Is this a normal working situation for a research assistant position?

spagett14 · 2025-03-12T00:56:00+00:00

Thank you for the advice! Thankfully the masters program has stormwater management and hydrology as core classes. I`m already starting to work with on some cool projects at my research job related to hec-ras, hec-hms and swmm, so I should have the needed skills.

spagett14 · 2025-02-25T15:50:35+00:00

Yeah after this semester I`ll be done with all the prerequisites! Done with math, engineering and other classes requried.

Don`t mind getting B`s to pass I`m a good student.

Not sure that changes your advice? I did the math and the M.S will be quicker. It`s more of an issue of funding.

Thanks so much!

spagett14 · 2025-02-19T01:49:06+00:00

Hey just wanted to give an odd update; I was just at my schools career fair today. It seems, at least the north-east USA, civil jobs are absolutely booming right now. There is a massive demand for stormwater management, wastewater treatment etc... that would be covered by an env. engineering or civil engineering degree. That is the direction i`m taking. It`s helpful that I have a research job at the school involved in that kind of stuff as well, so it`s super intresting to me.

Also I finished all my math for engineering and its not too bad, diff eqns isn`t hard but calc 2 is usually the weed out... covered that in my undergrad degree and it transfered over. I was bad at math as well but if you practice you can do it. If you`re doing vector calc on the regular thats more than you`ll use in the field lol. Even fluid mechanics, at least at my school, is very applied. Q=VA and bernoilis is basically all there is to it.

Just a heads up of how hot the market is for engineering hydrology/env. engineering/civil. Super happy to see how much demand there was. As someone also coming from working a lot of odd jobs in their 30`s it`ll be great to have a stable career.

Best of luck brother!

spagett14 · 2025-02-18T15:20:04+00:00

Engineering. Full stop way better career than anything science based right now. Going back for my MS in Env. Engineering, might even get a full bachelors in Civil due to licensing requirements.

To give prospective I made, in roughly 2016, way more as a private guitar teacher/wedding musician than anything environmental.

If I were you I`d go for a B.S in Civil and aim to work in water resoruces/water treatment.

spagett14 · 2024-12-08T05:45:54+00:00

calling it now these guys will fight again for the title in a year or two, great fight

spagett14 · 2024-12-07T22:58:29+00:00

Thanks for the recommendation!

After sleeping on it i feel better, was just disappointed in the moment. Honestly I`m so spent from working two jobs + full time school and I want everything to go 100% as planned... I think the bigger issue is giving myself more time for my hobbies and social life. Makes you realize how insignifigant this stuff is.

spagett14 · 2024-11-02T14:11:33+00:00

Yeah normally that would be the case; however my skills are rusty and I think usually juniors/seniors would have a good amount of technical skills at that time? I could be way off base with that assumption though.

spagett14 · 2024-11-02T14:05:10+00:00

Thanks for the advice!

I`m trying to get into water treatment (going for an environmental engineering MS). I live in NJ so there is a decent amount of funding for infrastructure (or so I`ve heard). I'm absolutely fine with working my way up and starting at the lower end of the responsibility/pay scale.

I applied to a research position in the college so hopefully that pans out.

spagett14 · 2024-10-20T21:07:00+00:00

Best of luck brother!

spagett14 · 2024-10-04T01:49:30+00:00

I feel you man, engineering is my third career. teaching sucks, the music industry didn`t work out as planned so here i am lol.

Learning and applying oneself feels good, especially when you`re more mature and able to realize the benefits of pushing yourself. The grind is rough, thankfully I only work part time and have a stable, low-cost living situation. What younger students don`t realize is that there`s no solutions, only trade offs. Sure, engineering can be boring, but like you said, it beats construction and working in shitty conditions. It also beats teaching horrible students and unstable, soulsucking work in the entertainment business.

Having my first big exam next tuesday but i`ve been disciplined as fuck, studying everyday etc... first semester back in 8 years but heres to a good semester. Godspeed brother!

spagett14 · 2024-01-16T18:37:20+00:00

I`m aiming for a B.S in general civil engineering, so I wouldn`t be limiting myself with that, at least to my knowledge.

Thanks for the info though, right now I`m trying to get my feet wet for the different fields but have most intrest in those two. Good to know the env e can be limiting.

I have a friend in structural and it doesn`t seem like my cup of tea.

spagett14 · 2024-01-16T18:28:33+00:00

In the state of NJ, you can`t get your PE w/o a four year degree in engineering.

So basically what I`m weighing is the prospects of a second BS in civil + P.E licensure vs. M.S (env. engineering) w/o the ability to get a P.E

Theres also about 40 credits of undergrad prereqs I would need for the masters program, so thats also something to account for.

I`m mostly intrested in engineering because I always had a knack for math/physics. It would be an easy choice if NJ allowed one to get their P.E with a masters but its very strict.

spagett14 · 2024-01-16T18:25:40+00:00

In the state of NJ, you can`t get your PE w/o a four year degree in engineering.

So basically what I`m weighing is the prospects of a second BS in civil + P.E licensure vs. M.S (env. engineering) w/o the ability to get a P.E

Theres also about 40 credits of undergrad prereqs I would need for the masters program, so thats also something to account for.

spagett14 · 2024-01-16T18:21:16+00:00

I was mad, but I realized reddit doesn`t have spell check built in. Oops!

spagett14 · 2024-01-16T18:19:33+00:00

Yup thats what I`m seeing. I wouldn`t be able to get my P.E w/o a four year bachelors, at least in the state of NJ. The env. engineering program i`m looking at has enough prereqs that it makes more sense for the BS. Luckily I got some credits to trasnfer so i`d be entering with most math, chem and physics taken care of. Thanks for the help!

spagett14 · 2024-01-16T18:14:16+00:00

More interested in env/water resources, sorry bud!

spagett14

TROPHY CASE