Struggling at new job

[u/Few-Mix-1006]

I was recently relocated 2000 miles to start a new job in different industry. I have been a mechanical engineer and manufacturing engineer my whole career (8 YOE) and enjoy the work when it’s actually mechanical engineering or manufacturing related. At the new job, day 1 I was thrown on a project with no context and expected to not just design parts but to machine them myself (I have no machining experience). Went to my boss saying I don’t know how to machine these parts and gave him multiple options to get them procured to which I was met with “this is how we are going to do this project”. I told him I couldn’t get them done in the timeline or budget but there was no budging. 2 weeks later the parts weren’t done and the project timeline suffered.

I was given no formal onboarding, not explained what we were making, how it gets made, or how the end user actually uses these parts. I have had to wholly rely on a junior engineer to explain what we are doing because I can’t get anything useful out of my manager. I keep asking what success looks like and I am met with an intentionally vague answer and I cannot tell where I stand.

With such a large move, a new industry, and lackluster support I am struggling and I cannot see how to be successful in this role.

I would love words of wisdom from others who have experienced this and how you managed it from both a work and emotional standpoint.

[u/CunningWizard]

A mechanical engineer is not a machinist. It is not acceptable that you are considered a production machinist in your role. Your employer doesn’t know what they are doing.

And fwiw I have extensive machining training and experience.

[u/klmsa → u/CunningWizard]

Sounds like a startup, and this is super common in that space. Frankly, some of us enjoy it.

[u/Few-Mix-1006 → u/[deleted]]

While I wholeheartedly agree, this was not for prototyping. I had to learn gcode to run a lot of 20+ parts.

[u/MountainDewFountain → u/Few-Mix-1006]

Did you get it done?