A 37-Year Career at Mobil Oil Fueled by Northeastern’s Co-op Program
Richard “Dick” Moynihan, E’58, chemical engineering, built a 37-year career with Mobil Oil that took him across the United States and abroad. His time at Northeastern, especially his co-ops, gave him both the technical foundation and life lessons that carried him through an adventurous and rewarding professional and personal journey.
Moynihan entered Northeastern in 1953 with an unexpected path ahead. Originally considering seminary, he changed direction after taking a vocational test that suggested he should work independently. “My father spoke with a Northeastern graduate who recommended chemical engineering,” Moynihan recalls. “I enjoyed chemistry, and I liked the challenge.”
At Northeastern, Moynihan found himself surrounded by classmates with unique backgrounds—nearly half of his chemical engineering cohort were Korean War veterans, offering a mix of maturity and perspective that helped shape his college years. He also experienced the power of Northeastern’s signature co-op program, which he describes as “the greatest educational tool in the country.”
His first co-op was as a laboratory assistant at Coppers Company, commuting to the site by trackless trolley. While the role taught him valuable lab skills, he quickly realized a laboratory career wasn’t his calling. His second co-op, at MIT in the food technology division, proved far more influential. Working on early experiments with microwave cooking, Moynihan jokes that he endured “some of the worst-tasting hamburgers” but gained both professional insight and a personal connection—meeting the woman who would later become his wife.
Moynihan’s third co-op brought him into the oil industry, where he would ultimately build his career. After several sessions with Mobil in New Jersey, he and another Northeastern co-op were both hired full time despite there being only one opening. Moynihan went on to spend nearly four decades with the company, transitioning from engineering into commercial marketing and becoming Mobil’s first environmental studies engineer in oil and water. His career took him and his family across the U.S., with assignments in Los Angeles, Philadelphia, Kansas City, Dallas, New York, and Houston.
Looking back, Moynihan cites patience and listening as the most valuable skills he carried from Northeastern into his career. “Working with customers, you have to listen to what they want and then figure out how to make it work,” he says. He also remembers an early lesson from a manager who urged him to double-check his work: “Measure twice, cut once. That stayed with me my whole career.”
Moynihan remains grateful for the foundation Northeastern provided, especially as a first-generation college student. “In my day, you left with not just four years of academics, but two years of real work experience. When you entered the workforce, you were well ahead of your peers,” he says. His gratitude has fueled decades of giving back to Northeastern’s chemical engineering program, supporting future students as they chart their own paths.
Even in retirement, Moynihan leads an active life filled with travel, volunteer work, and time with family. Reflecting on his journey, he shares this advice with current students: “Be patient, listen, and don’t assume you know everything. Northeastern gives you the foundation—but it’s what you learn along the way that really defines your career.”