Mechanical engineers apply the principles of motion, energy, and force to create mechanical solutions to technological problems, thereby realizing devices and systems that make life better. About one-fifth of all engineers practicing today are mechanical engineers. Their skills are used in research, development, design, testing, production, technical sales, technical management, as well as medicine, law, and business. Mechanical engineers are characterized by personal creativity, breadth of knowledge, and versatility. For these reasons they are found to function and thrive as valuable members and leaders of multidisciplinary teams. Mechanical engineers are employed in a wide range of industries; examples include agricultural/heavy equipment, biomedical, consulting, energy and power, manufacturing, product design and transportation.
Check out Career Cornerstone Center, an online resource that explores ME career planning resources.
Agriculture
Companies: Cargill, John Deere, Vermeer
Relevant Courses: ME 413, ME 414, EM 425, EM 544, TSM 335, AE 342, Other relevant courses can be found at the Tech Elective lists under “Agricultural Engineering”
Biomedical
Companies: Boston Scientific, CIMA Labs, Stryker
Relevant Courses: Chem 331, Chem 331L, Chem 332, Chem 332L; Other relevant courses can be found under courses for a minor in Non-Destructive Evaluation
Computer-Aided Design
Companies: Algor, Parametric Technology, Solid Edge, Solidworks
Relevant Courses: ME 415, ME 417, ME 419, ME 475, ME 625, EM 425
Relevant Topics to Computer Aided Design:
Rapid Prototyping
The skill of solid modeling is required in rapid prototyping. Do you know who on the ME faculty is an expert in solid modeling and various applications of solid modeling?
What is virtual reality?
Finite Element Analysis is widely used in industry. To learn more about FEA follow these links and take EM 425 in the Spring term.
Algor, ANSYS, CosmosWorks, IDEAS, Nastran
Construction and Heavy Equipment
Companies: Altec, Bobcat, Caterpillar, EFCO Corp, Kiewit
Relevant Courses: ME 414, ME 449, ME 549, EM 425, TSM 335, AE 342
“How Caterpillar Skid Steer Loaders Work”
Consulting
Companies: Accenture, Bibb and Associates Inc., Burns & McDonnell, KJWW, Stanley Consultants, Trinity Consultants
Relevant Courses: Con E 380, ME 412, ME 441, ME 442, ME 466
If you would like to open your own consulting firm, you will need to acquire a P.E. license. The very first step in getting a P.E. license is passing the Fundamentals of Engineering exam.
Controls
Companies: Emerson Process Management-Fisher Controls International LLC, GARMIN International Inc.,Rockwell Collins, Sauer-Danfoss
Relevant Courses: ME 411, ME 413, ME 414, ME 511, ME 574, ME 575; EE 475; Cpr E 308
What is control theory?
People interested in dynamic stability, robotics, avionics, or correcting mechanical error should consider courses involving control theory.
Professors Kelkar, Luecke, and Zou are experts in the area of control theory.
Professor Bernard is an expert in dynamic stability and teaches ME 549.
What is a dynamical system?
Dr. Bernard discusses this dynamical system in ME 549.
Energy
Companies: Alliant Energy, Black & Veatch, Burns & McDonnell,Halliburton, MidAmerican Energy, Omaha Public Power District,Schlumberger Technology Corporation
Relevant Courses: ME 433, ME 443, ME 444, ME 446, ME 475, ME 484, ME 530, ME 540; Any Biorenewable Resources Technology (BRT) courses
What is Biomass?
Who on the ME faculty is an expert in biomass research?
Professor Ron Nelson is the faculty advisor for PrISUm.
What Professor on the ME faculty is an expert at modeling thermal phenomena using Virtual Reality?
In ME 433 – Alternative Energy Conversion, you will learn about alternatives such as geothermal resources, wind energy, and other alternative energies.
Professor Ted Heindel is an expert in the area of multiphase flow.
Environmental
Companies: Black & Veatch, BP, Exxon, Shell
Relevant Courses: ME 433, ME 484; Con E 380; Any Biorenewable Resources Technology (BRT) courses; Any 300-400 level Environmental Science (EnSci) courses
Government
- Military/Defense
- Companies: ATK Thiolok, CIA, Puget Sound Naval Shipyard
- Public Policy
- Companies: Dept. of Energy, Nuclear Regulatory Commission, U.S. Dept. of Transportation
- Relevant Courses: ME 466, ME 484, ME 486x; Con E 380
- Space
- Companies: NASA
- Relevant courses can be found at the Tech Elective lists
Interested in Public Policy?
Graduate Schools in Mechanical Engineering
- Iowa State University
- M.I.T.
- Stanford University-CA
- Georgia Tech
- University of llinois-Urbana
- University of Michigan
- University of California-Berkeley
- Purdue
Do you know who the Director of Graduate Education is for the Mechanical Engineering Dept?
What is the GRE?
Are you considering a career as an engineering professor?
Heating, Cooling, and Refrigeration
Companies: Amana, Carrier, Lennox, Maytag, Trane
Relevant Courses: ME 441, ME 442
American Society of Heating Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE)
What is the name of the ME faculty member that teaches both HVAC elective courses?
Law Schools
- Columbia University-NY
- University of Chicago
- Drake University
- Harvard
- University of Iowa
- Stanford University-CA
- Yale
Relevant Courses: ME 412; Con E 380
Patent Law
Manufacturing
Companies: 3M, Alcoa, Andersen Corporation, Anheuser-Busch Companies, Inc., General Mills, Novellus Corporation, Pella Corporation, Rhodia, Inc.
Relevant Courses: ME 418, ME 466, ME 520, ME 521, ME 528; EM 362, EM 362L; IE 348, IE 361, IE 419, IE 439, IE 448, IE 545X
Society of Manufacturing Engineers (SME)
Who is the ME faculty member with an expertise in tribology?
Professor Chandra is interested in nano-scale fabrication.
Mechatronics and Robotics
Companies: Goodrich Corp, Micron Technology, Genesis Systems Group
Relevant Courses: ME 410, ME 411, ME 418, ME 511; TSM 465
Do you know what a neural net is?
What is mechatronics?
Professor Luecke teaches ME 410
Medical Schools
- Des Moines University
- Duke University
- Harvard
- University of Iowa
- Johns Hopkins
- Washington University in St. Louis
- University of Washington
Do you see applications of mechanical engineering at this web site?
MEMs/Nanotechnology
Companies: BinOptics, Bioscale, Boston Scientific, SRI International, Zyvex Corporation
Relevant Courses: ME 528
What is nanotechnology?
What are MEMs?
Want to see some MEMs in action?
Professors Olsen, Shrotriya, and Sundararajan are experts in MEMs and nanotechnology.
Nano Science and Technology Institute
“How Nanotechnology Will Work”
Sales
Companies: Caterpillar, Timken, Trane
Relevant Courses: IE 305; MIS 330; OSCM 320
What do you need to know to be a sales engineer?
“Successful candidates will possess a bachelor’s degree in mechanical or industrial engineering or technical degree and two years of engineering experience. Sales and/or Marketing experience preferred. An expert in market knowledge and competitors is desirable. Must be computer literate. Excellent interpersonal communication and presentation skills required.”
Transportation
- Aircraft
- Companies: Boeing, General Electric,Lockheed Martin, Rolls-Royce, Woodward
- Automotive
- Motorcycles/Recreation Vehicles
- Companies: Harley-Davidson, Mercury Marine, Polaris, CF Moto USA
- Railroads
- Companies: Burlington Northern, Union Pacific
- Relevant Courses for the above Transportation areas:
- ME 417, ME 449, ME 549; EM 425, EM 544; TSM 335; A E 342
- Any courses for a minor in Non-Destructive Evaluation
- Other relevant courses for Aircraft can be found at the Tech Elective lists
Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE)
What is Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD)?
NASA needs experts that understand CFD.
Professor Subranamian has expertise in the area of CFD.
Relevant courses for any engineering area
ME 425, ME 443, ME 466, ME 484; EM 425; IE 305; any courses for a minor in Non-Destructive Evaluation
Professor Elliot Winer is an expert in the area of optimization; he teaches ME 425.