Good for you, ga-ga!
The first thing that came to mind for me was working with assistive
devices for the disabled. (And I notice now that pinkfreud has
mentioned this as well. Always count yourself lucky when pinkfreud
weighs in with a comment.)
Some other ideas might be working with alternative energy solutions
(outside the range of 'socially responsible companies' you mentioned);
and bringing technology to underprivileged areas, either through
development of cheaper/faster tools, education, or front-line work
putting together communication systems.
Not knowing where you're located, I've just come up with a list of
possibilities and some examples of the types of areas you might be
interested in working in so that you can research these and try to
narrow down your job search.
Assistive Technologies.
This could include developing things like the 'tweeters' they put at
pedestrian crossings to help the blind know when to cross and devices
to aid in rehabilitative therapy and things like that. (Obviously, I'm
not talking about you getting a job on an assembly line putting these
together, but perhaps inventing new technologies and improving
existing ones.)
Here are a few general lists of consumer products available for the
disabled right now, to give you an idea of what sort of products are
on the market in that area, and who the manufacturers are:
http://www.makoa.org/cmpyinfo.htm
http://www.blvd.com/
Here's Google's web directory listing for the topic:
http://directory.google.com/Top/Society/Disabled/Assistive_Technology/
with links to a number of organizations that advocate or develop
assistive technologies.
Alternative Energy Solutions.
Beyond the jobs building solar panels for socially responsible
non-profits, there is a whole range of opportunities in this field
that could probably benefit well from your expertise.
A good place to start would be the National Renewable Energy Labs
(NREL), whose website is here:
http://www.nrel.gov/
They research new technologies, do testing, and provide information to
the public on various renewable energy solutions, including solar
power, wind power, etc. An aquaintance who works there claims that
most of their work is not so much front-line innovative, but more
concentrated on fine-tuning existing technologies, making them
cheaper, more efficient, and more accessible overall. This could be a
good thing or a bad thing, according to your own interests and
motivations. If you're bored by detail work, it might not be the best
place to be, but if you like the idea of making existing technologies
accessible and usable, you might want to look into them.
Their current openings are here:
http://www.nrel.gov/hr/employment/jobs.html
Looks like they need an electro-optical senior research technician
right now, for example. Also note that, due to budgeting restraints,
many positions are currently on hold. I've been told that they expect
more positions to open up in the next couple of months, though. (Heh.
I'm trying to get in there myself, so I've talked to them recently.)
Working with Underprivileged Areas.
There is always a great deal of work that needs to be done, foreign
and domestic (regardless of what country you're in), developing and
implementing communications systems and electrical systems, as well as
providing education to the underprivileged, and developing cheaper and
more sustainable technologies to allow access to areas that would
otherwise be left behind.
One thing you mentioned, that many EE education has taken on a
vocational aspect, might be twisted around to serve you well. While it
may not be real engineering, perhaps you could provide vocational
training for young people in areas where there are few opportunities.
While there are programs available through large, profit-oriented
vocational colleges, perhaps you could find an economically
disadvantaged area with a small vocational or community college and
teach basic vocational courses, such as circuit design and assembly.
There are also numerous organizations that work with depressed areas
bringing various technology to the schools, community centers, and
small businesses.
Here are some examples of these types of organizations and work being
done in this field:
http://www.knowledgeway.org/
http://www.planwel.edu/mission.htm
http://www.tecsoc.org/equity/whatsequity.htm
http://www.iadb.org/ict4dev/youth.htm
Some possibly tangentially related information is available here:
http://www.bonamypublishing.com/
They publish books on various topics for engineers, including one
called The Energy Efficiency Manual, which is described as follows:
"The world's guide to energy conservation, reducing utility costs, and
protecting the environment by wise use of energy. Use it to reduce
your utilities costs and protect the environment in all kinds of
heating, cooling, lighting, and water systems, in building structures,
and in industrial equipment, from the smallest to the largest. Learn
how to purchase energy economically and how to use renewable resources
and free energy sources reliably."
While this doesn't directly address your issues, it could be an angle
toward making whatever job you do have a little more socially
responsible as far as creating safe, sustainable products. Yeah, it's
a bit of a stretch, and the book does cost $199, but I thought I'd
throw it out there, just in case.
They also have a booklet here, titled "Is There an Electrical Engineer
Inside You?
A Student's Guide To Exploring Electrical Engineering":
http://www.bonamypublishing.com/miniee.htm
Obviously, it's intended for students, but it does claim to provide a
listing of various industries and jobs available for Electrical
Engineers, and as such, it could help you pin down some of the
opportunities available. And it's available at the vastly more
reasonable price of $4.95.
Other general information about Electrical Engineering jobs is
available here:
http://stats.bls.gov/oco/ocos031.htm
This is the Occupational Outlook report for Electrical Engineers,
which was published in 2000 (so it necessarily reflects a slightly
more rosy 'outlook' than perhaps we've become used to since). I
realize this might be slightly obvious to someone who is already
working in the field, but I've often found personally that, to get out
of a rut or make a major life decision, it helps to go back to square
one.
Lastly, the bad news. (The bad news is also good news.) Jobs in
socially responsible areas tend to pay relatively poorly, and can be
very competitive. This is due in part to funding issues, but it also
appears to have something to do with the fact that competition is
fierce. There are a lot of people out there who want to do something
good for society. I've worked with various legal aid societies who've
been deluged with resumes from experienced, competent lawyers
competing for positions that paid peanuts, and my own experience
trying to work for a good cause has shown this as well. Perhaps, if
you have difficulty finding socially responsible work for a salary you
can live on, you could take a well-paying position and funnel your
extra money into socially responsible causes, and volunteer your
services in any spare time you have.
If you have any questions, would like more specific information on any
of these topics, or if you feel like I've missed something, please
feel free to request a clarification, and I'll see what I can find
you.
Good luck, and again, kudos to you for doing this,
Lisa.
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