Met some BWM Race Engineers

[DaveKillens]

I would suggest getting involved in racing as much as possible. That precious commodity, "experience" has to be earned the very hard way.
But any learning experience in racing is better than none at all.
Get involved in some race teams. Learn what to do, and what not to do, in a practical racing environment. Show prospective employers that not only are you passionate about racing, but that you take this very seriously.
Also, learn the politics of racing. It's important not only to learn the direct influence an engineer has on a racing car, but how all this fits into the big picture of the company. Does Honda still use racing as a training environment for production engineers?

[Guest]

At California Speedway 2004 (IRL Race), my dad talked to a manager at Team Rahal Racing and then he asked me to send him a resume, for a summer internship. Hopefully, I'll get accepted... it will be great to get some actual racing experience, even if it means just inflating a tire.

West

[DaveKillens]

Just about everyone starts out as a gopher.

[firestorm777]

I actually saw a website with postings for positions for the jaguar, red bull, and other racing teams. It is at http://www.formone.demon.co.uk/vac/

[Guest]

That website was last updated 5 years ago

West

[riff_raff]

I was a design engineer for a factory race team (IMSA GTP) for about 3 years. Even though the team had a large budget, I was paid very little. A few of the personnel on the team were paid well, such as the drivers, crew chief, chief engineer and team managers. However, the underlings were paid peanuts. And during the race season, you work 7 days a week.

Don't get me wrong though, it was a lot of fun while it lasted. However, the aerospace job I got after I left the race team paid about 2-1/2 times as much, and for much less effort.

If you have a wife and family to support, forget about an entry level engineering job in racing. Your family will starve and your wife will leave you.

If you are young, single and don't mind living in poverty, you might find an entry level engineering position in racing fun and a good learning experience. Just don't expect to get rich. The only engineers in racing that are well paid are guys with PhD's in CFD. And for every engineering position available on a properly funded race team, there are at least 100 guys applying for it.

As with most jobs, it's more important "who you know" than "what you know". Do whatever you can to become freindly with someone on a race team. Likely, the only way you'll get your foot in the door, even for an interview, is if someone recommends you. That's how I got my job with a race team- I knew someone.

Good Luck.
Terry

[Guest]

well hi im new on this forum and from holland (15 years old) and i wanna become a engineer to. Well i've mailed around a few weeks ago to some raceteams in different classes like formule renault porshce cup that kinda stuff and hey presto! 1 team is willing to let me learn a bit in the workshop and wants to take me to some races so the point is ask a lot and keep trying

[mech_coen]

soory for above didnt know i wasn't logged in but you all get the message/point of what i mean??

[West]

Well, i guess I can ask around... I think working for a sportscar team, like ALMS, would be fun. Especially the GT class, if I can just work for Alex Job racing or somehting, making coffee or getting tires.

[mech_coen]

Well, i guess I can ask around... I think working for a sportscar team, like ALMS, would be fun. Especially the GT class, if I can just work for Alex Job racing or somehting, making coffee or getting tires.

that's the spirit but don't look way to high, you know look by lower classes were pressure is lower but still by a big team, i don't know what classes your country has but try like uhm renault clio?? super cars?? BUT anyhow good luck

[West]

Well, i guess I can ask around... I think working for a sportscar team, like ALMS, would be fun. Especially the GT class, if I can just work for Alex Job racing or somehting, making coffee or getting tires.

that's the spirit but don't look way to high, you know look by lower classes were pressure is lower but still by a big team, i don't know what classes your country has but try like uhm renault clio?? super cars?? BUT anyhow good luck

Well, Alex Job Racing runs Porsche GT3RSR's, in the ALMS, which pretty much runs the GT class at Le Mans. We have no Formula Renault, and I'm not sure what kinds of open seater racing exists at the lower level, maybe except Star Mazda.

[mech_coen]

Well, Alex Job Racing runs Porsche GT3RSR's, in the ALMS, which pretty much runs the GT class at Le Mans. We have no Formula Renault, and I'm not sure what kinds of open seater racing exists at the lower level, maybe except Star Mazda.[/quote]
well im very sorry but im not fimiliar with racingclasses in ur country so good luck!!

[Guest]

Well, i guess I can ask around... I think working for a sportscar team, like ALMS, would be fun. Especially the GT class, if I can just work for Alex Job racing or somehting, making coffee or getting tires.

I'm on a FSAE team, and one of our rookies who came in this year did just that. During highschool, he found one of the big GT teams was based out of his city, and went to volunteer for them. Eventually they hired him for a summer, and he got to travel with the team and everything. He's great at changing tires But he also has a great understanding of all the philosophies behind racecar design- why things are how they are.

[West]

What team? I'm in SoCal and haven't been able to find any kind of ALMS team down here. The closest thing was Petersen motorsports, but the team is based in Las Vegas

[Guest]

Heh, I'm outta Cal Poly Pomona. This guy is from the bay area, and worked for Flying Lizard. I don't know of any ALMS teams in LA. Most of the AMA superbike teams are in this area, but I know that doesn't help much... Saleen has their headquarters/plant here, but I don't know if the race team is out of their headquarters. Another place to look is Swift Engineering, based out of San Clemente. They design the Formula Atlantic cars, and have done championship winning Formula Ford, CART, NASCAR truck and funny car aerodynamics. They are more of aero specialists than mechanical though. I also know some Cosworth guys based out of this area- I think their CART/IRL engine shop might be here.