What Can I Do With a Major In Mechanical Engineering?

• Connect with Kristina Rust, your Career Consultant.
• Connect with your Academic Advisors.
• School of Environmental, Civil, Agricultural, and Mechanical Engineering

CAMPUS ORGANIZATIONS

• American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) • UGA Motorsports • Student Aerospace Initiative (SAI) • Robotics Club • American Society of Heating, Refrigeration, and Air Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE) • Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers (SHPE) • Society of Women Engineers (SWE) • National Society of Black Engineers (NSBE) • Society of Asian Scientists and Engineers (SASE)
• Find additional clubs and organizations here. 

ADDITIONAL TRAINING

Certificate of Coastal & Oceanographic Engineering • Sustainability Certificate • Certificate of Informatics • Certificate of Electric Mobility

To learn more about working for the federal government, review our Federal Careers page.

Potential Career Paths in Mechanical Engineering

• Automotive Engineer: Develop new or improved designs for vehicle structural members, engine, transmissions, or other vehicles systems by using computer-assisted design technology. Direct building, modification, or testing of vehicle or components. 

• Biomedical Engineer: Bridge the medical engineering disciplines by providing an overall enhancement of healthcare. Design and build innovative designs (artificial limbs and organs, new-generation imaging machines, advanced prosthetics, and more) and improve processes for genomic testing, or making and administering drugs.  

  Key focus areas include: biomedical electronics, biomechatronics, bioinstrumentation, biomaterials, biomechanics, bionics, cellular, tissue, and genetic engineering, clinical engineering, medical imaging, orthopaedic bioengineering, rehabilitation engineering, systems physiology, bionanotechnology, neural engineering 

• Energy Engineer: Design, develop, or evaluate energy-related projects or programs to reduce energy costs or improve energy efficiency during the designing, building, or remodeling stages of construction. May specialize in electrical systems; heating, ventilation, and air-conditioning (HVAC) systems; green buildings; lighting; air quality; or energy procurement. 

• Manufacturing Engineer: Design, integrate, or improve manufacturing systems or related processes. May work with commercial or industrial designers to refine product designs to increase producibility and decrease costs. 

• Product Design Engineer: Research and develop day-to-day products and improve the performance of already-existing products. 

• Robotics Engineer: Research, design, develop, or test robotic applications. Review or approve designs, calculations, or cost estimates. 

• Mechatronics Engineer: Research, design, develop, or test automation, intelligent systems, smart devices, or industrial systems control. 

• Aerospace Engineer: Design, construct, and test aircraft, missiles, and spacecraft. May conduct basic and applied research to evaluate adaptability of materials and equipment to aircraft design and manufacture. May recommend improvements in testing equipment and techniques. 

• Nuclear Engineer: Conduct research on nuclear engineering projects or apply principles and theory of nuclear science to problems concerned with release, control, and use of nuclear energy and nuclear waste disposal. 

• Marine Engineer/Naval Architect: Design, develop, and evaluate the operation of marine vessels, ship machinery, and related equipment, such as power supply and propulsion systems. 

• Distribution Engineer: Design and coordinate maintenance of electrical utilities and associated power distribution systems. Perform inspections, performance evaluations, troubleshooting and sunsetting of systems. 

Additional Job Titles: Distribution Engineer, Quality Specialist, Transmission & Distribution Line Designer & Estimator, Propulsion Engineer, Aeronautical Engineer Associate, Industrial Engineer, Drilling Engineer, Reliability Engineer, Office Engineer, Aircraft Maintenance Support Engineer, SCADA Engineer

• O*NET Online – The O*NET database includes information on skills, abilities, knowledge, work activities, and interests associated with over 900 occupations.  
• My Next Move – An interactive tool for students and job seekers to learn more about their career options.  
• Occupational Outlook Handbook – The OOH is a career resource offering information on the hundreds of occupations that provide most of jobs in the United States.  
• Vault – Vault.com provides in-depth intelligence on what it’s really like to work in an industry, company, or profession – and how to position yourself to land that job.  
• Candid Career – This resource provides you with access to thousands of informational video interviews with real professionals through an easy-to-use website.  
• UGA Mentor Program – Connect with a mentor (alumni, faculty, staff) to research and explore industries and careers. Research industries and careers by connecting with a mentor for a quick chat or formal 16-week mentorship through the UGA Mentor Program.  
• Interstride - Interstride is an interactive tool for both international and domestic students to enhance their international experience and employment potential. The platform consists of job-listings, hiring trends, employer information, self-assessments, and up-to-date immigration guidance. 
• Glassdoor - Glassdoor is a free jobs and career community that offers an inside look at jobs and companies through "employee generated content" – anonymous salaries, company reviews, interview questions, and more – all posted by employees and job seekers.  
• Steppingblocks - Research your future career with real-world stats about your major, your interests, and your dream job title with career and education searches designed to find your best path based on millions of others. It’s data-powered career exploration for doers like you.

GENERAL: 

• Handshake (scroll down to the bottom of the page; login with your UGA MyID and password)  
• LinkedIn (this popular networking site also has a job board!) 
• Idealist (non-profit jobs) 
• USAJobs (federal jobs)

MAJOR/ENGINEERING-SPECIFIC:

• American Society of Mechanical Engineers Career Center
• ASHRAE Job Board
• Engineering Jobs, Job Source, Technical Jobs
• Engineering.com Jobs
• Career Cast: IT & Engineering Job Board
• Agricultural Engineering Positions
• Environmental Job Board

MECHANICAL ENGINEER-FRIENDLY PROFESSIONAL ASSOCIATIONS

• American Society of Mechanical Engineers • American Society of Naval Engineers • Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers • Society of Automotive Engineers • Society of Manufacturing Engineers • Society of Naval Architects and Marine Engineers • Biomedical Engineering Society • Institute of Industrial & Systems Engineers • National Society of Professional Engineers

ADDITIONAL ENGINEERING PROFESSIONAL ASSOCIATIONS

• American Academy of Environmental Engineers • American Institute of Chemical Engineers • American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers • American Society of Civil Engineers • Biomedical Engineering Society • American Society of Safety Professionals • Association for Computing Machinery • Institute of Biological Engineering • Institute of Transportation Engineers • National Academy of Forensic Engineers • National Society of Black Engineers • Society of American Military Engineers • Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers • Society of Petroleum Engineers • Society of Women Engineers

COMPANY & SALARY RESEARCH - Career Bliss • GlassDoor • Salary.com

LINKEDIN GROUPS - Join LinkedIn groups that are relevant to your career interests.  To search, select "groups" & type in your keywords.  Review the groups that professionals in your field of interest have joined & consider joining those as well. To login, visit the LinkedIn main page.