Hi,

I am 25yrs old. I am have done a diploma in civil engg. I wanted to change my career. I don't know anyone who can guide me in related to CFD.

I would like to know what kind of a person can perform best as a CFD Specialist? Is there any courses that I can do by correspondance?

Eventhough I don't have any graduation, I am very good in computer programming, logical problem solving, mathamatics & 3 dimentional geometry.

Thanking you.

Depends on where you are based? Cranfield does a masters in CFD, at least it used to!

I had a masters in maths with studies in CFD and scientific computing. I was unable to gain a position in CFD industry so now I am into research. I had good programming skills so I worked in IT for few years (everyone has to pay bills) but now I can find time for research on my own.

What I meant above was that if you are interested in CFD, then dont limit yourself to finding a job in the field. Of course its easier and helpful if you work in the field of your interest but if you are interested in learning things then go for it.

You're going to find it hard to find employment in the CFD sector without at least a bachelor's degree (or masters degree in the US). That goes for applications work (i.e. solving problems using commercial codes) and development work (i.e. writing commercial CFD codes).

the majority of people I know in the UK who have careers in CFD have gained there positions after studying a PhD. Even then you have to have a passion for it as the financial rewards are not as great as people think!

Check out the courses at Southampton University, U.K. they do some really good courses on CFD in both aero and marine fields. I think a good Msc or PhD is your best bet if you really want to understand and get good engineering results from CFD. Just learning how to use a commercial CFD code isn't really enough. You need to understand their limitations and why they often fail to do what you expect. CFD is a really interesting field to be in.

Pete,

Can you please elaborate on the financial rewards. What would be the better financial option, working as a CFD specialist or working as an engineer?

Speaking as an engineer with experience in the CFD field.

My real question? With what position can I compare the financial rewards of being a CFD specialist? Teacher / Dentist / Lawyer / Mechanic / Pilot / Soldier / Doctor / Clerk / Newsreader / Actor / Popstar / Boxing champ / Hole digger / Typist / Painter etc etc? Where does it fall roughly in comparison to these positions?

Thank you

You have a lot of avenues open to you.

You must be a talented guy.

Hi Jon,

Youre not getting my pount here. You know, I've been studying for 11 years, first of all completing an engineering degree, 5 years, then a 2 year Msc in CFD and then a 4 year PhD in CFD. Now if I rather have studied for a docter I could have been a brain surgeon by nou earning mega bucks! My point is just this, is the learning curve required for CFD worth the financial rewards of the profession? i.e. are there not many many other professions that pays a lot better for a lot less effort, study wise?

And with what kind of a profesion can I compare someone working in the CFD industry, financially speaking. Am I on par with a doctor or a painter?

As a CFD writer or practitioner, you'll be on a par with a mecanical engineer. In the UK, this is somewhere between teacher and doctor.

Compare it to plumbing. A plumber with eleven years of experience earns more than you. Compare it to Info technology where a simple diploma in .Net technology might earn you $50 an hour.

If your are a plumber or builder or some other semi-skilled profession and you are lucky, then you might even get to appear on TV as well focussing on your working skills and practices! Especially if you are not very good at it!

I did the one year CFD master's at Imperial, and it's definitely good, plus if you are a british national you can get funded for the entire year (approx 10,000 pounds)

Depends on the country you're in. I'm in the UK. Engineering is typically middle of the road with respects to pay and not as good as other professional jobs (eg doctor, lawyer etc.) This depends on experience, field and how good you are. The average UK engineer earns approx 30K (National Stats online). Pick another country e.g the states and that same engineer may be double that, however you pay in other ways like medical. Some engineers (senior or technologists) may get upwards of 50K but they are rare and extreemly competant (or fell in with the right crowd) Your better of looking at what drives you, or if you are looking at serious money in engineering then go for Oil, pipeline ect. such as Schlumberger. Some large civil contractors also pay well e.g Arup.

no the painter definitely earns more !!

After spending 12 years in industrial CFD + 4 years PhD + ? Bsc etc, I finally decided to quit CFD. The reason:-

A lot of efforts (inputs), very little rewards (output). For you bright young career seekers, be warned. Of course, if you love the subject and couldn't go sleep unless you solved the N-S equations, then it's another matter.