Porsche was looking for cooling system engineers recently. I don't see that job posting any more, but here is a related one for you:
https://jobs.porsche.com/index.php?ac=jobad&id=7192&curPage=8. Also check here, I like those test engineer jobs with Continental:
https://www.motorsportjobs.com/en/jobs/united-states
"They say you if you love what you do, you never work a day in your life." Did Confucius say that? I'm not sure, but I can relate
I think we must be around similar age. I graduated as materials engineer in late 2000's, didn't want to do the usual mining or oil/gas job in Vancouver like most. I saw enough of that industry during my co-op to know I wouldn't be happy there. So instead I worked for a racing wheel manufacturer for a few years, where some Porsche content kept me happy but eventually I wanted more. Jumped acrossed the pond to the UK, got my Master's, then a job at a composites supplier in motorsport/automotive. There was a lot of Porsche content there too, but that only made me realise I don't want to work for suppliers any more. So I joined a team competing in a world championship, my current position. There is only one move from here: to be part of a team that wins championships, and that's exactly what I will be doing in a few months, back in the UK.
I understand that not everyone is able or willing to make the big jumps like I did. In fact, all this "moving countries every few years" business makes financial planning difficult and family planning near impossible, so I don't recommend it at all. Work visa requirements also tend to make life difficult each time. But now, looking at my next planned move, I finally feel vindicated of all those crazy, risky or seemingly pointless steps I took along the way.
And that is exactly the point I want to make: I believe, that if you think you will be happy doing something you're passionate about, the only way to find out is to do it, but with reasonable planning and much effort. For me, it started with a rather vague idea that I want to work in motorsport, and the details were improved as I went along, taking steps which I believed were the best choices at the time. The progress made it easier to figure out the finer details, which to me was an indication that I'm indeed on the right track. That is not to say that everyone who started out with the same vague idea made it; at least half of my class of "master's in motorsport engineering" ended up going back to their home countries with a useless degree where their chance of finding a job in the field is basically nil. So hard work is a prerequisite, but being passionate about the subject matter does make it slightly easier (or at least palatable). Getting rich was never a goal for me, in fact I knew that I will earn peanuts and if I don't like it, one of many hundreds in line will happily take my job. Having just been back home, however, I'm happy to report that my salary is actually there or thereabouts compared to the "boring" engineering my friends are doing. So it would appear that the money can follow the passion, unless you are a starving artist of sorts. I'm glad I didn't follow the money in the beginning, because at the end of the day, I get paid to design and play with race cars and that's pretty cool.
As you know, "automotive" is a very big field. I don't know if you're in a position to take a risk of following this vague idea at this point, but it would certainly make things clearer if you can narrow down your goal as much as possible. Door latch design is not the same as quality control or body design. I agree with the Captain (whose career path I'm following, some decades behind
), I would look into EV's if you want a responsive working environment, and lucky for you, you don't have to leave the country just to find many options.
Sorry that it's long winded and too much about "me", but I really wanted to highlight that there is a reward to taking the risk and doing what you love. And if I can do it, anybody can.
PS It is very true what Eric say about the counter-statement that "The quickest way to destroy a passion is by trying to make money doing it". I'm not here to make big money, but I am now doing for a living what was once my hobby. So there is a constant risk that hobby = work and I never switch off. I have seen too many bad examples of that already in the industry, where broken marriage seems to be the norm, and being aware of and avoiding this pitfall is more important to me than my career advancement. But thankfully my hobby = work, so I don't waste any time or money any more on turning my own car into a "race car", so that helps in the relationship department. I used to have a bad case of "race car syndrome" with my 911 back home, just ask my wife
