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Message
re: Engineer work life balance
Posted on 12/28/20 at 9:55 pm to Privateer 2007
Posted on 12/28/20 at 9:55 pm to Privateer 2007
Currently work 4-10s as an engineer at a plant.
If the unit is reliable the job is cake, if it's shaky then kiss that 3 day weekend goodbye.
If the unit is reliable the job is cake, if it's shaky then kiss that 3 day weekend goodbye.
0
Posted on 12/28/20 at 9:56 pm to Privateer 2007
It depends on the company really. I know an industrial engineer who works at night, is available first thing in the morning and then sleeps during the day. Strange as hell, but a nice dude.
If they work for an engineering firm they will likely have to go into the plant from time to time sometimes more, sometimes not as much.
If the engineer can work for a company that allows you to work your time... Anytime you want, then its pretty nice.
If they work for an engineering firm they will likely have to go into the plant from time to time sometimes more, sometimes not as much.
If the engineer can work for a company that allows you to work your time... Anytime you want, then its pretty nice.
Posted on 12/28/20 at 9:56 pm to tigerinthebueche
quote:
You work 8-10 hrs a day. That gives you 14-16 hours a day to golf, fish, hunt, sleep, mow...whatever. You do this five or six days a week and take a day or two off. You’ll do this till you’re around 65. Then you can spend the next 20-30’years enjoying yourself.
It's sad that we can't spend the younger years of our lives "enjoying ourselves" instead of working ourselves to death.
Posted on 12/28/20 at 9:57 pm to Privateer 2007
quote:
I'm just asking if my perception of the engineers jobs at unit is false?
Almost all jobs suck. You have to change your perception on life in general if you want to be happy in one. If you don't, you will always be wanting.
Posted on 12/28/20 at 10:00 pm to boXerrumble
Truth. If you are willing to work twice as hard for the same pay it will pay off.
Not sure if it is worth it, but everyone has thier career objectives.
Not sure if it is worth it, but everyone has thier career objectives.
Posted on 12/28/20 at 10:03 pm to fightin tigers
quote:
Bwhahaha, ain't nobody calling an engineer if they really need help. They may "own your soul" but your soul will be sleeping in bed long after many others have been brought in.
Depends on what’s wrong. I’ve gotten plenty of calls in the middle of the night from offshore because they’re in the dark or a VFD is giving a fault. The good crafts always call the engineer so they can help trace the troubleshooting and figure out what really happened. The guys that say “I don’t need an engineer to tell me how to operate my equipment” are the same guys that don’t figure out what the problem really was. Yeah they get it up and running again but have no idea how to prevent it from happening again.
But like somebody else said, you get out what you put in. I’ve had guys in my same role not take calls on the weekend or nights and operations quickly loses respect for those types. Once you develop a relationship with them, they’ll call you more than they won’t.
Posted on 12/28/20 at 10:08 pm to STBTigerr
quote:
offshore..... middle of night
I worked for a large oilfield services company for a year.
Those field engineers owed their souls to the company.
I haven't seen that in Chemicals at all.
Maybe my perception is wrong.
Posted on 12/28/20 at 10:09 pm to STBTigerr
Agreed. You are describing an inconvenience and not a problem though.
A 20 minute phonecall to troubleshoot isn't owing your life to the job. Though some people think it is.
A 20 minute phonecall to troubleshoot isn't owing your life to the job. Though some people think it is.
Posted on 12/28/20 at 10:21 pm to fightin tigers
quote:
20 minute phone call isn't owing life to job
Absolutely agree.
I should have specified.
I get calls at least every other week. Have had to fix shite on a Friday off. Etc. I view it as part of being tied to manufacturing. I'd never consider self tied to my job.
I can always take a day if family member having surgery or something.
I'd consider it to be things like.
Missing kids recital.
Not being able to take care of a sick child.
Not being able to disconnect from the job.
Posted on 12/28/20 at 10:25 pm to Privateer 2007
Right, I think that is a disconnect on what being tied to your job means as well.
For one person answering a call outside of hours is inconceivable, for another 3 texts or emails at night is not a big thing.
I have heard some say that they never got a chance to get away from work that weekend and all they had to do was send a brief summary every 24 hours.
So yes, a baseline is subjective here.
For one person answering a call outside of hours is inconceivable, for another 3 texts or emails at night is not a big thing.
I have heard some say that they never got a chance to get away from work that weekend and all they had to do was send a brief summary every 24 hours.
So yes, a baseline is subjective here.
Posted on 12/28/20 at 10:27 pm to fightin tigers
quote:
A 20 minute phonecall to troubleshoot isn't owing your life to the job. Though some people think it is.
Definitely agree with you, was just responding to your comment about not calling an engineer if you really need help. I’ve never considered getting calls outside of work hours as bad work life balance, but some people want a bonus for responding to an email on the weekend. Some devote their lives to it even though they don’t really need to. They just choose to work that way.
This post was edited on 12/28/20 at 10:29 pm
Posted on 12/28/20 at 10:27 pm to OweO
quote:
industrial engineer
Not a real engineer. Just someone who flunked out of mechanical or petroleum engineering.
Posted on 12/28/20 at 10:28 pm to tigergirl10
quote:
Not a real engineer.
More engineer than you are woman
Posted on 12/28/20 at 10:32 pm to STBTigerr
quote:
some people devote lives even if really don't need to
Exactly!
I get my job done.
Some weeks it's 50 hours.
Others, it's honestly 20.
I'm not just gonna sit around at the office if my work is done.
Posted on 12/28/20 at 10:34 pm to Privateer 2007
Refineries and chemical plants tend to move engineers around to different assignments quite often. Some jobs are very demanding and others not as much. I once had to work back to back to back turnarounds that lasted from May until October. I worked 14 hour days with only 7 days away from work the entire period. No overtime pay, but got a couple of weeks of comp time. It was pretty miserable, but years later my assignment is 40 hours a week now.
Posted on 12/28/20 at 10:44 pm to Privateer 2007
quote:
I'm told that if you're an engineer attached to a unit, the company owns your soul.
This is probably closest to reality. Random question on a Sunday night, “Let’s email the engineer.”
Posted on 12/28/20 at 10:50 pm to fightin tigers
quote:
For one person answering a call outside of hours is inconceivable, for another 3 texts or emails at night is not a big thing.
Agree with this. Not an engineer but in industrial sales, and spent an hour or so on Christmas after presents covering some emails. And then some calls next few days while office folks were off, but that’s part of the deal.
Posted on 12/28/20 at 11:49 pm to Privateer 2007
Depends on the company/situation. There’s also a balance where you have to find what kind of “hell” you’re happiest putting yourself through.
When I was supporting the plant I found that being willing to come in at 3AM on a call out, never once complaining, prevented me from ever being part of the “stay late just because you can’t be seen leaving first” culture that I’ve seen from some work groups.
A few 4AM e-mails during a plant upset, and no one questions the 3-hour lunch that following Thursday when you knocked out most of your out-of-work chores.
Coming from a military background that worked better for my personality anyway.
When I was supporting the plant I found that being willing to come in at 3AM on a call out, never once complaining, prevented me from ever being part of the “stay late just because you can’t be seen leaving first” culture that I’ve seen from some work groups.
A few 4AM e-mails during a plant upset, and no one questions the 3-hour lunch that following Thursday when you knocked out most of your out-of-work chores.
Coming from a military background that worked better for my personality anyway.
Posted on 12/29/20 at 6:25 am to Privateer 2007
Depends..
Our engineers are worked to death.
Our sister facility who is staffed appropriately have engineers a plenty and they basically never work over and are happy as a lark.
Our engineers are worked to death.
Our sister facility who is staffed appropriately have engineers a plenty and they basically never work over and are happy as a lark.
Posted on 12/29/20 at 6:39 am to Privateer 2007
It depends on the facility you're working at. Some are understaffed while some are overstaffed.
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