Editor’s note: This is the third of a six-part series featuring seniors who will be working uncommon jobs after they graduate in May. This installment profiles a student who will be working on satellites for Boeing in El Segundo, Calif.

Danny Roukos wants to go to Mars. Or, at least, he wants to work on the technology that gets NASA astronauts there.

On his way to that goal, Roukos (senior-mechanical engineering) will begin working in July for global aerospace giant Boeing at its facility in El Segundo, Calif., just southwest of Los Angeles.

As a satellite development engineer, he will focus on structural integrity -- making sure they are strongly built, he said.

"When you build a satellite, getting it into space is very stressful," Roukos said. "Basically, what I have to do is design satellites so they don't break when they're going up."

However, his ultimate career goal is to work in space exploration, he said.

In 2004, President George W. Bush announced plans to build a new spaceship to go back to the moon by 2020, and to travel to Mars from there, according to the Washington Post.

Working on the mission would be his "dream project," Roukos said.

"I think it's really important -- not just for the U.S. -- but for humanity to understand [space]," he said. "I'll definitely build my career around it."

Roukos said astronauts landing on Mars would be, for our generation, a moment comparable to the Apollo 11 moon landing in 1969.

"My dream career would be working in the war room when that happens," he said. "I'm one of the people that can work on this project, and I'm dying to."

Rouckos, a self-described "Lego guy," knew he wanted to enter engineering when he came to Penn State, but he was undecided on which program to choose. Though he was drawn to aerospace engineering, he chose mechanical because it is a broader major, he said.

While working for Boeing, Roukos said he plans to earn a master's degree in aerospace engineering or a related field. The company will pay for his education, he said.

Laura Pauley, professor-in-charge of undergraduate programs in mechanical engineering, said a degree in mechanical engineering prepares students for a wide range of careers.

"We cover the fundamentals, the basics, and they can be used in many applications," she said.

Mechanical engineers are employed in many different industries, Pauley said, including manufacturing, automotive engineering, aerospace engineering, power plant construction and operation, air conditioning and ventilation systems.

Enrollment in the major is competitive and controlled, with 230 students admitted each year, she said. The required grade point average varies, but students with a 3.0 average are guaranteed admittance.

Although a professor recommended him to Boeing, Roukos did not initially hear anything back about his application. In March, Roukos went to an information session held by Boeing on campus.

Roukos then approached the man who gave the presentation, he said.

"I said, 'Look, I need to work for your company. I'm perfect for the job,' " he said. "I basically looked him in the eye and said that. I wasn't going to let him say no."

Roukos was given a letter of intent that night and an interview the next day. He received the official job offer three weeks ago, which he intends to accept after he visits the company in the next few weeks.

Pauley said students in mechanical engineering are in high-demand on the job market.

"[Engineering students without jobs] at the graduation reception, usually are the ones who really haven't started looking or tried very hard to find a job," she said.

According to the National Association of Colleges and Employers, the average starting salaries for 2007 graduates in mechanical engineering is $59,707, an increase of 5.7 percent over last year.

Roukos, who was offered $63,000 a year, plus a $2,000 signing bonus, said students in his major don't have difficulty finding a job.

"If you're not getting three offers, you're not trying," he said.