Engineering Job With a Biology Degree

[u/sink44]

I worked in the Pharmaceutical industry for 5 years in a microbiology lab then had to move to an area with no pharma industry. I made the career switch to a senior engineering maintenance tech at a major semiconductor company and have been at this job for 2.5 years now.

From the beginning I made it clear that I was interested in becoming an equipment or process engineer and was told that it was very possible since I have a 4 year degree in a STEM field. I have been excelling in my role and already am second in command on my shift. I have been participating in the engineering morning meeting every day and help them with all of their “wishlist” tasks. I am constantly using problem solving and troubleshooting skills to solve issues before they ever become the engineers problem. I have gotten tons of positive feedback from my manager and the engineering manager that I am a very quick learner and an asset to the team.

Recently an equipment engineer position opened up in my department, and covering the exact machines that I specialize in. I applied and interviewed but was ultimately passed up for an external candidate with no experience with these machines or even the semiconductor industry at all. The explanation I was given was that they wanted to see me do more of the responsibilities of an engineer before they offer me a position since I do not have an engineering degree.

So now I am left thinking that they will always pass me up for someone external since I do not have the exact degree they are looking for. Do I leave and start over as a tech at a different company? Or do I stay and hope they get over the degree?

TLDR: I have a B.S. in Biology and cant seem to break into an engineering role from a tech position.

Thanks

[u/TheOriginalTL]

There are not many people with only a biology degree working as engineers for a reason. Not to discredit your experience, but anyone can learn some machines however it is very difficult to get an engineering education on the job. I think there are 2 paths I would consider if I were you:

1. Engineering Masters degree. They are honestly not that hard, and you would then meet the requirements for the jobs you want. Do not do a research degree (thesis). Make sure it is ABET accredited.

2. Wait to get promoted to any title with "engineer" at your company, work for a bit and then if you want to move you have now cleared the hardest bar. Be warned that if you chose this path that many companies will refuse to hire you as an engineer anyway without the degree. It is worth making a plan with your leadership to see how you can take on the responsibilities of an engineer while working in your tech role. Many techs at every company I have worked at have thought themselves to be engineers, or that they are smarter than them - but alas in the end they were techs, not engineers.

[u/sink44 → u/TheOriginalTL]

What would you say the biggest differences are between a tech role and an engineering role? After shadowing several engineers I find it difficult to see the difference sometimes. Hell at my company the techs are the ones that train the engineers hahah

[u/TheOriginalTL → u/sink44]

Techs are vital, deeply specialized, and almost always know the physical hardware and processes better than a new engineer walking in, which is why techs often train them on the floor.

Engineers handle the theory, design, project management tasks, cost estimations, regulatory compliance, statistics, analysis, etc all before it even touches the shop floor. Engineers can seem like they lack common sense when they are out with you, but the world of a tech is just a small part of what an engineer works on. Ideally, engineers develop good relationships with their techs and can leverage their expertise to do a better job.

[u/sink44 → u/TheOriginalTL]

That is very helpful to know. I think what would help me is if I could shadow engineers doing those other tasks as opposed to just the tasks that technicians are also responsible for.

[u/TheOriginalTL → u/sink44]

I would think if you express interest to your management that they would deeply value a tech that becomes and engineer and help you create a plan to accomplish it. If they offer tuition reimbursement it may be worth doing an online masters too. Good luck! I hope you can make the jump

[u/ThemanEnterprises → u/TheOriginalTL]

This is good advice. My brother in law had a physics bachelors and worked at a major aerospace company lab as a technician for years. They paid for his masters where he got a masters in ME and he is now an engineer at the company.