The School of Engineering has several co-op arrangements with government agencies and companies in the Bay Area. Students are paid by the employer for the work they perform. The San Francisco Bay Area is a diversified and dynamic industrial and engineering center. The majority of Engineering graduates from SFSU live and work in the Bay Area. Employers of recent graduates include Pacific Gas and Electric, Pacific Bell, Hewlett Packard, National Semiconductor, Bechtel, Fairchild, Lockheed Corporation, NASA-Ames, Applied Materials, Livermore National Laboratory, California Public Utilities Commission, California Transportation Department, Sandia National Laboratory, Chevron, Westinghouse, General Electric, and numerous other large and small Bay Area firms.
Ties formed during industry co-op arrangements or projects often lead to job offers.
In addition, the University Career Center assists students with career planning and job placement. Numerous organizations send recruiters to the campus or participate in job fairs. Most industries, such as aerospace, automotive, chemical, power generation, electronic, agriculture, food processing, pharmaceutical, and mining, employ mechanical engineers. Mechanical engineers interested in research, development, or college-level teaching may return to college for a master of science or Ph.D. degree in a specified field in Mechanical Engineering. Mechanical engineers interested in management and business aspects may return to college for a master in Business Administration.