How prudent is it attempt to get into CFD in Academic/Industry

ali_k94@live.com · May 11, 2018, 12:21

Hi, I have finished my undergraduate in Aeronautical Engineering. I have a keen interest in CFD and aspire to do something worthwhile in the field.

I would like to ask you about how prudent it would be, in terms of job prospects (in academia) and trends in the industry, to follow this path and partake in an MSc/PHd in Canada (international student).

Your time is highly appreciated.

jdrch · May 11, 2018, 19:57

My background: BSME & MSME in Mechanical Engineering, specializing in Fluid Mechanics/Dynamics for both.

When looking at career choices, especially for grad school, you have to consider several things:

Whether you truly, deeply enjoy the subject matter. Grad school will be the hardest thing you've ever attempted. Unless you feel like your life would be incomplete without it OR you have some life goal that is unattainable without it, just get a career job instead.
The job market. CFD is a VERY hard field to get into; despite my degrees only 1 of the 5 jobs I've held so far involved CFD.

It's not so much the number of openings as much as the qualifications employers are looking for. Many are seeking years of experience with certain solvers/packages. This is problematic because of licensing costs. When an employer asks if you've had 5 years of ANSYS experience, for example, what they're really asking is if someone spent $20K+ USD (I assume you're not from the US) per year on you - $100K+ total - in licensing costs in addition to your salary. That's a high bar to reach.

Another factor is outsourcing. Many companies outsource their analysis to low cost locations, which has reduced the number of analysis positions open in North America. This might not be a problem to you if you intend to return home anyway, but if that's your intent you probably wouldn't be looking to study abroad in the 1st place.

Yet another factor is CFD - especially high performance CFD - has many military applications, which further limits the positions noncitizens can be hired for.

A Ph.D. can be a boon if you want to go into academia, but can also hold you back if you want to go into industry as you may be seen as overqualified for most jobs. My current employer has rejected applicants who wrote their own solver codes because we need people who can learn and use the solvers we have (by customer requirement) as opposed to developing their own.

TL, DR: If you can't live without the knowledge and insight grad school requires AND you don't mind working in a field other than the one you studied after graduation, by all means go ahead. Otherwise, either reconsider or be prepared for disappointment.

ali_k94@live.com · May 12, 2018, 06:01

Yikes!

I am aware that industry is hard to get into, but your reply really did elucidate this further. I do want to go into academia, but I am also aware that this is an uphill climb.

If you could suggest any other specialization in mechanical engineering that you feel offers more opportunities in this region, I would be indebted.

May 11, 2018, 12:21	How prudent is it attempt to get into CFD in Academic/Industry	#1
ali_k94@live.com New Member Ali Join Date: May 2018 Posts: 3 Rep Power: 8	Hi, I have finished my undergraduate in Aeronautical Engineering. I have a keen interest in CFD and aspire to do something worthwhile in the field. I would like to ask you about how prudent it would be, in terms of job prospects (in academia) and trends in the industry, to follow this path and partake in an MSc/PHd in Canada (international student). Your time is highly appreciated.

May 11, 2018, 19:57		#2
jdrch Member Join Date: Dec 2012 Posts: 47 Rep Power: 14	My background: BSME & MSME in Mechanical Engineering, specializing in Fluid Mechanics/Dynamics for both. When looking at career choices, especially for grad school, you have to consider several things: Whether you truly, deeply enjoy the subject matter. Grad school will be the hardest thing you've ever attempted. Unless you feel like your life would be incomplete without it OR you have some life goal that is unattainable without it, just get a career job instead. The job market. CFD is a VERY hard field to get into; despite my degrees only 1 of the 5 jobs I've held so far involved CFD. It's not so much the number of openings as much as the qualifications employers are looking for. Many are seeking years of experience with certain solvers/packages. This is problematic because of licensing costs. When an employer asks if you've had 5 years of ANSYS experience, for example, what they're really asking is if someone spent $20K+ USD (I assume you're not from the US) per year on you - $100K+ total - in licensing costs in addition to your salary. That's a high bar to reach. Another factor is outsourcing. Many companies outsource their analysis to low cost locations, which has reduced the number of analysis positions open in North America. This might not be a problem to you if you intend to return home anyway, but if that's your intent you probably wouldn't be looking to study abroad in the 1st place. Yet another factor is CFD - especially high performance CFD - has many military applications, which further limits the positions noncitizens can be hired for. A Ph.D. can be a boon if you want to go into academia, but can also hold you back if you want to go into industry as you may be seen as overqualified for most jobs. My current employer has rejected applicants who wrote their own solver codes because we need people who can learn and use the solvers we have (by customer requirement) as opposed to developing their own. TL, DR: If you can't live without the knowledge and insight grad school requires AND you don't mind working in a field other than the one you studied after graduation, by all means go ahead. Otherwise, either reconsider or be prepared for disappointment. piu58, ali_k94@live.com, ShantanuSG and 1 others like this. __________________ Find me online here.

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May 12, 2018, 06:01		#3
ali_k94@live.com New Member Ali Join Date: May 2018 Posts: 3 Rep Power: 8	Yikes! I am aware that industry is hard to get into, but your reply really did elucidate this further. I do want to go into academia, but I am also aware that this is an uphill climb. If you could suggest any other specialization in mechanical engineering that you feel offers more opportunities in this region, I would be indebted.