<p>Hi,
I am currently a graduate student pursuing my masters in mechanical engineering. Currently I am working on a funded project as a research assistant and would like to graduate in a few months. I would like to do my thesis on the project I am currently working on but that means I would have to graduate in about half a year or more because I haven't started writing my thesis yet and I still need to do testing and finish building my test bench.</p>
<p>Should I just pursue a comprehensive exam to graduate sooner and just find a job asap? Would it be a turn off to the employers that I was doing a funded research assistant position and didn't do my thesis on it?</p>
<p>I would like to get a manufacturing engineer or mechanical design engineer position for any large company. Will the employers ask me about my thesis and what if I just told them that I was a research assistant and explain the project I was working on? I don't know what do you guys think? Is a thesis really important in this day and age?</p>
<p>If you want to go into industry and don’t want a PhD, I don’t think the thesis matters at all. I can’t be sure because engineering is not my field, but in my own experience nobody asks about your thesis. Even when I was applying for research jobs with an MA (for which I actually did do a thesis), nobody asked about my thesis - they wanted to know about my research experience.</p>
<p>A thesis is important only if you want to go into research. In your case that is not an issue. The fact that you have research experience is important form the work experience perspective. However, you have to be careful to make sure that you deliver what your research advisor expects you to do. He/she has been supporting you and if you leave sooner than expected there is a loss of productivity on the project and a need to train a new student. This can cause some bad blood and might affect any recommendation that you get. If you decide to take this path, make sure you deliver on all that you are expected to do.</p>