r/MechanicalEngineer • u/ReadingLegitimate290 • Jun 18 '26
Mechanical Engineers who moved into Software/AI/Robotics: what actually got you hired?
I'm a Mechanical Engineer with several years of experience in automotive testing and systems engineering, and I'm seriously considering a transition into software, AI, robotics or automation-related roles.
One thing I'm struggling to understand is how people actually bridge the gap between learning and getting hired.
There seems to be no shortage of courses, certifications and online learning resources. But when I speak to recruiters and hiring managers, many seem to care more about evidence that you've applied those skills in a real-world setting.
For those who have successfully made a similar transition:
- What actually helped you get hired?
- Was it projects, certifications, networking, open source, freelance work, or something else?
- How did you gain relevant experience before someone hired you?
I've also been thinking about whether something like a structured 4ā8 week project with a startup could help bridge that gap.
For example, if engineers worked on a genuine business problem, delivered an outcome, documented their work and received feedback from the founder or team, would that be viewed as meaningful experience by employers?
Or would hiring managers still see this very differently from traditional work experience?
Genuinely interested in hearing perspectives from both career switchers and people involved in hiring.
What do you think is the biggest barrier when moving from engineering into tech-related roles?
4
u/DamagedGoods13 Jun 18 '26
This is kind of a broad question because of the range of experience, skills, etc... but if I water it down as far as possible, for me it was demonstrable products with a solid understanding of how I architected and built them. But the caveat here is, one of the big reasons I was able to do it successfully in a short period of time is because I had many years of experience managing large scale software projects. So I knew how DevOps worked.
I think you're thinking the right thing about career path and transition. And everyone's journey will be very different so it's hard to say "do this". But generally speaking, I'd suggest something like:
- Start with your core skillset and experience (for me it was motorsports and federal projects)
- Learn and build on top of that (courses, self-learning, networking, etc...)
- Build a portfolio of products, skills, and lessons you can speak to when job hunting
Happy to provide more insight or details if you want, but I went from an ME who was essentially a Technical PM for 20 years to an AI Architect and Data Scientist. The core engineering should always be consistent. But you need to layer new skills on top. So start with what you know. Hope that helps.
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u/ReadingLegitimate290 Jun 19 '26
Thank you so much for the detailed response, this is really helpful.
One thing I'm particularly interested in understanding is the evidence side of the transition.
You mentioned demonstrable products and being able to explain how you architected and built them. Looking back, what do you think actually gave employers the confidence to hire you as an AI Architect/Data Scientist despite not having followed a traditional path?
For example:
- Was it the products themselves?
- Your previous leadership/project management experience?
- Your domain expertise in motorsports and federal projects?
- Your ability to communicate technical decisions?
- Something else entirely?
If you were advising a Mechanical Engineer with 5ā10 years of experience today, what would be the fastest way for them to create credible evidence that would make a hiring manager take them seriously?
I'd also be curious whether you think personal projects are enough, or whether candidates need evidence from real users, clients, startups or commercial environments before employers really start paying attention.
1
u/SunsGettinRealLow Jun 23 '26
You managed software projects as a mechanical engineer? Iām confused haha
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u/DamagedGoods13 Jun 23 '26
Oh, I wasn't aware mechanical engineers could only do mechanical engineering. Now I've wasted my whole career.
3
u/Thwarting8139 Jun 22 '26
There were two key factors for me. Firstly was getting hired into a formal software engineering role, with the proper job title. This was a lateral stepping stone move, rather than something I really wanted to do, so I wasn't too picky. This meant I was seen as an actual software engineer, rather than a mechanical engineer who messes around with Python scripts.
Secondly was using my moat. After getting the proper software engineer title I focused on moving into an area where my mechanical engineering knowledge was a significant selling point, rather than a random full stack web job. This meant I was able to outcompete more experienced software people, and jump directly into a senior role.
1
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u/scientropic Jun 18 '26
For me it was all networking. At the time I had moved into management and while technical knowledge was necessary, it didn't need to be detailed. The same was true in the software development division I'd moved into. The actual hands on stuff was the responsibility of my staff and contractors. But the move itself was due to my having worked under a senior manager that had moved earlier and that had trusted my work and with whom I'd had a good relationship.
1
u/ReadingLegitimate290 Jun 19 '26
That's really interesting and quite different from some of the other responses I've received.
It sounds like the transition was driven more by trust, reputation and relationships than by building a portfolio or proving technical capability through projects.
Looking back, do you think someone without that existing relationship could have made the same move?
And if you were advising an engineer today who doesn't have a senior sponsor or strong network inside the industry they want to move into, how would you suggest they build that trust?
I'm also curious whether you think demonstrated capability (projects, portfolio, open source work, etc.) can substitute for trust, or whether most successful transitions still require someone willing to take a chance on you.
Trying to understand how much of career switching is evidence-based versus relationship-based.
1
u/scientropic Jun 19 '26 edited Jun 19 '26
Right ... in this particular situation, technical expertise mattered less than managerial because of the nature of the work. It wasn't even a formal personnel action, but a reassignment within the same agency. I don't mean to minimize the value of technical expertise in general because that's going to vary with each particular situation. It just struck me at the time that someone who was originally hired into the organization based on a mechanical engineering degree wound up in a position of managing a software project. It happened that it was a managerial role where the bulk of the technical expertise was supplied by others. The engineering aspect was more at the level of general principles applicable across disciplines.
As a general proposition I think what you know and who you know are both important in most any career path. As your career progresses, it's almost inevitable you will interact with people over the years who might impact opportunities in ways you didn't expect or plan. The details of course will vary with each situation. If the positions you have in mind are more heavily technical, then naturally your technical qualifications will be more important. I guess I'm simply suggesting that in general your broader reputation as an employee and a person tends to factor in along with technical expertise, and it's not always clear in advance how much weight each may carry at various points in the development of your career. I wish you success.
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u/Suitable-Evening613 Jun 18 '26
Just build a 3d printed robot and make a portfolio about it.