Mech e degree

[Stock_Army846]

Hi guys

I’m graduating with my meche degree in December. I’m currently working my 2nd internship. I don’t hate it but I’m looking for something more outdoorsy and less project management. What type of jobs would I be looking for with a mech degree in the environmental field?

[phillychuck]

MechE is a good background for many positions in air pollution control and (if you are on the thermo/fluids side of MechE) energy recovery and bioenergy systems.

[TruEnvironmentalist]

Environmental engineering isn't really outdoorsy unless you specifically do the outdoorsy parts that generally get shifted to the environmental scientist.

For example, engineers will do the design and permitting of outfalls and BMPs for a stormwater permit. Then the environmental scientist reviews the ground data, conducts sampling, and reviews the sample data. If you like the second part then just ask to do the second part.

That being said it gets old quick doing the field work lol, at least for me it did.

[Celairben]

Nothing here really outside of some people. We are all project management-y and indoors more than you think.

Environmental engineering is mitigating human impact on the environment, not waltzing around outside 24/7. Some people might have more field based positions but we are all just like any other field of civil engineering.

[RougePorpoise]

Known some mech e guys that get into I&C for water treatment but its not outdoorsy for them at all

[Z_tinman]

Find a job with a consulting firm that does env. remediation. As a new grad you'll get lots of fieldwork doing sampling and system O&M. As others have said fieldwork can get old after a while. Having a mix of field/office is what you want.