Audio Jobs with Mechanical Engineering Degree?

[penz]

I don't know if this is the right forum but... I'm currently persuing a mechanical engineering degree. Is there is any demand for mechanical engineers in the audio industry? If so, what kind of jobs are being offering? Thanks to anyone that can help!

[drBill]

I'm not sure if there is or not, but if you've got the degree, I'd suggest the highest paying field for your skills. That won't be the MI / Pro Audio industries. Then, with your fat paycheck that's double or triple what you'd make designing/engineering for MI, you can buy a nice slutty studio.

[djui5]

Why don't you build a better mic stand

[The Byre]

Mech. Eng. is one of the most interesting and exciting fields and the audio industry used to employ a host of engineers for such things as tape machines. Today the industry is going in a completely different dirrection (IT of course) .

Solving a mechanical problem is (my opinion!) just as rewarding if you come up with a new way of lubricating an electric motor if it is being used for a water pump or for a tape recorder. If you are looking for a career as a ME, water supply is a growing field and a facinating one. Talk to companies like Franklin Eleltric (Indianna and Germany) and Grundfoss (Dennmark and the US).

[CelesteB]

I went to the Audio Engineering Society conference last Fall and met many mechanical engineers that were designing mics, recording studio consoles, acoustical spaces, and monitors. Although EE was the most popular, there were still many MEs out there. To the best of my knowledge, University of Hartford is the only school that offers an ME degree with an audio emphasis so most people that want to get into ME/audio go there. If I were you, I'd probably call that department at Hartford and ask about jobs and the placement of their graduates.

ME is a great degree because it's so broad. Almost every company that produces gear needs an ME. Sometimes that means you'll be designing the equipment or processes to manufacture the gear and sometimes that means you'll be helping to design the gear itself - it all depends on the company and how they handle everything from design through manufacturing and sales.

Hope that helps,
Celeste
www.themusicalengineer.com

[Dave Peck]

Yes, there is. Pro Audio equipment manufacturers need ME work for designing sheet metal parts, machined metal parts, molded plastic components, etc. An understanding of these types of component fabrication including metal finishing (plating, painting, powder coating, silkscreening, etc), and the various properties of different plastics including UL flammability ratings etc would be a plus. You also need to be familiar with things like RoHS requirements.

DP

[djahm]

I am an ME (double-degree with Aerospace, actually) and although I do building services design for a consultant, part of my work (the more exciting part) is in room acoustics and noise/vibration control. In this part of the world though, acoustic considerations come a very distant second/third to air conditioning and swimming pool filtration. So, if you do go for an unrelated field for the cash as someone suggested, but still have an interest in audio, be aware that you might only see the inside of your home studio on Sundays...

Even if most things in audio are software-related nowadays, there will always be a need for things like speakers, ergonomic control surfaces or cases, (and mic stands that don't tip over) or anything with moving parts that needs to be designed and manufactured.

Julien