(Unsurprisingly, the quality standards for space travel are a little more stringent!)
First, tell us a little about your current position and how long youve been at it.
Basically, what does a manufacturing engineer like you do?
Im a manufacturing engineer in electronics manufacturing at a major government contractor within their space division.
Im no expert, but hopefully this helps anyone interested in this field.
Think LEGO instructions, but a lot more complex.
Manufacturing engineers also work floor support.
Manufacturing engineers solve the problems on the floor to keep product moving.
Manufacturing engineers program all the machinery used to work on hardware.
move nozzle here, spray here, move nozzle up to avoid knocking off parts, etc).
We also look for ways to improve processes.
Automation is king in manufacturing.
We find, research, and test/validate new machinery and equipment for the floor.
), and validating that the machine is as good as they claim.
What drove you to choose your career path?
How did you go about getting your job?
What kind of education and experience did you need?
I studied industrial engineering in college.
I had a hard time finding a job and accepted one related to software.
I had a friend who worked there so he submitted my resume.
Somehow I got the job… extremely lucky.
Connections and networking are surprisingly useful.
Did you need any licenses or certifications?
No, but if youre interested I passed myFundamentals of Engineering (FE) exam.
Not at all necessary, but Im sure that didnt hurt.
What are your average work hours?
The average work hours are anywhere from 9 to 12+.
1st shift is 6am to 3pm, which is surprisingly great.
2nd shift is 3pm to 12am.
Some companies use a third shift which is 10pm to 6am.
2nd shift and 3rd shift pay a bit more since you sacrifice your social life.
Oh and theres weekend coverage.
Manufacturing can be a grind, but you gain a ton of experience.
What do you do differently from your coworkers or peers in the same profession?
What do they do instead?
Commercial and space are wildly different fields within electronics manufacturing.
When I was in commercial we focused on quantity.
In space electronics manufacturing, everything is slower and much more deliberate.
Whats the worst part of the job and how do you deal with it?
Commercial electronics manufacturing is a tough business, especially with almost everything already moved to China.
At the small commercial company, money was tight.
I didnt always have the tools required for the job.
Requesting new equipment and tools involved a lot of red tape.
I hate red tape.
Whats the most enjoyable part of the job?
Im helping build things that go into space!
At the last job, helping the fabricators and solving problems was my favorite part.
I was tight with a lot of those guys.
They are some of the hardest working people Ive met.
What advice would you give to those aspiring to join your profession?
Question the status quo, especially if the answer is thats how weve always done it.
Look for ways to automate processes.
This interview has been edited for clarity.
