By: Bobby Cubba

Design Engineer Description A design engineer develop new products and ideas for existing products. They also create new systems to make products. There ideas are used to improve current products.

Characteristics -In this career I care about creating great products associated with brands I enjoy. -Tasks in this career are pretty free and creative by trying new ideas and testing them out each day. This is also a low pressure job. - I would be working with only a few other people and may have occasional meetings with clients. - The working environment would be an office setting. - Long hours at hours a week Monday to Friday. - You will have to be proficient in math and creative. - You will need a bachelors degree in engineering. - $60,000 is the average salary while benefits vary. - As you progress to a senior design engineer after proving yourself in the industry you can make up to $75,000 a year. - This job may be international depending on your company and level in the industry.

Lifestyle As a design engineer you would have to work long hours though with relatively flexible hours. Though the pay is a bit low at a $60,000 average salary. I probably wouldn’t be living in the nicest city or town but in a lower end house. This would not meet my lifestyle goals.

Location Locations for a design engineer to work is not limited to a point where I would have to move out of state unless I wanted to. This career is pretty much any where. Where you work depends on what you design and what company you work for.

Career Cluster Design engineer falls under the clusters of scientific research and engineering, manufacturing, and information engineer.

F1 Mechanic Description An F1 mechanic builds the formula 1 car the exact way the engineer who designed the car would want it to be built. They are also the guys in the helmet and overalls at each race, waiting in the pit stop to change the oil and wheels. They must be able to change the wheels in under 3 seconds as well.

Characteristics - In this career I would care about being involved with the sport and the excitement. - The tasks would be stripping down and rebuilding the team car back exactly and working in the pit during races. Also you need to be able to handle extreme pressure. - I would be working with people as in my other pit crew members, engineers, and team racer. The data I would work with would be the measurements of the car and hardware. - The work environment would be in the pit at the track and the team garage. - The working hours vary on what racing events your team goes to. Though when at a grand prix expect to work all day and a long night for a straight week. Also be ready for 24 hour days on setup weekends because they are pretty regular. - You need the ability to make things work or the ability to fix them fast and right on the spot. - You don’t need any special qualifications except for experience. Though most engineers and mechanics have simple mechanic and or aeronautical engineering degrees. - The salary starts off low at $26,000 to $38,000 but as you move up the ranks in a few years you could be making $80,000 to $100,000. Even after that if you get into a more mainstream team you could make up to $1,000,000.

Lifestyle The salary starts off low but may raise this would be a great job straight after college for the experience. The hours are extreme and basically take over your life with 24 hour days at every grand prix your team attends. I wouldn’t make this my permanent job but wouldn’t mind it for like 3-5 years. The experience would help me get similar jobs but without the extreme commitment.

Location This jobs location depends on which team you join. With there only being one American team located in North Carolina odds are I would have to move to Europe for a while. Either way I would have to travel to Europe for most events anyway. This job is not located anywhere.

Career Cluster The career cluster that a f1 mechanic falls under is transportation, distribution, and logistics.