If you can get a job at a worldwide software company and then do a placement in the US you'll have a much higher chance of getting a visa. Maybe search github for some open source projects dealing with mechanical topics (something like robotic movement or control systems or CNC). That was two years ago and it's been one of the best decisions of my life. The Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science jointly offers a Master of Engineering in Computer Science and Molecular Biology (6-7P) with the Department of Biology (Course 7). It is 100% do-able for you to switch in. If you really throw yourself into this, you should be doing a lot of hard work, the kind of work a professional programmer does every day. Computer Science offers a full range of courses in both theory and application, with emphasis on programming languages, software design and engineering, and systems programming. I did almost the exact same path. All of this is assuming that you legally can get a job the US. This is why it is important that as a technical computer scientist you are good at working together with experts from other fields: from electrical engineers, business information technologists and mechanical engineers to physicians, psychologists or public administration experts. 4) Once a company takes a chance on you, seize it and run like crazy. I'm a 27 year old and my B.S. If not from Canada or Australia, then unless you get into school in the US and get your OPT, or unless you join a U.S. based company that you can internally transfer, your chances are slim. I have an MSc in Robotics and even though I would like to work for iRobot and other Robotics startups in the US, there is a very slim chance because the visa restrictions make shopping for a job debilitating. As a community of scholars, it will: 1. I just finished my first year in university for Mechanical Engineering, and I'm going to add Computer Science. If you are good with python and care about good code then it should be no problem to switch. If you can build a simple web app that does something and it can be simple and put it out there on a real site then you will have no problem getting a job. The languages are cool, but there's so much more value to being able to build complete-loop products, and I think any engineering mindsets are a great start for working with creating digital products (programming). It is primarily concerned with the programming side of computers as well as computational theory, numerical analysis, etc. On the bright side, it's a very diverse place with tons of stuff to do, great weather, smart people and is easily one of the best places in the US (IMO anyway). Having worked in Boston for a few years before moving to the bay area, I can confirm that Boston has numerous software+hardware/robotics startups. I did this, and played up my ability to analyze real world situations when applying for a quant modeling job. I have a BS in Mechanical Engineering and fell in love with coding after having to write some pretty basic VB macros in Excel. While I got my degree I too learned Matlab as well as C. I wrote my masters thesis on a controlled mechanism for the breakup of microdroplets in a bidisperse emulsion. Apply to Computer Engineer, Engineer, Entry Level Engineer and more! My post I guess is to ask if this is how CS is? You have six months, so you can't be too ambitious on the size of your projects. So I’m missing out on advancing my design skills, and I’m dependent on they actually draw what I request of them. They pay very well. Might I also mention that things are rarely drawn correctly the first time due to designers not having much engineering intuition (things like absence of draft on molded parts). (It was from a reference.) A lot of my lab work was empirical modeling, so transitioning from student to my current job wasn't difficult. Just keep practicing (hint, read "How to crack the coding interview"), and you should be fine. I have a BS in ME and worked ME jobs for about 11 years. I can hold myself to dates better than I can hold to any outside group. I did c++/matlab/java in college for lab work and classes. I have been doing programming jobs now for the last 17 years and have enjoyed it. Some possible pathways - look for a job that is at the intersection of mechanical engineering & computer science. Eight months after graduating and working in industry, I came to the same conclusion as you: that I preferred writing code to working in the mechanical world. There are a lot of companies here in the D.C. area who need programmers with domain expertise in mechanical, aerospace, and electrical engineering. To be honest, I do more wireframing now than anything else (I'm also lucky enough to now have a team that is much better at designing or programming than I am). Thanks :) After reading the comments, indeed, I will be considering this possibility. It is not really what motivates me, but it is worth informing myself before discarding it. Simulation modeling is where I learned how much I really enjoyed programming but had also been writing some statistical analysis programs for QA on the side. The “rise of the robots” is an important topic in the future of labor and … Pro-Mech Minds & Engineering Services is one of the companies in Nepal working with both mechanical and IT solutions in engineering. The new major is designed to train students to become the unseen game-makers behind virtual markets. One difference is that computer science focuses more on the digital aspect of design and development while mechanical engineeringfocuses on the physical construction of the tools and techniques. What really affects me the most is feeling like I’m not gaining any real skills due to that fact that there is always some other group that has responsibilities for those things. This idea popped as an attempt to combine design engineering with Data Science. This way you can use your training in mechanics while still programming. is not always directly applicable. The methodical persistence and attention to detail that companies associate with a PhD is an asset for these types of positions. The book progresses from smaller details (like code formatting style) to very large concepts, gets very deep towards the end, so don't be afraid if you get lost a third of the way in. They are usually in the oil / defense industries. What jobs exist for a Mechanical Engineering/Computer Science double major, and what kind of salary could I expect? Potential employers see "software engineer" and "PhD" on your resume and don't care that it's an ME degree. And once you're in a company as a productive ME, you can reach out to your software colleagues and see if you can help & learn. What language you choose depends on what field you want to get into, specially. Companies of this type (which aren't "software companies" by the usual definition, but which have software as a major competitive advantage/requirement) have trouble finding people with the right background. I fantasize about having a task I am solely responsible for and delivering on that task. In Mechanical Engineering, Materials Science Engineering, or Renewable and Clean Energy. I struggled to find the time to learn/build while working full time so I decided to fully dedicate 3 months via Hack Reactor. in Mechanical Engineering or Materials Science and Engineering and an M.S. The Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering degree program is a carefully designed blend of classroom instruction, hands-on experimentation, and self-study. Welcome Mechanical Engineering integrates in-depth knowledge of core areas in mechanical engineering such as mechanics, thermal science, materials and manufacturing, control systems, and product design and development with advanced study in computing and physical sciences. in Finance. Thanks for the very encouraging answers. My college used to say "mechanical engineering is the liberal arts of engineering". Also, a few years down the road, the relevant experience you have will weight orders of magnitude more than your degree or PhD. I have learned OpenMP, MPI and Cuda (though, I don't consider myself very experienced in them) and I have taken an introduction course in algorithms. Engineers in this discipline apply the principles of the thermal and fluid sciences to power systems that include electric generators, internal combustion engines, and steam and gas turbines. You need to get work authorization which is very hard and most U.S. employers won't hire someone outside of the US except in the above situations. I have been tempted for quite some time by the idea of trying to get a job in the US and work as a programmer. I had a blast in Mechanical Engineering, both on my co-op terms and in my classes. We finally hired a CS PhD years in to do AI stuff. Moving to US seems a bit harder, but I wouldn't mind if I achieve this in the long term. Silicon Valley has plenty of robotics companies and other companies that make "real stuff" who need mechanical engineers. Most of my coworkers were EEs. Computer science is the study of algorithmic processes and computational machines. I ask because it's probably easier for you to get a job as an ME (mechanical engineer) than a software engineer, given your background. Btw, scottndecker, did you go to Rose-Hulman for undergrad? Don't be swayed by what you see and read in the media. One of the broadest of engineering disciplines, mechanical engineering comprises designing, developing, and manufacturing engines, machines, and countless other mechanical devices and products. Also given my degree and skill set I'm assuming that the advice of the sub would be to get another B.S.? I ended up making Mechanical Engineering (UW Co-op) my first choice, followed by Computer Science (a math degree at UW). I grew up hacking, and chose to do mechanical engineering because I felt I wouldn't learn enough new stuff in a CS program. but most of my day to day work is software development, testing, analysis, etc in the aviation industry. Computer Engineering (BS) — Focused on the design and construction of computers and computer-based systems, with a strong basis in computer science, digital electronics, and engineering. My route was a little different.. for acting as a mentor for our Data Science team. I only had Matlab and Fortran experience of all things out of school. Do the difficult technical stuff, aim for the "non-low-hanging-fruit" and you will make tons of money, esp. Robotic Design and Development at Taylor's is a multi-disciplinary programme combining mechanical engineering, electrical & electronics and computer science. I have an MS in Mechanical Engineering from an Ivy League university. Last but not the least I would like to offer my special thanks to Saugat K.C. I am a 27 years old PhD in computational mechanics (finite element method, elasticity ...) who should be graduating in around 6 months. I went into a software job doing simulations. Mechanical & Materials Engineering Welcome to the Department of Mechanical & Materials Engineering (MME) at the University of Denver. This program is modeled on the 6-P program, but provides additional depth in computational biology through coursework and a substantial thesis. For the actual design of the bracket, I have to write a work order to have our unionized designers draw the bracket. When I wanted to get back into software I worked on a sideproject for about 6 months, and used that as an example of my skills when I interviewing. Also, my gut feeling is that the PhD will carry relatively more weight here and that the lack of CS degree will carry relatively less. Right after graduation I started working for a large automaker in the US, and in that time I’ve grown really disdainful of the role of engineers in this industry. > Also, a few years down the road, the relevant experience you have will weight orders of magnitude more than your degree or PhD. The OP is perfectly positioned to bridge the gap between the two. Ask HN: Mechanical engineer that wants to work in the programming field. and M.S.) Some possible pathways - look for a job that is at the intersection of mechanical engineering & computer science. I'm a mechanical engineer by training (B.S. b) Most CS majors don't understand the mechanics. Maybe target three interesting projects that demonstrate the skills you're interested in, each set to take two months of your time. I graduated with a mechanical engineering degree in May 2014, and am seriously considering making a career change to CS. Computer engineering bleeds into electrical engineering a little, but its main focus is to design and integrate computer systems, combining the worlds of hardware and software components. One issue is that the academic advisers and the seniors/juniors are split on how useful a computer science minor would be if combined with a mechanical engineering degree. Unless you want to do web development, you shouldn't try to sell yourself as "just a programmer." Thanks. Up to 12 semester credit hours of 6000/7000-level courses may be double-counted and applied toward both degrees. Engineering Major—Mechanical Concentration, Bachelor of Science Degree. College is highly valuable, but all of college C.S. I would be very honest with yourself whether living in the US on the West Coast is your dream or being a programmer is your dream. The shift can be a very natural one, but web and mobile are where you should probably be focused. 7,997 Mechanical Engineering Computer Science jobs available on Indeed.com. Improve Products and Processes with Engineering Principles. However I've found that in the bay area hardly anyone is interested in robotics, and the ones that are only seem to only be working with drones (mostly quadcopters and the like, which don't seem practical for many of the proposed use cases). The Boston area has TONS of other companies who do hardware + software too. Edit: Since some people have asked, right now I am in UK and I have an EU passport. Maybe first travel to the West Coast on a vacation or something to get a feel for what it's actually like. Manufacture of mechanical systems and/or circuit boards. Find people who care about that rather than the programming languages you know. As engineers you and I are very good at solving problems. Can you get a job as a mechanical engineer somewhere that would allow you to move into programming at the same company? Mechanical Engineering Recent Grad Considering Switch Into Computer Science. If you have any knowledge of sensors, statistics, or signal processing, you'll probably be an instant hire for this type of company. I think MechE helped. 2. And because I’m always relying on these groups it feels like my ‘work’ is dependent on the work of others. Read "Clean Code" by Robert C Martin. It would obviously stink to have to pay for undergrad again, but I would do what I have to. Email Website 615-343-7219 104 Olin Hall VU Mailbox: PMB 351592, Nashville, TN 37235-1592 USA It is designed to equip students with a sound understanding of fundamental theories and concepts in Robotics technology. Start building things now. Work in High-Performance Computing [1], whether at a research lab, an HPC manufacturer, or even a big company like Intel, or at an independent software vendor like MSC, ANSYS, LS-Dyna, Cd-adapco, Mathworks, etc. Conducts basic and applied research in engineering, computer science and related interdisciplinary areas; 3. Today, the department features innovative undergraduate and graduate programs and world-class research centers and labs, combining theory with practice at the nexus of computer and electrical engineering, for our students to learn, develop, and lead lives of impact. This is really driving me insane. Engineering Science is an interdisciplinary major that allows students to acquire a strong base in mathematics, the physical sciences, and engineering fundamentals while pursuing a broad background in other areas of interest in preparation for specialized careers or graduate studies. Just leave it and come back to it as you gain experience. After six months of that, I think you'll be well-positioned for a programming interview, and you'll have some nice projects on Github that will demonstrate your capabilities. Traditional engineers who can't program don't fill the role, and neither do most CS grads who don't have the engineering knowledge to work with the hardware. If you can handle continuing to work in Engineering there must be a lot of options involving coding. Technical Computer Science plays a key role in more and more societal, scientific and technical domains. It's also worth mentioning that my favorite projects in undergrad were writing code to solve some kind of engineering problem (largely in MATLAB, a little Python). The last big one is as a new design is being integrated, if there needs to be changes to adjacent components for packaging reasons, I have to be working with the other component owners on getting them aligned and updating their parts in a way that makes everything engineering feasible. Success Stories You are also a prime candidate for a bootcamp type program. Instead, leverage your background. By having skills in both mechanics and programming, you can be an extremely valuable asset to companies that make high-performance computational mechanics software. Accredited by EAC-ABET. These are two separate things and are not necessarily related. I'd stay up late at night and on weekends pouring over examples and hacking stuff together. At year 12, I was able to jump to the Information Systems side to write B2B code for outsourcing of manufacturing. The mechanical engineering field requires an understanding of core areas including mechanics, dynamics, thermodynamics, materials science, structural analysis, and electricity.In addition to these core principles, mechanical engineers use tools such as computer-aided design (CAD), computer-aided manufacturing (CAM), and product lifecycle management to design and analyze manufacturing … This is why CS sounds better suited for me. Ph.D., Mechanical Engineering and Applied Mechanics University of Pennsylvania. I think my undergrad in mechE had a huge impact on where I am now -- (1) from how I think and (2) from how much "programmers" or non-programmers respect engineers, or anyone technical, in today's digital world. The exceptions would be cases where academic CS knowledge is required. See also Electrical. They exist but not nearly as frequently as Silicon Valley would have anybody believe. It may take a while and sometimes you might have to work as a ME for a bit. There are companies that write simulation programs, it's harder to find people that understand the engineering math than it is to find people that can write code. The thing that I love about the web development space especially is that no one cares what your degree as they only care about your experience and knowledge. Provides service to the engineering and computer science professions, to the State of Florida, to the nation and to the community at large. Everybody says that they're a good combination, but I can't figure out what kind of career I'd with using both degrees. Aerospace engineering programs or other engineering programs combining aeronautical engineering and astronautical engineering, must prepare graduates to have knowledge covering one of the areas—aeronautical engineering or astronautical engineering as described above—and, in addition, knowledge of some topics from the area not emphasized. Mechanical Engineering Recent Grad Considering Switch Into Computer Science I asked this in an engineering thread, but wanted to hear from the CS community. Once again relying on an outside resource for work I am responsible for. If you want to take part in an opportunity/make a shift, (your) value has to meet (market) opportunity. Your Matlab & Python experience will show that you can do both quick prototyping and heavy analysis, while your C++ experience and interest in Cuda, etc will show that you care about performant software and don't mind thinking about the actual hardware your code runs on. 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