r/womenEngineers

I work as an electrical engineer in the aerospace field. I have 9 years of experience and have been at the same company my entire career.

2 years ago I took maternity leave for 3 months and I feel like my career has been derailed ever since. Before having my child I was leading projects and receiving promotions. After returning, my boss put me on a cookie cutter project that doesn’t even deal with engineering. He even stated that he thought this would be an easy job for me to ease back into work but after two years I still feel like I’ve been put on the back burner. When I brought up to him that I would like to switch to a project with a focus on engineering, he said he would look into where he could place me but that was months ago. Then a new project started and he gave it to a guy that I trained along with a nice promotion. The guy has only been an engineer for 3 years. He has always favored the men we work with, he has a group chat with only them and jokes around with them like they are buddies. I ran into a former coworker this week and when I was telling her everything that happened, she mentioned that she got passed over for a promotion because she has kids which is why she chose to leave the company. I don’t have a lot of experience with other companies but have any of you dealt with this? Is it normal for you to be passed over just because you have a family?

I'm 3y into my career in consulting. For the past two years I've been working in an area that I really don't like. I don't mind doing it for a while because I understand it's part of my job... but it's been 2 years of the same. It would be more understanding if this was the only type of project my company gets, but it's not. My coworkers, who are at my same level, keep getting assigned those projects instead.

I've told management several times that I'm not fond of this area and I would like to explore other types of projects. Every time, they say they understand and keep promising me to switch me soon and then again they keep assigning me stuff in this area. I've been asking to switch for a year and spoke to different managers. When I ask why my coworkers get to do it, I'm told it's because they need that experience or because I'm too good at it.

I recently had a mid year check in with my direct manager where I brought up all the times where I've asked to be switched. They said they don't understand why I complain about it instead of just doing what I'm told.... But I do what I'm told, I've been doing what I'm told with a positive attitude for 2 years.

Is it really 3 years too early to advocate for what I'd like my career trajectory to be? Is it irrational to ask for more or other opportunities?

I, 20F, am working at an engineering company with a fellow (21M) intern in my department. He's been on my bad side the entirety of the internship since he attempted to hide his nepotism when his dad is in our department and overall acts as if he knows more in every situation we're in together. This is not new behavior since I have dealt with plenty of misogynists in engineering; however, the nepotism is fairly new to me.

Anyways, we had a very similar assignment in which I was kinda stuck on how to go about it manually (which was the norm), but I turned over to ask him a question, and he had code open, so I looked up how to automate in this system and developed my own code. I think that we both relied on AI throughout our processes, so I didn't feel guilty for that inspiration, but when I was done, I made sure to let my manager know of my progress. In this meeting, I mentioned he was coding a solution too but did not feel the need to go into detail, partly because I hadn't seen it since the first time and partly because she was already upset that he wasn't reaching out to her, so I figured he should put in the effort. I ended up getting a lot of valuable feedback and was able to heavily edit my code.

However, later in our internship, we were all assigned presentations where he finally showed his code to people other than his dad. Our other manager told us we should collaborate and demo for the team. About 2 hours after sitting at our desks, I finally decided to be the one to start the collab, where he then went on to admit some of my choices were better, but we should just make it "easy" on ourselves and use his, since my code had an error. (The error existed largely because while I had one set of data to test it on, he used his dad's and his dad's friend's to test his). I eventually got him to admit we should keep some aspects of my code, and though I had some work for the next few days, we should reconvene.

That brings me to today; we had a weekly joint meeting with our manager, and she brought up that he had reached out to another person on the team to demo and said he should just demo to everyone. Which I had no idea he had completed the integration between our modules, so that threw me off as is. But the worst part was after our meeting, he sent a message to our team and the code saying he wanted to demo and present it on Friday to everyone. I am completely lost on what to do because even our department head plans on being there, and from what I can see, this code is 70% mine and 30% his. So I definitely deserve credit, which, from his lack of involving me, seems like he doesn't intend to give.

How do I confront him or someone else to make sure I am involved? (I think he made a presentation too because I saw him looking at slides the other day) Any advice would be great!

TDLR: Nepo-guy intern took a large part of my code and is planning on presenting it as his to my team. Any advice on how to handle this would be greatly appreciated!

Hello ladies I'm in my first year at engineering as a student the first year is general later I have to choose a field I'm so confused about it

I'm 19 I want to leave my country ( Egypt) through a scholarship maybe or whatever it's my first well to leave I wanna know the field that has the least misogyny around / highest paid / most important is needed in America, Australia, Canada, Europe...

The fields I currently think of are : Electronics, computer engineering ( although I hate when it gets mistaken as CS) mechatronics, chemical engineering

I do my best wherever I am so it's not a big deal i just want something to build a good future luxurious one actually

I intend to do courses internship projects whatever I can to have a strong cv

I truly need your advice thank u

I got a good opportunity in a tech team in my college however I'm the only female there and i barely speak up cos I'm afraid or rather not comfortable with guys (they r my classmates) and we aren't the best in coding but I feel this is a good opportunity for me but I'm unable to open up in this team I have applied for a domain change to graphics since I have experience (have experience in tech and graphics) so idk if I should accept the graphics domain w all my girls or go for the only mens team and learn sm?

This might be too niche for this sub but I’ve been really needing advice. I just barely finished my associates at community college and it took me three years because I was working part time, and because I have been struggling to cope with the demands of school while my hormones literally make me sick every month. I am entering my junior year at university soon and chose to quit my job because the sharp hormonal changes make me physically ill every single luteal phase + period. I basically only get about 10 “normal” days where I can function, out of my ~25 day cycle. For the other 15 days, I consistently experience extremely intense symptoms that inhibit my day to day mental & physical functioning:
-SEVERE brain fog
-luteal cold/fever/migraine
-“period flu”
-severe mood swings
-total lack of motivation/energy
-hopelessness and despair
-intense and disproportionate anxiety/overwhelm/stress

Also, yes, I have talked to my PCP about this, as well as my psychiatrist. I am now looking to broaden my scope because I have implemented every suggestion from these professionals, to no avail.

I am planning to be taking full time classes for the next two years until I get my degree. And although i’ve quit my job, i’m extremely nervous because junior year is widely regarded to be the hardest year of engineering school. I am a very smart person with a 3.97 GPA and my natural intellect has been the only thing keeping my grades so high. But i know as course material becomes more dense and challenging, i won’t have any choice except to consistently put in the work, every day. I’m not against doing this, but i seem to physically be unable to. When i push myself too hard, my body seems to totally shut down. I get migraines for 2-5 days at a time, and i get them about twice a month (typically during early luteal and early menstruation). Although my cycle is predictable, i just do not have enough follicular time to “get ahead” before my hormones ruin my body and brain all over again.

I take every supplement/vitamin known to man for PMDD. To help with MCAS, I also began an antihistamine regimen leading up to and during luteal, which has noticeably improved my symptoms, but not enough; I take famotidine and loratidine, and it seems that the famotidine is close to a miracle medicine, but it has a short duration of action and tolerance to it builds quickly, so it only gives me a small fraction of normal brain time back. I take dexedrine for ADHD and due to its side effects, I taper to a very low dose during late luteal and menstruation, which has improved the worst of my PMDD symptoms (i no longer have suicidal ideation. Yippee.)

I have not had positive experiences with birth control in the past, but I am willing to try different ones. Does anyone have any recommendations or anecdotal reports regarding the efficacy of specific BC options, especially for anyone who shares any of the same conditions as me?
Also, does anyone have any advice whatsoever on how to navigate this? I’m really struggling and I just can’t understand how no other women in my life can relate to how hard it is (and i have a LOT of women friends… so i kind of feel like i’m just fundamentally broken or something lmao).

Final disclaimer: please do not suggest I change my major because engineering is “too hard” for my delicate composition or whatever. engineering is what i have chosen, and i am seeking advice on how to complete my degree as painlessly as possible. i am not seeking advice on changing my path.
Thank you in advance for any wisdom you may share 🫶🙏

To be clear and upfront I have never been diagnosed nor have sought out an autism diagnosis. I am a structural engineer, and a little more blunt than a typical woman. I have worked two jobs now and at both jobs, I have been called autistic at both.

I understand this is also used as an insult amongst men commonly, but in the first case my coworker was kind enough to offer his unwarranted diagnosis upon me and in my current job I got read for "not reading social cues like an autistic". At this point, it's become a little of a sore spot for me and I just don't know how to process it necessarily. Is it just because this is a male dominated field? Am I not acting womanly enough for them? Idk this is lowkey starting to eat me up.

Also I don't know if I am actually autistic or not. That is not particularly relevant to me as I am living life comfortably, and have only ever recieved comments like this in the workplace

I’ve been in the situation many a time where I say something, what I say gets ignored and then I put it in writing and then I have evidence of what I’ve said (when down the line I’m right). In terms of meetings, how do I get listened to more? Verbal techniques or anything ?

I actually find it easier online as my appearance doesn’t do me any favours and I feel online my words are more of the focus

I've been with my company about a year now, and I'm still trying to get a handle on the best ways to travel for work. Do I want to take my own shampoo, or use the hotel's? Should I upgrade my suitcase? What would make the hotel comfier? and really any questions along those lines, or things you've found that work well for you and what you like!

I've had a few week-long trips but starting next week I have my longest, which will be for 3 weeks. Any advice on ways to make trips easier/more comfortable for the long run? I do a mix of car and air travel, for reference.

Thanks!

I am civil enginner, like I graduated in 2025, after graudation I joined coporate as a GET, initially it was all good I was in design team like in structural engineering, I was learning like I was being taught n all, but few months in I was shifted to AI and Automation team, I did nothing in this team, like there was few coding in first few months then after 3 or so months around jan of 2026 there was a notice for dissolving of team as the lead member was resigning, so for all these months I learned nothing honestly saying, now after 6 months our team finally dissolved and I have been shifted back to design team BUT the problem is I am no longer a GET, so now people expects deliverables which Obously I am not able to provide on top out which I feel like i dont know anything, like all the four years in btech all went to waste nor can I do simple calculations and cant answer to core concepts, now the manager expects the deleivers which i am not able to give, i feel like leaving the job n going bck to my hometown leaving everything behind i am embarassed that i dont know how to do the job, on god bro,this is the reason i find excuses to not go to work , i skipped today as well., I have used all my leaves but still take leave on LOP, bruh. Like, at this point, I don't care i just dont want to show up at work. Has anyone been in the same spot as me? Can someone advise me what I should do?

Hi I am curious if anyone has positive stories of going back to an individual contributor job from a leadership position. I’m in a team lead job right now and I am about to accept an offer for a senior engineer position. The comp is almost equivalent. I know this is the right decision and I’m really excited about the senior engineer role but I can’t help but feel like I’m “giving up” in my leadership journey. I just had another baby this year though and I can’t commit to any further leadership roles that require more time.

Not sure if this is because I am early career (3 years) or if I’m a woman. Often times men will say my code is wrong because I didn’t write it in the style or format they used, without even looking at the simulation. Sometimes they will say “it’s fine” and try to add stuff that ends up breaking the logic. I am using VHDL so there really are only so many ways to do it so I’m wondering if this is an industry norm or if I’m taking it personally. For background, I am an ECE working in Embedded.

Hello everyone! I (F18) am starting undergrad in a little less than two weeks from now. I’m pursuing a degree in Mechanical Engineering, which has been my dream ever since I was little. I am attending a predominantly male college that is well known in my area for its Engineering programs. When I attended orientation (in which we were sorted by our specific majors), approximately 90-95% of the students in my major were male, making me feel a bit anxious. After speaking with some female alumni who had graduated with a Mech-E diploma from my college, they told me much of the in-class work consisted of group projects. Some of them told me they faced a lot of passive aggressive or blatantly misogynistic comments from their male classmates. My question is: How was undergrad for you all? How did you deal with being one of the only women, if not the only woman, in your classes? I am very excited to pursue my Mechanical Engineering degree, but these anxieties have been consuming me lately. Thank you in advance for your responses!

I was thinking about going into mech engineering (doing a transfer major at community college) but I have been told that the overall experience for studying/working in engineering as a woman isn’t so great? Problems of being undermined and harassed. Is there anyone who has their experience in the field to share? Is it as true as they say? Is it better to opt for a different engineering or stem major? Im at a bit of a loss since thats what I have settled on and thought about so I don’t really know anything else.

6 months into the job and I feel like I’m at the weird situation with my manager. I’ve never had an issues before with previous managers/superiors, but we are just not vibing. It’s not like I’m unlikeable, other people in the office don’t seem to give me this vibe. My manager is very stiff and not personable towards me, and tbh it’s a little off putting. Sometimes I don’t know if they are being condescending or “just business” with me and I’m worried it will affect my growth in the company. They talk to the intern and the other junior employee (2 YOE) better than they do me. They told me I’m doing a “fantastic job” and no one has had any complaints with my work, but I know sometimes being liked is as important (or more).

I like my role and the company, and I would like to continue working there. Is this just an unfortunate situation where my boss just dishes out work and I do it, and the friendly office chit chat is off the table. Any advice?

Hi everyone,

I'm a bit late to the game, but I'm considering a career in civil engineering — it'd be my second bachelor's. My background is in admin work and some software. I've struggled for a long time to find something I'm actually passionate about, but after a lot of career testing and research, civil engineering kept coming up and just made sense.

A few questions for those already in the field:

• Once I finish my bachelor's, how hard is it to land a first job?
• Are career switchers looked down on?
• I'm also a woman — is that a factor worth thinking about going in?

To be clear, I'm not job-hunting right now, just gathering info to position myself well for the future.

I'm based in NY if that helps.

Thanks in advance — can't wait to officially join the profession!