u/Krometheous

Hi everyone,

a bit of a continuation post from my last one about the imposter syndrome and terrible amazon interview. ​I’m a 33-year-old EE (Texas A&M grad) with about 6-7 years of experience in the Aerospace/Defense and Medical Device industries. I’ve spent my career at some of the "Big 4" firms doing a lot of production support, test equipment management (STE/ATE), and high-reliability hardware troubleshooting.

​The Problem:

I’ve hit a wall with the "smock and gown" lab environment. Between the Class 8 cleanrooms, strict lab protocols, and the constant "boots on the ground" production fire-drills, I am completely burnt out. I want to transition into a role that is primarily desk-based or offers hybrid/WFH flexibility.

​My Background:

​Deep experience in Root Cause Analysis and Failure Mode reduction (delivered ~18% yield improvements).

​Managed fleets of 60+ Special Test Equipment assets.

​beginner foundation in circuit modeling (LTSpice), schematic redlines.

​Active Secret Clearance.

​The Goal: I’m looking for titles or specific niches where I can use my hardware knowledge without being physically tied to a lab bench 40 hours a week. I’ve looked at Systems Engineering and TPM roles, but what else is out there for someone with a heavy Test/Reliability background?

​Any advice on titles, specific industries, or even companies in the LA area that value "fixer" experience but don't require a bunny suit?

I've worked at several companies like lockheed martin (pip), medtronic (toxic culture), raytheon (lay off), boeing (contractor and then layoff), and now Abbott (toxic culture) for the 10 years 13 years or so since I've graduated and feel like I can't find my stride. I just had a bad interview with Amazon Leo last week and the interviewer had a very thick accent and was asking very specific questions from my first jobs like what current range did I use that then blossmed to a technical question which I failed at. I got into a defensive anxiety induced state even though he said it was alright because I cannot imagine or fathom how I would have recalled such specific detail. I'm trying my best to get out of my Abbott role since I'm the only EE here and they have their own manufacturing and quality goals that cannot comprehend what ESD and its impact is. Plus they have me doing Out of Tolerance stuff that I've never done before and when I submit it early they yell at me when I provided it to them early to review only to have them review it on the due date. They embarrass me in meetings and emails when I very clearly articulate the problem and path forward and want me to rush in and fix things without going through the proper process. So the amazon rejection makes me feel like i'm not meant to be an engineer but I keep telling myself perhaps I wouldn't have liked it if I could hardly understand the hiring manager and his interview style was to constantly apologize for making me uncomfortable by not remembering such old jobs in specific detail. I didn't want to go in depth for each job perse but idk what else to do I have OCD and currently being treated for it and am afraid if I take FMLA and STD that they will let me go when I get back. But I feel like every rejection is cementing that I'm no meant to be an EE. Since graduation I've always been doing production support, operations, some test and I feel like I am not a good candidate since I haven't been able to stay long at a company due to culture or lay offs to get into a design role which I'm sure is alot harder.

I've worked at several companies like lockheed martin (pip), medtronic (toxic culture), raytheon (lay off), boeing (contractor and then layoff), and now Abbott (toxic culture) for the 10 years 13 years or so since I've graduated and feel like I can't find my stride. I just had a bad interview with Amazon Leo last week and the interviewer had a very thick accent and was asking very specific questions from my first jobs like what current range did I use that then blossmed to a technical question which I failed at. I got into a defensive anxiety induced state even though he said it was alright because I cannot imagine or fathom how I would have recalled such specific detail. I'm trying my best to get out of my Abbott role since I'm the only EE here and they have their own manufacturing and quality goals that cannot comprehend what ESD and its impact is. Plus they have me doing Out of Tolerance stuff that I've never done before and when I submit it early they yell at me when I provided it to them early to review only to have them review it on the due date. They embarrass me in meetings and emails when I very clearly articulate the problem and path forward and want me to rush in and fix things without going through the proper process. So the amazon rejection makes me feel like i'm not meant to be an engineer but I keep telling myself perhaps I wouldn't have liked it if I could hardly understand the hiring manager and his interview style was to constantly apologize for making me uncomfortable by not remembering such old jobs in specific detail. I didn't want to go in depth for each job perse but idk what else to do I have OCD and currently being treated for it and am afraid if I take FMLA and STD that they will let me go when I get back. But I feel like every rejection is cementing that I'm no meant to be an EE. Since graduation I've always been doing production support, operations, some test and I feel like I am not a good candidate since I haven't been able to stay long at a company due to culture or lay offs to get into a design role which I'm sure is alot harder.