“Don’t say yes!” says engineers from Whirlpool, ASDL and Loughborough University.
Last month, NAFEMS’ Women in Simulation Engineering Subcommittee gathered a panel of experts to ask them the question: “How can engineers harness a diverse number of career opportunities in simulation.” The panel, consisting of Marcelo Miknasi, Product Development and Engineering director at Whirlpool; Olivia Pinon-Fisher, principal research engineer-chief of the Digital Engineering Division at Aerospace Systems Design Laboratory; and Carmen Torres-Sánchez, professor of Multifunctional Materials Manufacturing at Loughborough University, drew on their personal experiences to help future generations guide their career paths.
Simulation is Used Broadly, So Find Places to Learn and People That Can Teach
Pinon-Fisher noted that simulation engineers have a clear advantage over others in the engineering field as a CAE background is important to many industries, “from building design to chip design.” As a result, there are a lot of opportunities for engineers to find something where they “have fun—you’re spending 10 hours a day there.”
She added that this would require simulation engineers to trust in the job search process and be picky about what they want to do. For instance, Pinon-Fisher suggested that simulation engineers find jobs where they can stay curious, be a lifelong learner, grow and benefit from cherished mentors and support networks. She also noted that it’s important to find those you can mentor, to “take the torch and pass it onto others.”
Miknasi agreed with the importance of finding good mentors. “Part of the process is asking what you need a mentor for. Some people need help to understand what they want to learn. It’s a relationship that has trust. Sometimes it doesn’t last, they are your mentor for a year, and some may last a whole career. Find the best people to help you.”
As for places to look for a good mentor, Pinon-Fisher suggested asking professors and professionals that frequent school and career mentorship programs. “Conferences are a great venue to meet new people and mentors,” she added. “Technical committees are a good place [too].”
Simulation Will be Needed So Go with the Flow of Technology
Torres-Sánchez is a proponent of exploring different career paths. She herself went from the business sector to academia and now runs a multidisciplinary team working on silicon analysis. She notes that “life happens while you’re making plans,” so you will have to navigate the flows of the world, life and technology during your career.
As evidence, she pointed to the World Economic Forum’s 2017 notion that the half-life of a professional skill was only five years due to the unprecedented pace of tech advancements. This can be a negative if you want to stay in one place or do one thing. But for those looking to explore simulation jobs that don’t even exist yet, this rate of change can be exciting.
To remain relevant in these changing times, Torres-Sánchez recommended focusing on transferable skills instead of knowledge. She also noted the importance of a training log that can highlight the skills you have gained over time. Lessons she has learnt during her career that she thinks could help simulation engineers navigate the waves of life and technology include:
- Knowing your sciences and first principles, understanding the tools and software will follow.
- Be accountable to yourself and align your words to your actions.
- Keep opportunities at arm’s length and open unexpected doors.
- Self-reflection will propel and motivate you.
- You can’t change the wave, only choose to ride it.
- Gain insights and influence from everywhere.
- Personal branding is important.
Perhaps most important of all, she said, is that simulation engineers must choose jobs, mentors, clients and projects wisely. “Fight the temptation of saying yes,” says Torres-Sánchez. “Let it cool off and think about the consequences of the decisions. Walk into it, eyes wide open. When you’re younger, you say yes to everything as much as you can without realizing it’s saying no to other things … See what you’re excluding and including by saying yes.”
Pinon-Fisher agreed there is a tendency to say yes and pushed back on it as well. “[It] comes to a work-life balance,” she said. “Who is involved, what skills will you require and what pathways it can lead too? When you say yes, you have to deliver.”
Be the Entrepreneur of Your Brand
Miknasi outlined the importance of understanding the impact simulation engineers have on their organizations. “Startup yourself,” he said. Focus on learning and “stepping out of your comfort zone.”
For simulation engineers specifically, this might look like having an entrepreneurial mindset that aims to understand the whole business. After all, by better understanding the whole system, engineers are better able to simulate it.
A good place to start, he suggested, was to master the physics and theory in the domain your organization works in. Then move on to other practical tools like Six Sigma, leadership, communication, diversity and customer intelligence. As for which business concepts, and their associated software tools, to focus on first, Miknasi suggested MBSE, PLM, change management, virtual product development, machine learning and artificial intelligence.
