The job outlook for petroleum engineers depends on oil and gas prices. In spite of this fact,
if you do decide to study petroleum engineering, employment opportunities for petroleum
engineers should be favorable because the number of degrees granted in petroleum engineering
has traditionally been low. Also, petroleum engineers work around the globe, and many employ-
ers seek U.S.-trained petroleum engineers for jobs in other countries.Nuclear Engineering Only a few engineering colleges around the country offer a nuclear engi-
neering program. Nuclear engineers design, develop, monitor, and operate nuclear power equip-
ment that derives its power from nuclear energy. Nuclear engineers are involved in the design,
development, and operation of nuclear power plants to generate electricity or to power Navy
ships and submarines. They may also work in such areas as the production and handling of
nuclear fuel and the safe disposal of its waste products. Some nuclear engineers are involved in
the design and development of industrial and diagnostic medical equipment. Nuclear engi-
neers work for the U.S. Navy, nuclear power utility companies, and the Nuclear Regulatory
Commission of the Department of Energy. Because of the high cost and numerous safety
concerns on the part of the public, there are only a few nuclear power plants under construc-
tion. Even so, the job outlook for nuclear engineers is not too bad, because currently there
are not many graduates in this field. Other job opportunities exist for nuclear engineers
in the departments of Defense and Energy, nuclear medical technology, and nuclear waste
management.Mining Engineering There are only a few mining engineering schools around the country. Min-
ing engineers, in collaboration with geologists and metallurgical engineers, find, extract, and pre-
pare coal for use by utility companies; they also look for metals and minerals to extract from
the earth for use by various manufacturing industries. Mining engineers design and supervise
the construction of aboveground and underground mines. Mining engineers could also be
involved in the development of new mining equipment for extraction and separation of min-
erals from other materials mixed in with the desired minerals.
Most mining engineers work in the mining industry, some work for government agencies,
and some work for manufacturing industries. The job outlook for mining engineers is not as
good as for other disciplines. The mining industry is somewhat similar to the oil industry in that
the job opportunities are closely tied to the price of metals and minerals. If the price of these
products is low, then the mining companies will not want to invest in new mining equipment
and new mines. Similar to petroleum engineers, U.S. mining engineers may find good oppor-
tunities outside the United States.Materials Engineering There are only a few engineering colleges that offer a formal program in
materials engineering, ceramic engineering, or metallurgical engineering. Materials engineers
research, develop, and test new materials for various products and engineering applications.
These new materials could be in the form of metal alloys, ceramics, plastics, or composites.
Materials engineers study the nature, atomic structure, and thermo-physical properties of
materials. They manipulate the atomic and molecular structure of materials in order to create
materials that are lighter, stronger, and more durable. They create materials with specific
mechanical, electrical, magnetic, chemical, and heat-transfer properties for use in specific appli-
cations; for example, graphite tennis racquets that are much lighter and stronger than the old20 Chapter 1 Introduction to the Engineering Profession
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