Careers in Mechanical Engineering

What can you do with a degree in mechanical engineering? Lots! Here are five ideas...

1. Help to make things fly

The aerospace industry needs lots of mechanical engineers. Roles include research, design and development, safety control and testing – and you may be interested to know many astronauts also start out by studying mechanical engineering.

Perfect if: You’ve always dreamed of building/flying your own spaceship or aeroplane.

More about aeronautical engineering >

2. Make the world a greener place

For those interested in environmental sustainability, mechanical engineering offers lots of scope to make a difference – from helping to design more fuel-efficient vehicles, to working on systems for generating energy from renewable sources.

Perfect if: You love being green – and want everyone else to be too!

3. Develop medical technologies

The biotechnology sector also needs lots of creative minds with a background in mechanical engineering. Here, you could be involved in helping to design artificial body parts, surgical technologies, and all kinds of equipment used in diagnosing and treating illnesses.

Perfect if: Your second-choice of subject would have been medicine. 

4. Become an inventor

Mechanical engineers are in high demand for developing and testing new products and systems – this could be anything from the latest television or kitchen appliance to a new car or a whole assembly line system. You could even be involved in developing new materials, for use in a range of industries.

Perfect if: You like the idea of telling people you invent things for a living.

5. Keep society running

Mechanical engineers play critical roles behind the scenes of many of the most essential systems in modern society – including transport, water, power and communications systems. Here again, roles are available from the research and development stage, through to construction, testing, operations management and maintenance.

Perfect if: You’re interested in systems on a large scale.

• More on mechanical engineering specializations and careers >