Careers & Opportunities
The Human-Centered Engineering (HCE) program prepares students to be catalysts for good—whether it’s in the private or public sector, industry, or non-profit realm. Focus areas in Health, Energy, and Environment provide students with the academic background to succeed in a range of careers.
Careers
The Department of Engineering is committed to helping HCE majors pursue their career interests during the summer and after graduation. We welcome conversations about summer internship searches, networking, job material preparation, and career exploration at our advising meetings.
We encourage students to reach out to the BC Career Center early on in their academic career to discuss their specific passions and interests in engineering and how to connect them to career opportunities, like:
- Product design engineer in the healthcare sector
- Environmental policy consultant
- Engineer at an alternative energy startup
- Technical analyst at a social impact NGO
- Engineering systems specialist
- Program manager in the high-tech sector
Engineering Career Opportunities
Engineering in the biomedical sector is highly interdisciplinary and can include aspects of many different traditional engineering disciplines.
Engineers in the biomedical field seek to address challenges related to health such asincluding pathophysiology, aging-related ailments, injury, motion, and more. Engineers who study advanced engineering in the health topic area on tackle problems in biomechanics, medical device design, drug development, tissue engineering, and biomaterialsore.
Engineering in the energy sector is often interdisciplinary and can include aspects of many different traditional engineering disciplines. Energy engineers seek to address grand challenges related to energy that the world is facing today, such as: renewable energy/power generation, advanced energy storage technologies, green building design and energy efficiency, improved electric grid infrastructure, and more.
Engineers that study advanced energy topics may go on to work on biofuels, bioproducts, solar power systems, other renewable power systems (wind, hydroelectric, geothermal), advanced battery technologies, public utilities, oil & gas, nuclear power, and more.
Environmental engineers focus on addressing environmental challenges such as air and water pollution, waste management, recycling, and public health concerns. Their work often involves conducting hazardous waste studies, evaluating sewage and industrial wastewater systems, analyzing data, researching complex projects, and ensuring quality control in environmental systems.
Civil engineers are responsible for designing and developing the infrastructure that supports daily life, including roads, bridges, dams, water treatment facilities, and other public works. They also specialize in the structural design and analysis of buildings, such as skyscrapers. Civil engineering encompasses diverse areas such as construction project management, automation in construction, environmental engineering, traffic systems analysis, and materials mechanics.
On-Campus Opportunities & Support
Teaching Assistants, Lab Assistants, & Job Opportunities
The Engineering department periodically has openings for undergraduate teaching assistants and lab assistants. To learn more about student job opportunities in the Department of Engineering contact Prof. Jenna Tonn.
Undergraduate Research Assistants
Engineering faculty are committed to working with undergraduates in their engineering labs and collaborating with students on faculty research projects. Students interested in doing research in an engineering lab should familiarize themselves with the Engineering faculty and their research interests. Students are welcome to reach out to the department administrator or specific faculty members to inquire about open positions. Engineering labs focus on a number of different areas of engineering, so research responsibilities will depend on the faculty member’s expertise and the specific projects at hand. Engineering faculty work with HCE majors and students who are majoring in other programs at Boston College.
BC Career Center
The BC Career Center has extensive programs and resources to help you identify and prepare for a fulfilling career after graduation. Sign up for career coaching, browse internship and job listings, and connect with alumni in the engineering field. So far HCE students have found internships in academic engineering labs, environmental conservation organizations, and industry.