To any PhD aerospace engineers: Do you find research fulfilling?

>>8847745
If you actually make 220k (ergo youre at the Top 1% of your field) im sure you dont need a phd to get into space research. Just try and look for jobs

>>8847745
>PhD
>in engineering
For what purpose?

>>8847745
>Does a PhD guarantee a cool research job designing spacecraft?
No.

PhD student in aerospace engineering here.

>Do you find research fulfilling?
Yes
>Does a PhD guarantee a cool research job designing spacecraft?
No.
>What's the day to day life like?
Like any other job.

>>8847764
I've been applying to JPL for the past year for software, and haven't even gotten a call back. I get the feeling that if I actually want to work on spacecraft, I need more education. Is that wrong?

>>8847768
I feel like many jobs in my field are meaningless, I don't give a shit about corporate profits or whatever. I imagine doing research for the general public would be much more fulfilling. I imagine that to do research, I'll need more than my bachelors.

>>8847773
What do you do, then?

>>8847792
>I'll need more than my bachelors.
Then get a master's

>>8847795
Research assistant.

>>8847872
I thought those were reserved for grad students. Why not a postdoc?

I just have my BS and I worked at NASA Goddard for awhile in Space Systems. The work was incredibly fulfilling. A PhD might be overkill. Most people there doing the nitty gritty engineering and research just had their bachelor's and were working on their masters in their spare time, and from what I hear the contractor side (SpaceX, LMT, etc) is the same.

Anon, just go for the PhD, and take good care of your finances just in case.

Best of luck.

>>8847888
Is there something I'm missing? The Nasajobs website always appears to be super bare. https://nasajobs.nasa.gov/default.htm

How did you end up getting that job?

>>8847911

I went in as an intern through OSSI. That got the door open for a pathways, which is how I'd say nearly 99% of <35 year old NASA people I know got their start.

>>8847921
Thanks anon, it looks like pursuing my masters and doing pathways may be my best bet.

>>8847745
PhD doesn't guarantee shit. Also aerospace is a contracting field.

>>8847745
I think it will meet all your expectations but you will not be making 220k or even close

>>8847982
Yeah, that isn't a surprise. I don't really have a need for that much money, anyways.