Looking for job opportunity and suggestion

[ericp.lau]

Hello forum,

I held a 4-year degree in EE but I would like to do on-site calibration. I love to travel here and there, company to company, learning new technology, as well as gain experience. I am currently working for a semiconductor company which working with a lots of RF equipment, such as: signal generator, oscilloscope, spectrum analyzer, etc. I found most of the Calibration Tech jobs required to have a degree in Metrology or experienced with PMEL. Do you know where can I get training on PMEL? Any suggestion or advice? Thanks.

[Hawaii596]

This depends on where you live.  One reason companies like to hire PMEL school graduates is that it is one of the few places to get complete training (possibly the only totally complete training).  I believe Butler County Community College somewhere in Pennsylvania has a program.  PMEL school was formerly at Lowry Air Force Base in Aurora, Colorado until it was moved to Keesler Air Force Base in Mississippi.  Around the prior location in Colorado, I think there is a Community College there with a metrology program.  If you do some searching online you can probably find some courses.

With a Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering, I think if you took a couple of online recognized courses, that might possibly be enough to perhaps get an opportunity.  Maybe some of the other people on here can tell you where some other schools are with metrology degree programs.  I would include the term "metrology" if you are searching for where you can get courses.  "PMEL" is a military term, also used in many job descriptions.  But I don't think you will find that term used about degree programs.

[ericp.lau]

Thanks for your response and suggestion. Do you know anything about this website (learningmeasure.com)? I found this website in this forum has online Metrology training course. I am planning to take it, but not sure if their information helpful or possible I can use those information to get certified in calibration technician. If anyone has experience with this website, please advice. Thanks.

[tarzan271]

Another idea might be to get your ASQ CCT certification. http://prdweb.asq.org/certification/control/calibration-technician/prepare. With the CCT and an bachelors in EE, you shouldn't have a problem finding a job in Metrology. You might even get a metrologist job at AFMETCAL. They love to hire people with 4 year degrees and no expierience to make all the decisions about how to calibrate equipment for the Air Force. 

[USMC kalibrater]

Another idea might be to get your ASQ CCT certification. http://prdweb.asq.org/certification/control/calibration-technician/prepare. With the CCT and an bachelors in EE, you shouldn't have a problem finding a job in Metrology. You might even get a metrologist job at AFMETCAL. They love to hire people with 4 year degrees and no expierience to make all the decisions about how to calibrate equipment for the Air Force. 

Im laughing so hard Im crying

[flew-da-coup]

Another idea might be to get your ASQ CCT certification. http://prdweb.asq.org/certification/control/calibration-technician/prepare. With the CCT and an bachelors in EE, you shouldn't have a problem finding a job in Metrology. You might even get a metrologist job at AFMETCAL. They love to hire people with 4 year degrees and no expierience to make all the decisions about how to calibrate equipment for the Air Force. 

Now that is funny as hell.

[CalibratorJ]

Well, it WAS funny, until you went into specifics....... could have lived without the details.

[USMCPMEL]

Why do you want to go into pmel? 95 percent of us make less than people with a 4 year EE degree. Find a better paying job with your background and use the extra money to travel. Want to learn about new technollgy? Go to the library.  My  company has not bought new equipment In years.

[ZZ]

Avoid commercial cal if at all possible. Their bottom line over everything else is profit, otherwise they wouldn't be in the business. Cutting costs involves buying and using old standards, quicker pace, and less integrity. Some are worse than others, but good technicians in far too many commercial cal companies get chewed up and spit out only to be replaced by someone else who will work for low wages.

Look at the larger aerospace companies such as Aerojet, Boeing, Grumman, etc. DoD labs are worth looking at as well.

[CalLabSolutions]

ZZ.. You can't say that across the board.  Yes, there are calibration labs that will just put stickers on equipment.  But not All Third Party Calibration Labs are cheaters.

In my years in the business, I have seen it all!  I have found issues in every manufacturer's calibration / support programs.  Same thing with third party calibration labs and Aerospace companies as well.

I just don't like the image that all third party calibration labs are bad.  I have some third party calibration labs that are customers, and I can tell you they try just as hard as my larger customers to get it done right.

Mike

[CalLabSolutions]

It was a third party calibration lab that impressed me the most.  When I pointed out an error in their uncertainty calculations.  That they were not > 4 to 1.  They were actually closer to 1 to 1. 

After hours of discussion, checking and double checking the math.  They Emailed every customer this error effected and offered to refund their money and send the instrument to Agilent if that parameter was required to be 4 to 1.

Now I know most companies are not like that.  But these guys would spend 8 hours calibrating a Tektronix scope if the customer wanted it tested per the manufacturer's manual.

Mike

[USMCPMEL]

Also the really good companies are not going to want to hire you without any experience. So you are going to go to school spend $80 grand for a degree to get yourself a paycut... You would be probably starting out at $15 an hour because they have to train you. What do you make were your at??

[USMCPMEL]

@Hawaii that is in Butler, Pennsylvania.

[griff61]

Look at the larger aerospace companies such as Aerojet, Boeing, Grumman, etc. DoD labs are worth looking at as well.

I concur, particularly with the DoD lab part. hard to beat the benefits, even if the pay isn't quite up to some commercial labs' level

[spanishfly25]

pharmaucetical cal jobs pay pretty good and the pace is slow. plenty of time to get coffe.