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do work hours for mechanical engineers change with the more experience you have?

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Shawn’s Answer

I have been a Mechanical Engineer working in the vehicle component design arena for nigh on 30 years. As such, I cannot say there has ever been a change in working hours based upon seniority/experience. What I can say is 40 hours per week is anomalous. The standard work hours seem to be 45-50 hours per week. As everything has become global, these extra hours tend to come from sunrise or post sunset meetings with Europe or Asia.

When pre-production and production launches occur, one can expect upwards of 80 hours per week for 2-3 weeks. These are planned well ahead of time. So, the impending extra hours are known to be coming and only lasting for a short duration.

Unfortunately, the same cannot be said when product or production SNAFUs occur. These unplanned events seem to always occur at the most inconvenient times and result in an: All Hands on Deck event until the situation is resolved (means it may not be your area of responsibility, but the company throws everyone into the effort). One I was involved in required 16+ hour per day for better than 2 weeks. Thankfully, I have never had to repeat that experience.

In spite of these occasional extreme hours, the career is enjoyable. The really good employers find different ways to reimburse you for the unpaid overtime. Sometimes it’s unofficial extra PTO, a corporate gift, or an unexpected bonus.
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David’s Answer

Max - they certainly can, but it is up to you. I work in heavy industry and traditionally have worked 45 hours per week, but sometimes many more when a project is coming to fruition. As a mechanical engineer I have found there are many demands on my time and lots of exciting opportunities. Prioritizing and balancing the demands of your job and your life can be a challenge, and there are different phases of life when you need to work more or less (e.g. - starting a new job, travelling for work, having a baby, caring for an ailing family member, etc.). I recommend stepping back occasionally and evaluating how things are working for you. Just remember that your life is, to some extent, a culmination of your decisions - if it is going in a direction you don't like, choose differently.

David recommends the following next steps:

Read about Zig Ziglar's Wheel of Life and maintaining a life balance.
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Mansur’s Answer

Generally with technical/engineering majors, the more experience you have the more people rely on your ability and expertise. You end up playing a leadership role as well as act as a consultant for your teammates. This type of activity takes time away from your day to day responsibilities and can sometimes add some extra time in your work day. But this is also greatly rewarding to know that you can help your teammates and team with you abilities.

good luck with your engineering career!
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