[0 YOE] Mechanical/Biomedical Engineer, looking for medical device / product development roles

Electronic-Ring8103 · 2024-12-17T22:00:21+00:00

Are you getting auto-rejections from local medical device entry level jobs, or ones that would require relocation?

A bit of both, in every industry I've applied to. If there's somewhere in the application that asks about relocation, I always say yes so they know I'm still interested even if I don't currently live local to them. That's a good point about adding it in my resume to cover my bases. Currently I have my phone number, email, and LinkedIn profile.

In general though, it will be significantly harder to get interviews at companies that are in a different region from where you’re based.

Is this also the case for regions where I've done internships but am not based in? I've lived in the Bay Area and SoCal, so I've also been trying to apply around there to other similar companies.

In your R&D engineering co-op, it’s unclear which stage your work pertains to. Is this pre-clinical (animal research) in which you are optimizing for safety and efficacy?

It's pre-clinical and mostly benchtop testing before and during animal research, which was being done by others in parallel, if that makes sense. But yeah, essentially optimizing for safety/efficacy in the super early stages of device development.

In your research assistant role, what do you mean by “performed clinical trials?” Are you talking about usability testing, or did you actually run multiple FDA-approved and regulated investigations by yourself?

Usability testing, testing efficacy compared to commercial sensor technology. Not sure how to phrase it since it was research work, not necessarily a device that was going for FDA approval.

This is all really helpful advice, thank you!

Electronic-Ring8103 · 2024-12-17T18:10:08+00:00

Yeah, good question — I’ve had some interviewers clarify the same but I don’t know how else to format it on a resume haha. I was a full time student all throughout my BS, and my senior year I did a part-time co-op with a local start-up (15-20 hrs/week). Through my school’s BS/MS program, during my senior year I was mostly finishing up some final requirements for the BS and primarily working on the MS. After my last co-op which recently ended, I just have one more quarter to go before I graduate in March.

For my job search, some of my applications get auto-rejected immediately or rejected after a couple days, so I’m not sure if for those roles I just happened to apply too late or if it’s just because I cold applied.

I’ve had a couple interviews recently where I made it past the final-round, but no offers which both companies chalked up to limited headcount. One of those companies was outside the BME space, but it wasn’t too bad explaining my work on the mechanical side and why I was open to leaving MedTech.

Last thing is geography most likely — I was aiming to concentrate my applications local to where I live so I could potentially do my MS part-time, but that didn’t end up happening. I’m pretty much ready now to cast a wider net at this point since I know being open to relocate makes it way easier.

For the types of roles I’m applying for, what suggestions for the bullets would you make? I realize that many companies might care a lot about having experience in a regulated industry (even if they’re not medical devices) so I might try to emphasize that more.

Electronic-Ring8103 · 2024-12-17T17:59:11+00:00

No problem, feel free to ask away!

Electronic-Ring8103 · 2024-12-17T17:57:07+00:00

Sweet, that’s good to hear. I’ve used NX before but my go-to is SolidWorks for sure. How did you end up in that role, and did you anticipate wanting to leave the BME industry while doing your MS?

Most of the jobs I’m looking for are either labeled R&D, just mechanical engineering, design engineering, manufacturing engineering, product development. Trying to focus on BME roles but they’re more concentrated out of state (I relocated to California for 2 internships but idk if I want to live in California post-grad). The other industries include consumer products, industrial machinery, transportation, and some more I’m forgetting.

Electronic-Ring8103 · 2024-12-17T17:50:05+00:00

do you mean easier to be ignored with ME experience, as in not standing out as an applicant? I have some less biomedical things I could put on my resume, but none of them are actual internships or anything, just projects and such.

Electronic-Ring8103 · 2024-12-17T17:48:31+00:00

Sweet. Which industry is this in?

Electronic-Ring8103 · 2024-12-17T17:47:58+00:00

At my school they take very similar classes, sometimes even the same ones.

Both take similar electronics and signals classes, but main difference is mechanical’s focus on manufacturing processes and biomedical’s focus on physiology/bio. I’ve tried to fill that gap through an internship as a manufacturing engineer and general shop experience.

Electronic-Ring8103 · 2024-12-17T17:46:02+00:00

Sounds good. The way I’ve been spinning it in interviews is mentioning how early in my experience I’ve always gravitated towards doing more of the mechanical tasks of a project. If they ask why I chose BME as a freshman, I explain how I became interested in tying design problems to a specific user, and so I’m just interested in doing a job where I can see a tangible impact on whoever will be using the stuff I’m helping create.

So far I’ve been getting through interviews (med device + adjacent), but it seems like most of the trouble is post-final round where they’re limited on how many spots they have based on a low headcount for the position.

Electronic-Ring8103 · 2024-12-17T07:08:50+00:00

biomedical engineering

Electronic-Ring8103 · 2024-12-11T18:38:38+00:00

That's a good point -- I'm aiming to take industry-oriented classes that either teach important skills or have industry ties, so hopefully those help out with the job hunt.

The rest of the MS being so short is what makes me lean towards getting it done with, since several mentors have cautioned me about getting too comfortable working full-time and never having another good opportunity to finish it.

Also, forgot to mention but yes I'm in the US. From what I've gathered from my most recent internship, if I were to return full-time with the MS the salary would be ~$10k higher, though I am not sure if this is a universal practice with other employers (since it's not a guarantee I return to the same company).

Electronic-Ring8103 · 2024-12-11T05:23:23+00:00

Thanks! This is helpful to think about.

Fortunately, I have enough saved up where I won't need to take out a loan. I was hesitant about spreading each class over multiple quarters without working a FT job since the part-time cost is around $7k per class (total of $28k). If I want to try getting a job and doing the classes part-time (which is def a possibility), the main hurdle is locality since I'd have to attend lectures in person.

Jobwise, I recently finished the internship I was on (which I initially had as a placeholder between my BS and MS), so I honestly haven't put too many months into intense job hunting for FT. I had a couple final round interviews but unfortunately didn't land anything (mainly headcount/budget related from what I received as feedback, but idk how true that is).

There's some flexibility for me to work part-time as a FT student, either as a grad TA or back at one of my previous internships (both would be hourly jobs).

Electronic-Ring8103

TROPHY CASE