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Engineering Manager

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Explore Being an Engineering Manager with Jim Boyette

See how this engineer's interest in robots helped him find an exciting job.

cz:Briefly describe your job.


I am the Hardware Engineering Manager for a small company that develops and builds a specialized type of automated manufacturing equipment for the semiconductor industry. Even though I am a manager I am very hands on in the design of our products, do all my own CAD layouts and work closely with our suppliers and the other engineers in our company.

cz:How long have you been working in this field?

About 25 years

cz:When and how did you decide to choose this career?

During college I chose to major in Mechanical Engineering and did an honors project involving robotics. My first job involved development of robots. Some type of “robot” is usually at the center of most automated manufacturing equipment and I have been working with them throughout my career.

cz:What education and training did you receive before entering your field?

I got a Bachelor's Degree in Mechanical Engineering, and while I was working at my first job I got a Master's Degree in Electrical Engineering attending night classes. The rest was on the job learning, and that is never ending.

cz:How did you begin OR what was your first job in the field?

After graduation with my Bachelor's degree I got a job with IBM through the university career center. Describe a typical day on the job? I follow a product from conception to installation at a customer site, which usually takes a year or two. At the beginning of a project there are a lot of meetings to decide the basic functional requirements and I'll do research on key components that may be needed, talk to potential suppliers, work on rough outline drawings, write preliminary specifications, even do some calculations. In the middle of the project there is a lot of CAD work to be done and lots of details to decide on. Later when parts are arriving I'll spend a larger percentage of my time working with the machine itself as it starts to take shape, look for problems and do some redesign as needed. When the tool is nearly complete I'll help with testing the tool and talk to the customers about how to install it as well as help create manuals for it.

cz:What do you like most about what you do?

I am always learning new things, sometimes just because we are using the latest technologies available, and sometimes just on something I haven't run into yet even though it has been around a long time.

cz:What has been the most rewarding experience so far in your career?
cz:What do you like least about your job?

By necessity there is always a lot of bureaucracy and paperwork

cz:What is the biggest challenge for you in this job?

When one project is finished making sure there is another on the horizon. There is usually too much to do or not enough. Evening out the work load is tough and often out of your control.

cz:What would you like to say to someone considering this career?

Try to start as an apprentice and work with experienced engineers. As long as you are associated with the type of projects you are interested in don't worry if you are only assisting and doing small pieces at first. Don't be afraid to do the tasks no one else wants to do. Talk to suppliers about their products, learn as much about them as you can, and read the manuals that come with the products you buy. If you are a mechanical engineer, get very good at a popular 3D CAD package and find out what is used in your industry.

cz:What are the most important personal and professional skills necessary to succeed in your field?

Engineers often have poor writing skills. Edit the things you write before you send them out to be clear, organized and concise. Keep a positive attitude even when there is stress on a project. You need to be able to try to predict everything that could go wrong so you can plan for it without seeming like a pessimist - this is a tricky balance.

cz:What would a person interested in entering this field have to do to get a good job in it?

Get some experience as an apprentice first, learn 3D CAD and work as a drafter for a while in a larger company where you can get more responsibility over time.

cz:What could someone who is interested in this field do to learn more about it right now?

Read everything you can related to the industry you are interested in. Find out who is in your area that has that kind of work. If there is very little locally you may have to consider relocating.

cz:Is there any general advice you would like to offer to students on making a career choice or on work life itself?

Life is full of competing interests to be balanced, so give yourself flexibility when you can. For example, if you are very attached to a particular location find out what kinds of industries are in the area and get the skills that industry needs. For the most flexibility in where you live choose something very general that is likely to have jobs everywhere, like a medical profession or accounting. If you are really attached to a particular type of work you may need to be more flexible on where you live.

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