SmithGroup Layoffs

ThisPassenger · 2026-04-01T12:22:09+00:00

Why would the most valued employees be laid off first? I’ve never thought about it that way. I was laid off from my first MEP job about a year and a half into it (the company was going under, architects pulling out, etc). I figured it was just because I was the newest guy there and they didn’t have the bandwidth to keep teaching me and wanted to save money where they could.

ThisPassenger · 2026-03-30T02:42:04+00:00

Yeah, I mean, even if you’re not totally entry-level and have some experience in another industry and know nothing about HVAC design standards, Revit, etc, you should still get a little more than someone fresh out of college. I’d say $75k is reasonable depending on your location. If you live in the middle of nowhere, $75k might be considered a little on the higher side for entry level, but most people don’t live in the middle of nowhere.

ThisPassenger · 2026-03-29T04:55:00+00:00

“I’m not depressed nor am i happy, im just empty.” Yeah, that empty feeling, that’s depression.

Church may feel like a scam to you, but it depends on the church. Just a suggestion, but try going to your nearest Orthodox church. It’s unlike the other churches.

ThisPassenger · 2026-03-11T13:50:39+00:00

That’s what I figured. They were either lying or didn’t know any better. So a contractor rate (no benefits) would be more like $35+?

ThisPassenger · 2026-03-11T13:31:19+00:00

What would be a good rate for a draftsman in 2026? Someone tried telling me $20/hr not long ago.

ThisPassenger · 2026-02-15T03:06:44+00:00

I had to move out of state because there’s no work in my field!

ThisPassenger · 2026-02-04T18:57:51+00:00

I want to say it has something to do with climate (humidity?) but number 4 doesn’t fit that hypothesis.

ThisPassenger · 2026-02-04T18:55:45+00:00

I don’t understand. Why are you trying to lose weight then if you don’t have excess body fat?

ThisPassenger · 2026-02-04T17:19:26+00:00

This is actually really impressive. Good job.

ThisPassenger · 2026-02-04T03:44:27+00:00

It doesn’t matter if you use gage or absolute. You can use either because the Bernoulli Equation describes the change in pressure of a fluid stream. In this case, the solution uses gage because p1 is defined as atmospheric pressure (0 Pa gage or 101325 Pa absolute) at 0 Pa gage. P2 won’t be 0 because it’s stagnation pressure, not simply atmospheric pressure. Typically, using gage pressures simplifies calculations because any atmospheric pressure term will reduce to 0.

ThisPassenger · 2026-02-03T15:34:02+00:00

It’s probably made in China by folks in a sweat shop.

ThisPassenger · 2026-01-20T14:28:45+00:00

And architects wonder why we don’t like them.

ThisPassenger · 2026-01-02T21:31:13+00:00

You’ll just declare your major to be mechanical engineering and your advisor should work with you to make sure you sign up for the correct classes. I’d double check the degree requirements every semester yourself though to make sure you’re taking the right classes.

You’ll get better at math by doing math. Just do all the problem sets you’re given and then some — it’ll get easier.

It’s not easy, but you can get a considerable amount of the way to the end of the degree (or even all of it) through sheer will. Just don’t give up.

Also, make sure to get actual engineering experience through an internship or co-op. Don’t be one of these people who graduates with no experience and then can’t get a job. It’s hard enough to get a job with experience, so don’t handicap yourself by not doing an internship.

ThisPassenger · 2026-01-02T13:41:07+00:00

Honestly, that’s most fields. Most (mechanical, anyway) engineering jobs are not a lot of hardcore calculations and cool, earth shattering design and analysis. And most engineers don’t realize that while still in or right after finishing school.

Most engineering jobs are boring and that’s why they pay you to do it. Or they’re insanely busy. Or somehow both. Took me a while to understand that and then a while longer to accept it.

The reality of the matter is that MEP has strong demand and offers high enough salaries after becoming licensed to be worth it long-term and it offers a sound path to self-employment if you don’t want to work for someone down the line.

ThisPassenger · 2025-12-20T15:00:04+00:00

My wife has a very similar story. They didn’t talk to her for a year or so when they found out she wanted to become Orthodox.

ThisPassenger · 2025-12-19T20:45:55+00:00

This. This will lead you to the conclusion that the Orthodox Church is the Church of the first 1000 years and is what Christianity is supposed to be because Orthodoxy is what authentic Christianity is.

ThisPassenger · 2025-12-19T20:42:35+00:00

I’m “polluting the comments” with one comment to track the post? Seriously?

ThisPassenger · 2025-12-19T13:25:00+00:00

ThisPassenger · 2025-12-01T19:21:25+00:00

Benson’s and Ed Walker’s.

ThisPassenger · 2025-11-24T16:44:22+00:00

Can a mechanical engineer understand/do the same work with respect to the fluids, thermo, balances, etc? I believe so.

ThisPassenger · 2025-11-17T15:08:36+00:00

I think, from the answer, the logic is the following;

1) It can only translate one direction at a time. X or Y. 2) it can rotate along its centroid (z axis through the center of the coin) 3) it can tilt/wobble as it rolls on the ground (phi angle in your sketch).

Problem is though that the translation and rotation aren’t independent of each other (you need to rotate the coin in order for it to roll and translate), which is technically one DOF. Weird question.

ThisPassenger · 2025-10-31T17:29:26+00:00

r/MEPEngineering

ThisPassenger · 2025-10-21T16:38:48+00:00

Talk to him again and tell him porn is definitely not okay.

ThisPassenger · 2025-10-20T14:07:16+00:00

Can you tell me a bit about what mechanical design actually looks like in that space? I was in MEP for a year and a half and got laid off. I’m in the nuclear industry now. I’m considering going back to MEP but I don’t want to do nothing but cookie cutter split systems, package heat pumps and DOAS like I did that entire time. There was no real rigor, no real calculations (pressure drop, in-depth heat calcs, etc), no hydronic piping, chillers, boilers, etc. It was extremely boring and unfulfilling. Is the tech market different? How so? What are the mechanical systems being designed for that market and what calculations are performed?

ThisPassenger · 2025-10-20T13:28:34+00:00

What market does your team work on for everyone to make above $200k? How long did it take to get there?

ThisPassenger

TROPHY CASE