I would choose to be an engineer to start with for a good amount of years. This will let me work as an engineer where I can apply all my skills and knowledge that I have gained from my undergrad and grad studies. Perform experiments, come up with solutions for problems and coming up with new ideas which may be better than the ones already present is what I will enjoy doing as an engineer. This eventually will build my skills to move into the management role, this will be helpful as I will already know what the roles of the manager are as all of the work done as an engineer was supervised by a manager. Apart from this having been an engineer who was supervised I will have the knowledge of what one expects from a manager in a project team. The qualities needed as a supervisor such as leadership skills, problem solving skills would eventually strengthen up working as an engineer to a management role.