16. Amusement Industry Jobs
A lot of us would love to be a roller coaster designer. We often see
posts from people asking how to get such a job. Here are some
comments/advice/etc. on coaster-designing jobs, mostly from people who
don't have such jobs, so take it all with a few grains of salt.
- A lot more people want to design roller coasters than can find
jobs doing it. Be aware of that before setting your hopes too
high. Don't quit your day job, as they say. For example, Arrow
Dynamics employs about a dozen engineers, and has low turnover.
The other coaster designers are probably similar.
- Mechanical and electrical engineering are the most used
disciplines. Arrow also has two civil engineers.
- Get some industry design experience first. Remember these
companies are small, and don't have the ability to train new-hires
like a Boeing or IBM would.
- If you do get a job with an amusement design company, recognize
that you're probably not going to start off designing the next big
bad roller coaster. You may design a spinning kiddie ride. Or an
insignificant component of a spinning kiddie ride.
- You can get company addresses from the ACE Directory, phone books,
the Thomas Register of Suppliers, and no doubt other sources. Make
friends with your local librarian. They like looking things up --
that's why they're librarians. It'll cost you $0.29 + paper and
time to send a resume.
- Do as much research as you can before you fire off resumes!
Join ACE. Go to the ACE conventions. Talk to people. Go to the
IAAPA Convention (but be forewarned that this is a *business*
convention, and if you go barging in with your resume in hand you
may not make too good an impression; talk to people and see if you
can make appointments; do this *before* going to the convention).
Subscribe to Amusement Business.
- If you're still in school, get a summer job at an amusement park.
Try for operations or maintenance (sorry, experience in food
service won't do you too much good ;^) ). Learn everything you can
about the rides and how they're operated and maintained.
Still want to do it? Good luck! We look forward to riding your creations.
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Roller Coaster Designers