Day in the life
A Day in the Life of an Engineering Professor
What engineering professors actually do from the start of a shift to the end: the tasks, tools, schedule and realities of the job.
What is a typical day like for an engineering professor?
Teach thermodynamics. From there, the day usually includes teach engineering courses, run teaching labs, and advise capstone design teams. Teaching, research and service with flexible but busy hours.
Hour by hour: a typical shift
No two days are identical, but this timeline reflects a realistic day for an engineering professor working full time.
- Teach thermodynamics.
- Meet the research group.
- Write an NSF proposal.
- Supervise a capstone team.
- Teach a lab section.
- Call an industry sponsor.
- Review a journal paper.
Where engineering professors work
Engineering faculty work in classrooms, labs and offices.
Hours and schedule
Teaching, research and service with flexible but busy hours.
Tasks you’ll do most often
- Teach engineering courses
- Run teaching labs
- Advise capstone design teams
- Lead a research lab
- Write grant proposals
- Publish research
- Work with industry partners
Tools you’ll use every day
- Simulation software
- Lab instruments
- MATLAB
- CAD
- Learning management systems
- Research computing
The best and hardest parts of the job
What people like
- High pay for academia
- Cutting-edge research
- Industry ties
- Faster-than-average growth
What’s hard
- Grant pressure
- Running a lab is like running a business
- Long training
- Busy schedule
You’ll likely thrive if…
- I love engineering
- I want to lead research
- I enjoy mentoring
- I can manage a lab
- I like industry collaboration
- I’m willing to earn a doctorate
Not sure? Take the free Engineering Professor fit quiz or the Career Match Quiz.
Staying safe on the job
- Maintain lab safety plans
- Train students on equipment
- Follow research ethics
- Protect student privacy