, ideas and suggestions for jobs types to look into would be welcome.
Edited by Woodrow Wilson on Wednesday 28th July 14:07
Are you a Staffy, or contract? The reason I ask is that I was in what appears to be a very similar position to you within a highly regulated engineering environment up until around 7 years ago as a senior engineer for a consultancy (staff), and switched over to Contracting / working for myself.
Whilst this didn't change the workload or deliverables much, the considerable increase in take home pay certainly helped me cope better with the monotony. This has also given me the option to play around with different hobbies, ventures and options outside of work.....thus making the whole affair a lot more tolerable....
Whilst this didn't change the workload or deliverables much, the considerable increase in take home pay certainly helped me cope better with the monotony. This has also given me the option to play around with different hobbies, ventures and options outside of work.....thus making the whole affair a lot more tolerable....
An Applications Engineer? Kind of a mix between engineer and sales I.e the person that will go out to a potential customers manufacturing / assembly site, determine what product(s) your company produce best meet their requirements, how they would be used, demonstrate the gains, define suitable acceptance trials, capability etc - Then potentially be the one to install, prove-out, train in-house engineering team, hand-over.
MattyD803 said:
Are you a Staffy, or contract? The reason I ask is that I was in what appears to be a very similar position to you within a highly regulated engineering environment up until around 7 years ago as a senior engineer for a consultancy (staff), and switched over to Contracting / working for myself.
Whilst this didn't change the workload or deliverables much, the considerable increase in take home pay certainly helped me cope better with the monotony. This has also given me the option to play around with different hobbies, ventures and options outside of work.....thus making the whole affair a lot more tolerable....
This is very good advice. Whilst this didn't change the workload or deliverables much, the considerable increase in take home pay certainly helped me cope better with the monotony. This has also given me the option to play around with different hobbies, ventures and options outside of work.....thus making the whole affair a lot more tolerable....
I'm considering jacking in being a network engineer, but the only thing holding me back is picking up a contract for a few months on £500+ per day. I'm happy to sell my soul for a lot more money for a while longer.
Cheers.
Money isn't the driving factor in this. The work provides no intrinsic satisfaction at all, and that needs to change. Contracting wouldn't provide that.
The suggestion of application engineer is interesting. Thanks.
Something with a more practical and outdoor element would be good. Part of me would like to do something completely different, like labouring/farming/forestry, for a few months just for a break from being stuck at a desk in solitary confinement.
Money isn't the driving factor in this. The work provides no intrinsic satisfaction at all, and that needs to change. Contracting wouldn't provide that.
The suggestion of application engineer is interesting. Thanks.
Something with a more practical and outdoor element would be good. Part of me would like to do something completely different, like labouring/farming/forestry, for a few months just for a break from being stuck at a desk in solitary confinement.
Woodrow Wilson said:
Cheers.
Money isn't the driving factor in this. The work provides no intrinsic satisfaction at all, and that needs to change. Contracting wouldn't provide that.
The suggestion of application engineer is interesting. Thanks.
Something with a more practical and outdoor element would be good. Part of me would like to do something completely different, like labouring/farming/forestry, for a few months just for a break from being stuck at a desk in solitary confinement.
Considered going interesting medical engineering?Money isn't the driving factor in this. The work provides no intrinsic satisfaction at all, and that needs to change. Contracting wouldn't provide that.
The suggestion of application engineer is interesting. Thanks.
Something with a more practical and outdoor element would be good. Part of me would like to do something completely different, like labouring/farming/forestry, for a few months just for a break from being stuck at a desk in solitary confinement.
Woodrow Wilson said:
Cheers.
Money isn't the driving factor in this. The work provides no intrinsic satisfaction at all, and that needs to change. Contracting wouldn't provide that.
The suggestion of application engineer is interesting. Thanks.
Something with a more practical and outdoor element would be good. Part of me would like to do something completely different, like labouring/farming/forestry, for a few months just for a break from being stuck at a desk in solitary confinement.
Sounds like we have the same job Money isn't the driving factor in this. The work provides no intrinsic satisfaction at all, and that needs to change. Contracting wouldn't provide that.
The suggestion of application engineer is interesting. Thanks.
Something with a more practical and outdoor element would be good. Part of me would like to do something completely different, like labouring/farming/forestry, for a few months just for a break from being stuck at a desk in solitary confinement.
I've often wished I'd been a labourer instead as I love practical stuff, something like being a tree surgeon I dream about but it's probably not very nice in winter. I'd love to work on wind turbines and our systems are used on those so I may try get a job in that. My sister's ex was an agricultural engineer and that seemed like an awesome (and well payed) job.
Validation and Verification might interest you.
I have had several stints planning and running functional environmental test programmes. It involved meetings with our customer to agree test requirements, meeting the test house engineers to confirm their equipment could provide the required test parameters, then getting a test fixture made. For some tests it was beneficial to be on-site for at least part of the tests, particularly in the early stages, to identify the cause of failures in the test article or test apparatus.
If the test article failed, then root cause analysis would be required. I even got involved in redesign (conceptual, not CAD) of the test article, if I could see what was required.
Finally writing the test report and meetings with the customer.
The test houses tend to be dotted around the country, and depending on the nature of the test (vibration, climatic, altitude, etc.) different ones would be needed, so lots of driving distances of vans full of expensive kit, and staying in hotels was needed. I was given a fair bit of slack to plan things the way I wanted, so it was very different to a normal desk job. The money wasn't bad either!
I have had several stints planning and running functional environmental test programmes. It involved meetings with our customer to agree test requirements, meeting the test house engineers to confirm their equipment could provide the required test parameters, then getting a test fixture made. For some tests it was beneficial to be on-site for at least part of the tests, particularly in the early stages, to identify the cause of failures in the test article or test apparatus.
If the test article failed, then root cause analysis would be required. I even got involved in redesign (conceptual, not CAD) of the test article, if I could see what was required.
Finally writing the test report and meetings with the customer.
The test houses tend to be dotted around the country, and depending on the nature of the test (vibration, climatic, altitude, etc.) different ones would be needed, so lots of driving distances of vans full of expensive kit, and staying in hotels was needed. I was given a fair bit of slack to plan things the way I wanted, so it was very different to a normal desk job. The money wasn't bad either!
Drezza said:
Sounds like we have the same job I've often wished I'd been a labourer instead as I love practical stuff, something like being a tree surgeon I dream about but it's probably not very nice in winter. I'd love to work on wind turbines and our systems are used on those so I may try get a job in that.
My sister's ex was an agricultural engineer and that seemed like an awesome (and well payed) job.
You have indeed had similar thoughts to me. I've often wished I'd been a labourer instead as I love practical stuff, something like being a tree surgeon I dream about but it's probably not very nice in winter. I'd love to work on wind turbines and our systems are used on those so I may try get a job in that. My sister's ex was an agricultural engineer and that seemed like an awesome (and well payed) job.
Working outside isn't all pleasant, but I'm sick of what I do at the moment.
Contracting has provided me with a great deal of change. I must admit I have been involved in some wacky projects over the years, and I often look at the staff people and think “just exactly how long have you been doing this nonsense for?”
I’m approached for medical type engineering roles from agencies because I have just 5 months on my CV at a medical engineering specialist, yet doing large rotating equipment - don’t ask. It seems to have Cambridgeshire written all over it though. The salaries are VERY good in that field right now. Not as regulated as you would think either - IME
Sounds great at first, lots of travel to far away lands at someone else’s expense. Where I used to work we had a problem with a material the company had developed and the technical director was desperately trying to cover his arse not admitting we hadn’t done all the right testing. Many installations had problems due to this, and me being the engineering manager and “expert” - was sent out to pour oil on troubled waters. 3 passports filled in with stamps/visas in 5 years, and I would never do it again. YMMV.
I’m approached for medical type engineering roles from agencies because I have just 5 months on my CV at a medical engineering specialist, yet doing large rotating equipment - don’t ask. It seems to have Cambridgeshire written all over it though. The salaries are VERY good in that field right now. Not as regulated as you would think either - IME
Woodrow Wilson said:
helped people, gave me a sense of achievement, had some urgency and required some outdoor and/or site element, working alongside other people.
Commissioning engineerSounds great at first, lots of travel to far away lands at someone else’s expense. Where I used to work we had a problem with a material the company had developed and the technical director was desperately trying to cover his arse not admitting we hadn’t done all the right testing. Many installations had problems due to this, and me being the engineering manager and “expert” - was sent out to pour oil on troubled waters. 3 passports filled in with stamps/visas in 5 years, and I would never do it again. YMMV.
Woodrow Wilson said:
I am good with people and enjoy meeting people of all backgrounds. I am also able to compose fairly readable written communication.
This says Applications Engineer to me, although you will have to deal with sales more, which can prove a challenge at times. Woodrow Wilson said:
I have endured 20-odd years in engineering (and gained satisfaction from almost none of it). It has mostly been desk-based and in highly regulated industries. I have learned very little over the past five years or so.
Since the Covid-19 pandemic arrived I have been WFH, on projects that are tedious, vague and with ever extending time-scales.
I am bored and unsatisfied. My motivation and interest are both somewhere around zero.
I am not really a specialist in anything. I am not a fan of working on detailed design documents for systems or software (and definitely not endless checking of schedules!), but I do have a very broad knowledge and understanding and I am happy to get my hands dirty, both figuratively and literally.
Unlike many from an engineering background, I am good with people and enjoy meeting people of all backgrounds. I am also able to compose fairly readable written communication.
My ideal would be to do varied work that helped people, gave me a sense of achievement, had some urgency and required some outdoor and/or site element, working alongside other people.
At this point, ideas and suggestions for jobs types to look into would be welcome.
Stay behind your desk, learn and expand under your own steam away from work.Since the Covid-19 pandemic arrived I have been WFH, on projects that are tedious, vague and with ever extending time-scales.
I am bored and unsatisfied. My motivation and interest are both somewhere around zero.
I am not really a specialist in anything. I am not a fan of working on detailed design documents for systems or software (and definitely not endless checking of schedules!), but I do have a very broad knowledge and understanding and I am happy to get my hands dirty, both figuratively and literally.
Unlike many from an engineering background, I am good with people and enjoy meeting people of all backgrounds. I am also able to compose fairly readable written communication.
My ideal would be to do varied work that helped people, gave me a sense of achievement, had some urgency and required some outdoor and/or site element, working alongside other people.
At this point, ideas and suggestions for jobs types to look into would be welcome.
Edited by Woodrow Wilson on Wednesday 28th July 14:07
I did a deskbound engineering role for 6 years, I thought I wanted a change, it was driving me mad, BUT what I found what terrible. If you don't work at a desk, you'll be treated like complete and utter scum, and going from what you have now, to being treated like a pleb, you'll really struggle.
I should have stayed where I was, built the workshop I have now 10 years earlier and focused on self development outside of work. I wasted 6 years in a dead end desk job, not because I was in that job, but because I didn't use that opportunity of a good work/life balance and normal 9 til 5 hours, to develop myself in my own time.
lyonspride said:
Stay behind your desk, learn and expand under your own steam away from work.
I did a deskbound engineering role for 6 years, I thought I wanted a change, it was driving me mad, BUT what I found what terrible. If you don't work at a desk, you'll be treated like complete and utter scum, and going from what you have now, to being treated like a pleb, you'll really struggle.
I should have stayed where I was, built the workshop I have now 10 years earlier and focused on self development outside of work. I wasted 6 years in a dead end desk job, not because I was in that job, but because I didn't use that opportunity of a good work/life balance and normal 9 til 5 hours, to develop myself in my own time.
That does sound like a very particular experience personal to you.I did a deskbound engineering role for 6 years, I thought I wanted a change, it was driving me mad, BUT what I found what terrible. If you don't work at a desk, you'll be treated like complete and utter scum, and going from what you have now, to being treated like a pleb, you'll really struggle.
I should have stayed where I was, built the workshop I have now 10 years earlier and focused on self development outside of work. I wasted 6 years in a dead end desk job, not because I was in that job, but because I didn't use that opportunity of a good work/life balance and normal 9 til 5 hours, to develop myself in my own time.
In my case, I do make time to learn and enjoy life outside of work.
My work is completely unsatisfying, and doesn't confer much/anything in the way of status or social standing anyway. The suggestion of becoming a contractor -doing the same thing for more money-, which has worked for some people, holds no appeal.
Woodrow Wilson said:
That does sound like a very particular experience personal to you.
In my case, I do make time to learn and enjoy life outside of work.
My work is completely unsatisfying, and doesn't confer much/anything in the way of status or social standing anyway. The suggestion of becoming a contractor -doing the same thing for more money-, which has worked for some people, holds no appeal.
Yes, but as well as the improved money, Contracting will offer you the opportunity to move around between roles (albeit in the same line of work) a hell of a lot more freely and regularly. And besides, what's to say that it's not your current employer / working arrangements / project that is the problem here? In my case, I do make time to learn and enjoy life outside of work.
My work is completely unsatisfying, and doesn't confer much/anything in the way of status or social standing anyway. The suggestion of becoming a contractor -doing the same thing for more money-, which has worked for some people, holds no appeal.
I particularly found engineering within an consultant environment on a big long term project was horrifically boring, full of "team meetings", management politics and long hours. I'm now based on a client site working on a number of projects and although I don't demand respect from anyone, it is nice that the role of Chartered Engineer is at least appreciated by my management and those I work with.
Edited by MattyD803 on Thursday 29th July 12:12
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