What's your day job?
 

What's your day job?

FIRST is supposed to be inspiring students to pursue STEM careers, but I don't think it does a very good job of telling them what a STEM career is actually like. Or even if you don't do STEM, what do you do?

Probably a lot of people that work in technical fields have a fair bit of their work wrapped up in NDAs or what have you, and I understand that. As much or as little as you feel like giving. I also think it'll be pretty interesting to see what CD does with their 40 hour (+!) work week.

Re: What's your day job?
 

My day job is being the internet marketing specialist for Jim Hudson Buick-GMC-Cadillac. It's one part language arts, one part ensuring cars are posted online properly, one part troubleshooter, one part photography, one part master of Excel-fu. Not really a STEM career, but the ability to solve tough problems that FIRST forces you to handle is instrumental in doing the job well.

It's usually pretty fun, it pays the mortgage, and it offers enough time off to work with my team and travel to events. Hard to beat that, right?

Re: What's your day job?
 

I am an electrical engineer. Until about 4 years ago I worked with small companies building custom automation machinery. I was surprised when I started in FRC four years ago to see how much the program is like real machine development. You find out what the customer wants (the game) and the machine specs (the robot rules). You usually start by figuring out how to accomplish the task then start thinking about the machine. You have a budget and not as much time as you would like. You have mechanical, electrical, programing, marketing, etc. One of my favorite parts of FIRST is that it exposes high school students to so many things that are found in the workplace that they have a much better idea what they would like to pursue.

Re: What's your day job?
 

I would love a job like that.
I have a very well paying job at a nuclear power plant. I try to emphasize the money a little to the students. I tell them if I didn't have my electrical engineering degree, I wouldn't have such a nice job. Some young people want the big payday, so I push the 4 year degree as the route.
As an electrical engineer, I work on various projects to upgrade the plant and keep it operating safely. We have civil and mechanical engineers also and we work together to complete the different projects.

Re: What's your day job?
 

I currently doing an internship at Embedtek. They also sponsor one of the FLL teams I mentor so its been a win-win situation. I do a lot of environmental testing and R&D for our clients along with some guys from MSOE.

Re: What's your day job?
 

I'm a software engineer at MITRE Corporation. This year I've worked on big data analytics, cyber security education, robotics, and automated GUI testing.

They've been very helpful and accepting of my involvement in FIRST.

Re: What's your day job?
 

Although I'm only a Junior in high school, I work as a precision machinist at Micro Inserts, a machine shop in Southington, CT. I make tool holders for Pratt and Witney, the same tool holders they use to create parts for their jets! I also grind a little carbide on the side, and fix lawnmowers and snowblowers, both with my boss at Micro.

I wouldn't have gotten the job if it wasn't for FIRST. My boss and I actually met because I was friends with his son and invited him down to a GUS meeting, and worked with him making parts for the robot last year! After the build season was over he called me and offered me the job, I didn't even need an interview! This year my boss and I spent countless hours at Micro machining parts for this years robot, an experience I wouldn't have been able to do anywhere else, I love working with the CNC mill, and that gave me an excuse! :] I love FIRST!

[Edit] I'd also like to point out that I will be attending college in a year an a half and my boss has already agreed that when I come home in the summer I will be able to work for him again! Something that has put me in a really good mindset to have job security like that at a young age! FIRST can open doors for everyone involved in the program, you just have to not be afraid to go look!

-D

Re: What's your day job?
 

CAD designer of the M1A2 Abrams Main Battle Tank.
I tell my kids I draw circles and squares, some squares have more circles some circles have more squares.

Re: What's your day job?
 

Currently employed as a Human Resources Clerk at the theme park Six Flags New England in Agawam, MA. I don't do anything STEM related, and the job has nothing at all to do with FIRST.

Re: What's your day job?
 

This is going into our team handbook as to what CAD team is expected to do :D

Re: What's your day job?
 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RZ5Um...7Rua1K61-K9zc=
I used to fight battlebots for a summer job... until the company closed due to stupidly high overhead. We used to rent them out for birthday parties... and other events. We'd bring 10 bots, and an arena and then run a round robin tourney.


I now have two jobs. I work at a farm and I also am a professional hobart feeder (dishwasher).

Somehow I also manage to be a high school student too...

Re: What's your day job?
 

I'm in charge of the Wine Department at a local grocery store. Doesn't sound like much of a job but considering who runs it at other stores in the chain I'm honored I have employers who trust me to do so and I love it!

Re: What's your day job?
 

I work for Sears as an on the road service technician. I repair Dishwashers, Ranges, Microwaves, Compactors, & Gas grills.

Re: What's your day job?
 

When im not at school or on the golf course, i work part time at the local grocery store as a manager

Re: What's your day job?
 

I have a couple day jobs, for the past 6 years I have worked at Custaloga Town Scout Reservation. It is a boy scout camp,and i pretty much do it all there, mow lawns, clean, life guard, teach, repair things, cook,sing, and more. My main position though is handicraft director, I teach arts and craft merit badges. And more recently I have started Teaching the robotics merit badge.

My other job while i'm not at camp is a shift manger at a local gas station. I know nothing exciting, but it gave me the time to help Mentor the team and go to events.

I just this week got hired at a local machine shop in town, Great Lakes Manufacturing. I was interviewed for a quality control job, and also a machine operator and programmer of an electronic bending machine. When i was interviewed the guy was really interested in FIRST and what I did, even though its been a few years since I've had hands on work on the robot. Needless to say I got the job working with the robot bending machine.
After I start and get trained more I will be able to say a bit more about what I do, but I know if it wasn't for FIRST I wouldn't be where I am at now.

Re: What's your day job?
 

Mechanical Engineering student at Virginia Tech, class of '12.

Then off to the Department of Defense where I have Co-Op'ed and Interned for several years, Patuxent River Naval Air Station in MD. There I work on structural modifications to different A/C platforms and installation packages. I have drawn a lot of Inspiration from FIRST robots and vice-versa. I love my job!

Re: What's your day job?
 

I am currently employed by Intel, where I help develop and optimize the wafer singulation process for new products in addition to resolving tool issues on the factory floor. It's a very rewarding position; I get to get my hands dirty in a lot of really cool high tech products and equipment. A lot of the tools we use have similar pneumatic components as those used on FIRST robots as well, so I feel right at home.

Related fun story: I was originally introduced to FIRST as a senior in high school when a few friends and our dedicated chemistry teacher started up a team (the NERDS, team 1726). We got guidance from team 842 when we were starting up, and they gave us a lot of pointers that influenced how our team ran. 5 years later, I graduated from the University of Arizona with a BS in Mechanical Engineering and moved to Phoenix to work at Intel (I can thank FIRST for giving me the background necessary to get the position). Given my close proximity to team 842, I now serve as an engineering mentor for the same team that helped get me started in robotics in the first place. What goes around comes around! :)

Re: What's your day job?
 

Manufacturing engineer for machining and assembly lines at an engine plant building 6.2L engines, as well as a manager line workers and trades on the afternoon shift.

Re: What's your day job?
 

Mechanical Engineering student, class of '12 (and by my count, 16 days of class and 1 or maybe two tests and then it's graduation). After that, I'm still looking for work, though I'll be taking a week at the end of May to compete with my senior design group.

Re: What's your day job?
 

Mechanical Engineering Class of 2010 at Cal Poly Pomona. Currently employed for the second year as a full time Engineering and Technology teacher at Clark Magnet High School. I have participated in the development of robotics and engineering curriculum for Los Angeles County high schools and a local community college, and currently serve as the Technology Department Co-Chair and lead advisor of FIRST Robotics Team 696 at Clark. I have written small and received small grants and have been a part of the brainstorming, writing, and application process for a multi-million dollar STEM grant. During my time teaching, I have developed entirely new products from scratch, for use in my classes. I have also managed the budget for and implemented a new 2500 square-foot engineering projects lab on campus.

In short, I do everything. Teaching, especially in STEM, is a career in which you do anything and everything and need skills from all areas. One day I may be hauling cargo in the back of my truck, the next day I play IT technician, the next day I may be advising top officials in the school district on how to spend millions of dollars. The bottom line though is that everything I do is for the students in the end. It's really a varied job. In the right school and district, it's incredibly exciting and rewarding. There has not been a dull moment since I started in August of 2010, and there's only greater things still to come.

Re: What's your day job?
 

I am newly a software engineer working on products relating to high-volume mailing solutions and data-quality products. It's been an exciting new challenge and a complete change of pace from the mechanical design work I've done for the prior 6 or 7 years.

Previously, I was a mechanical designer working on destructive and non-destructive crash test systems for automotive and aerospace applications.

Re: What's your day job?
 

I am an electrical engineer working for a large computer and technology company. I develop automated test equipment used to determine the performance and expected life of our products as well as to track down process and manufacturing problems. I have also worked with automated electro mechanical systems, automated test and measurement equipment, ultra high speed imaging systems, high volume manufacturing lines, PLC's, lasers, microwave systems, MEMS devices, and more. I hold several utility patents and have a few new ones in the works. But the best thing about my job is that it helps to provide me the knowledge and resources to pursue all manner of fun after hour projects in my secret lair, a laboratory workshop hidden behind a secret passageway in my basement.

Re: What's your day job?
 

My Job Title is Engineering Designer & Project Manager at a shelter company based out of NJ and I'm also a part time student. My involvement in FRC is primarily why I was offered a job here while still in HS and part of why I got the hang of things so quickly. My employer is a big supporter of FRC, he was the title sponsor for my former team.

Re: What's your day job?
 

After Robotics, I am an aircraft mechanic, working on commercial and military engines for Kelly Aviation Center/Lockheed Martin..... i mainly work on the the Accessories for the engines like the Main Engine/Fuel Controls

Re: What's your day job?
 

Current Job title:
Senior Project Engineer Pratt & Whitney, Mechanical Systems and Externals, Next Generation Product Family

This means I run a team of designers and structural engineers that designs the parts on the outside of our next generation aircraft engines. Currently I work on the engine for the Bombardier C-Series that will be making its first flight late this year or early next year.

Prior to that I designed, tested and installed Geothermal powerplants for UTC Power and Pratt & Whitney Power Systems, same product 2 different divisions of the corporation.

Prior to that I designed fuel cells for automotive, mass transit and commercial applications at International Fuel Cells/UTC Fuel Cells/UTC Power.

Re: What's your day job?
 

I teach, primarily AP Biology, and have done so for half of my life. My job is to prepare future doctors for the rigors of college by challenging them in high school.
In my non-teaching time I do the same for future engineers by putting them through FRC. Occasionally I get students where the disciplines overlap and really great things happen.

On top of that my wife and I have raised 4 children of which three have followed the engineering path through FRC. Family is a full time job in itself.

My day job is a never ending facet of my life and my quest for happiness,knowledge and inner peace proceeds unabated.

Re: What's your day job?
 

The various things I do for moolah:

High School Teacher: Physics, Robotics, American Sign Language
College Adjunct Instructor: American Sign Language
Writer (sold several short stories; first novel coming out this fall)
Beekeeper (doubling my number of colonies this spring... could get interesting!)

Re: What's your day job?
 

I have worked for DuPont for 23 years (showing my age, now).

I have a BS and BS in Engineering Mechanics from Penn State.

For the first eight years at DuPont, I was part of our Early Career Engineer rotational development program, where I had an opportunity to try out a number of different engineering assignments. I was in product development for composite materials for satellites and aircraft, then worked as a structural analysis consultant. My last assignment was a recruiter for the rotational development program. I really enjoyed the assignment and it catapulted me into a human resources career at DuPont.

My current role is University Relations & College Recruiting Manager for our US Talent Acquisition group at DuPont. In my job, I coordinate college recruiting activities in the US and Puerto Rico. The recruiting involves student employees (co-ops and interns) and early career graduates, BS, MS, and PhD. Most of the engineers we hire are chemical, mechanical, and electrical.

If you are interested in more information, drop me a line or connect with me on LinkedIn.

It's been a great career and, on top of it all, I've been involved with FIRST for 13 years!

Re: What's your day job?
 

"Why yes, actually I AM a rocket scientist" I work for Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne; currently I'm modeling hardware for the Space Launch System (SLS). I'm actually using my Master's thesis code to perform weight optimization of propellant tanks and fairings and generate parametric CAD models of the hardware for trade studies.

But for most of my career, the answer would have been "If I tell you, I'll have to kill you". I can neither confirm nor deny that I've worked on alot of pretty cool stuff. I've worked for the Jet Engine side of Pratt & Whitney, the Undersea side of Lockheed Martin, the Space & Rocket side of Boeing, and a Nuclear Plant at TVA, always doing structural / mechanical design and analysis.

Re: What's your day job?
 

Materials Handler.
A fancy way to say fork truck driver. If you ever been to Home Depot or Lowes and seen an employee driving around one of those stand up fork truck (narrow aisle fork trucks) those are the ones I drive. But they don't close up any aisles when I drive around. I'm just required to look out for civilians while I drive around delivering parts.

Re: What's your day job?
 

Officially I am a Broadcast Engineer for the most watched Public Television Station and arguably the best Classical FM radio station in the country. (We at least have the largest music collection) I am one of five people who design, install and maintain our broadcast plant. My primary responsibility is audio and as such I watch over the TV and FM On Air audio performance, multitrack recording studios, and just about anything from microphones in the studio to the transmitters on Sears Tower. Our largest audio desk is a 128 input, 96 track automated console with both digital and analog outputs totaling nearly 200 and up to 7 channel (film style) surround mix-down. I have just completed installation and design of a fully digital news audio control system also in 5.1 surround. Currently I am working on a refit for the radio station of 5 studios and network operations with all new digital consoles using audio over IP. This station has produced some of the best music for television programming over the years. This includes the Soundstage series (which I have been part of since the very beginning), Jazz programs with Ramsey Lewis, Chicago Symphony and Opera companies, Ravinia Music Festival, and all kinds of one time only music shows. I began TV work at my high school so that makes this my 47th year in broadcasting.

Re: What's your day job?
 

I am a Flight Test Engineer for the Navy. My job includes planning, conducting, and reporting on flight test projects for Naval Aircraft. I can draw a direct link between my participation in FIRST as a student to my college internship to my current position with the DOD. Without FIRST on my resume I would not have gotten my internship which provided me with the experience necessary to get hired into my current job.

Re: What's your day job?
 

I am the Education Lead for the Professional Services Division of a Business Intelligence Software Company. I manage a team of Education Consultants, work with our customers to develop and deliver training, act as the project manager for all major education initiatives within the company, and even, occationaly, get to teach once in awhile! Years ago, I was a local HS Physics, Chemistry, and Earth/Space Science teacher, before going to work as an Education Consultant for a number of companies. I also have taught at the local college, as an adjunct professor in the Computer Science Department.

While that job pays the bills, my true passion is teaching the kids on our team! So I still teach Physics, Chemistry, and Computer Science to HS students - I just don't get paid by the school system, but I get "paid" by being able to see our students grow and develop!

Re: What's your day job?
 

When I am not at school. I work at a small company called Fastenal (Indiana distribution center). I work in what they call unit load. Just another word for moving items and packages. But I do get to use a robot crane all day and its a good job for a college student, like me.

Re: What's your day job?
 

Research Scientist/Software Engineer in the robotics lab of a major aerospace contractor in the Philadelphia area.

I work in "applied research and development", a middle ground between cutting-edge university research and productization. We are funded by organizations like DARPA, ONR, AFRL, etc., to evaluate and develop new technologies in robotics for use by the Department of Defense. Some areas that I work in on a daily basis are autonomous path planning/AI, computer vision, robotic manipulation, and guidance/navigation/control (GNC) for a variety of robotic platforms (land, air, surface, submerged).

Re: What's your day job?
 

I design transmissions for John Deere tractors. Prior to Deere, I designed on-highway truck transmissions for Eaton and before that tank transmissions for GE. Interesting FIRST connection - IKE from the Killer Bees now works with the GE transmission that I worked on in the mid 1980's.

Re: What's your day job?
 

Researcher/mechanical engineer in the Human Neuromechanics Laboratory at the University of Michigan.

Currently, I'm working on the development of a robotic ankle orthotic (and its controller) for use by people who might not have control over how their ankle moves.

Re: What's your day job?
 

That's the answer we get from some of our Honeywell mentors. Either that, or we get the response of "We work on the non-nuclear components of nuclear missiles."

As for me, I'm just a junior in High School. I'd like to get into some internships that are engineering related (Electrical or mechanical) just to get some outside-of-FIRST experience. I just have absolutely no idea where to look...any advice would be appreciated (PM me preferably)

Re: What's your day job?
 

Thanks everyone, fascinating to see how CD makes the world work.

I had the opportunity to intern at Boeing Commercial Airplanes last summer, and when I graduate in May I'm going back. I worked in stability and control (ie making sure the airplane does what the pilot commands), and it looks like that is where I'll be going when I get back. Most of my work involved running simulations, but we support flight testing and tunnel tests too.

The summers of my 1st and 2nd years of college I worked at a vintage car auction. Tracking the paperwork got tedious, but moving the cars was always fun!

Re: What's your day job?
 

I am an Electrical and Software Engineer for AREVA NP. I design control systems for robots and manipulators for non-destructive examination of Nuclear Power Plants.

Re: What's your day job?
 

I am a Mechanical Engineer at Osram Sylvania Inc's Solid State Lighting R&D center.

I design LED based lighting solutions to replace various traditional sources (incandescent, HID, flourescent, low pressure sodium, etc). The idea being that LEDs can save consumers money by reducing electricity costs and maintenance costs for the tradeoff of a slightly higher upfront cost. As time goes by, that higher upfront cost will hopefully come down and therefore create a much better solution for a sustainable future!

-Brando

Re: What's your day job?
 

I am partially responsible for computer security for a leading global financial software vendor and I own and operate several small business involving computers, electronics, engineering and robotics.

My hobby is my work. If I'm not building something related to FIRST I'm probably writing code, developing a product, or fixing something (including cars (electric/fuel), CNC machines and industrial machinery).

I've developed projects that involve: military, LED lighting, biomedical, handicap retrofits, ultrasonics, AI, real time video, RTOS, fly-by-wire, optics, electrochemical process, high performance computing, semiconductor design and aerospace.

Re: What's your day job?
 

I'm in technology - working with school districts of all sizes on state and federal reporting requirements and their management software (And no, I cannot help you get scheduled with your favorite teacher or fix your grades).

Most of my day is spent untangling interesting problems where we use an analogy of fire-fighting, fire prevention and fire proofing.

I'm also a National Board Certified Teacher and love to see what FIRST can do with students - it is the most amazing thing. I am in education because my parents would only pay for college if I was a teacher, nurse or secretary. So, I started as a science teacher and branched out to computers/networks/servers. Yes, times have changed and I write this to encourage everyone to find and follow their passion.

I have 3 kids - and they all like STEM (they better!).

Julia (just a robot mom - for now!)

Re: What's your day job?
 

I'm a Systems Engineer at Bluefin Robotics, which makes underwater robots (AUVs).

As a systems engineer I'm basically the lead engineer on projects and I cover two of our main product lines. I occasionally step in as a project manager (on some of the smaller programs) or sales engineer (on some big proposals) as necessary.

In addition to getting to play with robots for a living, the benefit of working with underwater robots is that I get paid to go out on a boat -- awesome on nice days in the summer, less awesome on cold rainy days in the winter -- and travel quite a bit as we do acceptance testing and training in all parts of the world.

Basically, all my hopes and dreams as a young FIRSTer have come true!

Re: What's your day job?
 

I work as a social media consultant & IT engineer for World Harvest Church in Roswell, Georgia, and a part-time marketing/membership sales associate at the McCleskey-East Cobb YMCA branch in Marietta, Georgia while in college.

Re: What's your day job?
 

I'm a patent attorney.

I have a mechanical engineering degree as well as a law degree. I work with a venture group evaluating new technologies to invest in.

Re: What's your day job?
 

I work full time as a Fire Fighter / EMT for the past 5 years and have been working as an EMT for the past 7 years. I also own a business providing onsite medical care at sporting and large crowd events and we also provide safety assessments of sites for events and teach CPR and First aid courses. I was able to start and now operate a growing business because of the mentors from my FIRST team that taught me how to put together a solid business plan with risk assessments, goals and the all important FIRST task, how to properly manage time and supplies. My business is less then a year away from 100% funding my education and projected less then 5 years away from making me my own boss.

Re: What's your day job?
 

Principal Designer, Sage Software in Irvine, CA

I have been involved in software development since joining the Air Force in 1980. Worked on mainframe computers (Burroughs B2700, Univac 1100/2200), through the PC era (DOS 4.0 and beyond), Windows, web development, finally on to software design. I have been designing business software (ERP) since the mid 90s.

Re: What's your day job?
 

That's...really diverse. And cool! They offer a beekeeping class here at my university but I've always been too afraid to take it.

As for me...I'm just a computer science and psychology double degree at UMD and working on adding a minor in LGBT studies. I work in the College Park Scholars Science, Technology, and Society program as an undergraduate TA. I am currently a discussion section leader for the freshman colloquium. Last summer, I worked with my program director on a proposal to get a FIRST partnership started at the university. The director of the Maryland Robotics Institute was pretty supportive of it, but the dean of engineering was not as enthusiastic. Instead, we designed a service-learning practicum for sophomores in the program that allows them to go to a local high school and work with their robotics club. We still haven't given up on trying to get some sort of FIRST or Vex program going there, though...

In the past, I've worked as a machine learning researcher developing a system to automatically detect regional US accents.

Re: What's your day job?
 

During the day (and nights as it turns out) I work for National Grid - US and I'm responsible for operating the natural gas transmission and distribution system for Brooklyn, Queens and Long Island. We also operate the Gas System for a majority of Upstate NY as well.

The day/night reference is due to working rotating 12 hour shifts from 5 to 5.

I have to say it's great being able to tell people that you "pass gas" for a living :)

Re: What's your day job?
 

Don't be afraid! Beekeeping is awesome, and I really wish I got into it as a teenager (when I was first interested) instead of as a 30-year-old. The absolute worst that might happen is that you get stung, and as long as you're not allergic you'll be fine. On nice, sunny days with a heavy nectar flow (that is, lots of things blooming) I can generally keep 20 colonies without a single bee even trying to sting me. (Though on overcast days or in nectar dearths, it seems that every single one is intent on hideous me-murder!)

If you're interested, try it! If not a whole class, find a local beek and ask if you can spend a day (or an hour or two) with them in their yard. (You'll need a suit and veil of course.)

Re: What's your day job?
 

I am currently the Assistant Director of the Robotics Resource Center at WPI. For my day job, I get to run the robotics tournaments that take place on campus or are supported by WPI. These include an FRC Regional and off-season, FLL for all of MA, NASA Centennial Challenge, etc.

In addition to running tournaments, I also help support our competitive robotics teams on campus like FIRST and BattleBots, summer programs, and the RBE academic program as needed.

Prior to coming to WPI, I worked at FIRST for two years teaching classes in FIRST Place and managing a variety of workshops and conferences (which I often still do).

I have a BS in System Dynamics (minor in Org Leadership) and a MS in Marketing & Technological Innovation. I can say beyond a shadow of a doubt that my experience in FIRST as a student directly influenced where I am in my career right now!

Re: What's your day job?
 

That's amazing! I'm just starting to accept myself as lesbian.

As to what i do for work around High School and Varsity softball, i train horses and am working on getting an engineering inturnship with Florida Power & Light's St. Lucie Nuclear Plant.

Re: What's your day job?
 

Currently, I work full time for a non-profit houseboat and water ski camp. Church youth groups bring their high school and junior high kids out on the water for week-long retreats all throughout the summer. Right now we are preparing for our summer season, hiring staff, maintaining equipment, etc.

In the summer I will be serving as Director on our Lake Shasta location, responsible for ~50 staff and lots of equipment, including 5 ski boats and 10 houseboats. Living on a boat for ten weeks, not bad :p

After August 19th, who knows! I have a Mechanical Engineering degree from UC Davis and no plans :)

Cool to hear what all of the people I've come to know on CD do IRL!

-Mike

Re: What's your day job?
 

A Clarkson University graduate of 2010, I spent just under two years working for GDEB on various submarine components in their technical rotation program. I have since moved on to a job with Parker where I am currently a tooling design engineer for roll forming as well as some automation work.

Re: What's your day job?
 

I have been a consultant in the non-profit, education, and health care worlds for many years - mostly around the areas of project and people coordination. I have a long and varied resume and have had some wonderful work experiences and real adventures. Forest ranger, commissioned officer, registered nurse, researcher, professional descriptive analyst (aka - taste tester for a very large corporation). I have a Master's Degree in Public Health.

I was recently hired for a short term (6 month) position for a very large school district.
My title is "Robotics Events Director".
How I got here has been a fun journey. I'm still not that interested in robots. ;)

Re: What's your day job?
 

Professor of Mechanical Engineering at a community college by day. Teach pretty much all subjects as we are just a department of 3 people.

On the side, my wife and I run a small farm raising llamas, alpacas, sheep, chickens and misc. other critters running around.

So on any given day I can go from solving a differential equation to shoveling llama poop to programming a robot. It keeps me entertained to say the least.

Jeff

Re: What's your day job?
 

Graduated from RIT in 2010 and now I'm an engineer at lockheed working on 5th generation fighter jets.

Re: What's your day job?
 

My current day job is doing just that. I am in the electrical field for automation machines at a small local shop.

At night I fight crime... oh wait you didn't see that...

Actually at night, I work and don't earn a paycheck. :p Yah might know the company. It's new but has some great products. ;)

Re: What's your day job?
 

I'm a senior at the University of Central Florida pursuing a B.A. in Political Science. The program provides three separate tracks for graduation, i plan on fulfilling two of them (American Politics, International and Comparative Politics). I plan on working on a campaign this upcoming election cycle and eventually find myself working in Washington D.C. for an elected official or a Political Action Committee. If that doesn't hold true, I'm also keeping options for graduate school available, specializing in either campaign management, public opinion, or urban planning.

Currently, I work part time as an inventory management specialist at Noble Communications, an AT&T indirect dealer in the Orlando and Jacksonville metropolitan areas. I handle inventory matters for all the stores our company operates. This includes phones, tablets, cases, chargers, and other various things you may find at your local cell phone store. My job is to make sure that our salespeople have the products that they're trying to sell to customers. and that the company keeps a steady cashflow while doing so.

Re: What's your day job?
 

I am an electronics engineer with a large aerospace/defense contractor. Currently I work on electrical ground support equipment that tests various components. In my current role I have designed/analyzed circuit card assemblies, chassis sub-assemblies, cables, and supported test and debug of said items. Additionally I have supported design reviews and technical interchange meetings with the customer. I'm just now starting to get in on early concept/proposal stuff for future work.

Day to day I'm working in the lab or at my desk working on paper work, presentations or designing some circuits.

Re: What's your day job?
 

Hello

I am an engineer at the Boeing Rotorcraft division in Philadelphia. I currently the lead engineer on a 2 year redesign effort and have a team of 5 folks working for me. My back ground includes lots of technical degrees and licenses, many of them earned at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University that all revolve around the aerospace industry or aircraft in some way. I am only a second year mentor so I still need to do a lot of learning and research while helping a rookie team. Combine that with trying to set up resources for robotics teams across Philadelphia since they canceled most of the robotics programs due to budget cuts last summer. I am also in currently attending grad school and fear that before the end of this quarter I will forget what my family looks like, I have not seen my wife, dogs or house for the better part of 3 months. This is my last quarter attending grad school and I graduate in June so next year should be easier. Woooo Hoooo.

You can learn more about me on linkedin. http://www.linkedin.com/in/jjbielgoebel

JJ Biel-Goebel

Re: What's your day job?
 

Hello Everyone,
Between January and April my job is a robotics mentor, oh i guess a lot of us are. I work for Fire Defense where i engineer and design fire suppression systems for paint booths, fuel fill, pits, dust collectors, data/server rooms. We also do regular fire alarm systems and extinguishers. Keeps me busy and I get to use CAD alllll day!:D

Re: What's your day job?
 

For me the better question is what isn't your day job?

I am a full time student at the University of Kansas.
I am a part time associate at a children's shoe store.
I mentor a FRC team. I am on the Greater Kansas City FLL Planning committee.
I have started/taken over the JFLL Planning committee.
It's not a job but I am constantly day dreaming about how to make my team better and help FIRST grow to a larger scale than it already is.

Re: What's your day job?
 

Since I got back from serving with the Peace Corps in Honduras just in time for kickoff, my day job has been mentoring 2914. My funemployment couldn't have come at a better time. Unfortunately, after St Louis I'll need find a new day job to pay the bills.

Wetzel

Re: What's your day job?
 

With a degree in Mechanical Engineering I work as a Quality Engineer for a large defense contractor (we make airplanes) developing implements of mass detection (both manned and unmanned:D ).

Re: What's your day job?
 

I send my wife off to work every morning...she's an engineer at Ft Huachuca.

She makes enough to support us, so I enjoy life...that includes putting in a lot of time in winter working with the NERDS, and then in spring working with my family on NURC. The rest of the time I goof off and play with old cars and trucks. My latest project is a 55 Chevy step van.

Re: What's your day job?
 

I am a Controls Engineer for Oral-B Laboratories (part of P&G). I work on the automation systems that create and package toothbrushes. We produce something like 400,000,000 toothbrushes a year here and supply most of North America. My job is a mix of design (creating electrical schematics, modifying PLC programs, installing vision systems) and support (troubleshooting software bugs, helping electricians, reading through datasheets). It's interesting because I have a cubicle but the manufacturing is also on site, and I get a lot more hands on involvement debugging machines than one might expect for an engineering role. Some days it's like working in the pits at an FRC regional, which can make it a challenge to get your "real work" done.

My usual response to "what do you do?" is "I make toothbrushes all day" :P

FIRST experience has really helped me out because I actually knew something about relays, servos, vision, and motion control coming in. Most of the people in my college classes didn't know what a relay was due to the courses being so focused on things you'd see in the semiconductor industry. Once you explain that a relay is basically a power MOSFET a relay makes sense, but FIRST experience allowed me to skip some of that learning curve. Being a part of a FIRST team also gave me some good answers for interview questions.

Re: What's your day job?
 

I work as a Documentation Drafter / Reverse Modeler for Hernon Manufacturing. An adhesive company that competes against Loctite. My area of expertise is robotics, I can not say much more than that at the moment. However its a running joke on my team... "IT'S NOT LOCTITE IT'S THREADLOCKER!" I am a sophomore in College and would have never gotten this job without FIRST. :D

- Andrew

Re: What's your day job?
 

In my previous life I was a production machinist (for three different companies) and a quality inspector at an aerospace machine shop.

I currently own and operate Print To 3D. Print To 3D is a FDM 3D print service provider. Since I have no employees I get to do everything from answer the phone to tape up packages. The downside is that I'm my own boss and employee... So if the boss takes off the employee must go to work for him or vise versa. :D I also think the boss is yelling that break is over...

On a daily basis I get to 3d print parts for a long list of customers which come in all shapes and sizes. Anyone from a hobbyist to Inventor to fortune 500 companies.

I wouldn't be here without FIRST!

Re: What's your day job?
 

Flight test engineer for the United States Air Force. I learn about aircraft systems and then design tests to stress them while trying to meet a time and budget constraint. Thanks to team 503 for getting me moving in the right direction!

Re: What's your day job?
 

I am an assistant City planner for the City of North Lauderdale in South Florida. I look at detailed plans of new deveopment, help solve infrastructure problems and work with engineers on an everyday basis. Thank you FRC for giving me the work ethic, problem solving skills and knowledge base to make this happen.

Re: What's your day job?
 

I am a Quality Engineering Supervisor at the General Motors Milford Proving Grounds. I get to manage a group of RedX Engineers, who use RedX principles of customer concern focus, strategy, and contrast to work on GM's toughest quality issues. My team focuses on any electrical, chassis, or HVAC issue that could occur on a vehicle from pre-production through end of vehicle life.

Most of my engineers (and myself) are RedX Masters and typically have some type of Bachelors and/or Masters Degree in Mechanical and/or Electrical Engineering. Or, just a whole bunch of experience and knowledge of vehicle systems.

Here is a cool commercial Chevrolet had made to highlight the work of our group back in 2010. This is the shorter version. It features my boss and most of my co-workers and employees. Unfortunately, I was in Atlanta at the time...doing something else that was way more worth it...:cool:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dGe9zkyZT_Q

After 10 years at GM, this is by far one of the coolest jobs here.

Re: What's your day job?
 

I'm a Civil and Environmental Engineering student at Virginia Tech. I will be graduating next spring :)

Re: What's your day job?
 

I'm a Product Development Engineer in the diagnostics division of Hologic, Inc. We design devices to automate diagnostic tests in the women's health field. Every day I get to either write code, CAD, or design a circuit.

I also worked at iRobot for a few years working on some secret robot stuff for the military.

If it wasn't for FIRST, I'd be a line cook at Applebee's.

Re: What's your day job?
 

I program submarines for a living (for the past 6 years). It's a 27-million-SLOC system that has had a lifecycle of 20 years with 1000's of developers and multiple companies. We typically have to develop software technology "before it's time", like multi-casting in the 90's, real-time storage of terrabytes of data in the early 2000's, real-time on-demand audio, integration of Fortran, C, C++, and Java into 1 product, etc. There are literally 10's of thousands of sensors that are integrated into the final product, and literally no single company seems to want things to work the same as the other companies. It's both a nightmare and a joy at the same time.

Day by day, I generally solve the hard cross-platform problems. While I've moved away from pure development, I've found a comfortable niche in the government's initiatives to extend the life cycles of legacy systems by transplanting features and functions into areas they weren't originally designed for.

When I get to the robot during build season, I don't want to see a single line of code.

Re: What's your day job?
 

Day job: Treasury Management Consulting Analyst for a super-regional bank.

Night job: Financial Engineer. I write quantitative algo's that are designed to predict market trends, and profit off them. Not for the feint of heart, it has a fair amount of applied math, requires lots of skills that FRC is only the tip of the iceberg for. I'm looking make this a full time job if I can find one (they are not easy to find)!

Re: What's your day job?
 

I'm a digital systems and software design engineer for a high voltage electronics company. I get to design digital controllers and software to run a variety of fun toys, from telecommunications equipment to medical scanners. It's not many jobs that you have to worry about high voltage and radiation hazard if you push the wrong button ;)

Matt

Re: What's your day job?
 

I am in charge of all quality for a privately owned start up manufacturing company. I maintain our quality standards, train the manufacturing employees, maintain our UL requirements, and process & investigate customer claims for our product. I also maintain the matches for over 1,000 different colors on various manufacturing lines. I do get some engineering projects on occasion - currently working on a vision system & just set-up our in-line color eye.

Earlier in my career, I was a mechanical project engineer for a ceiling tile plant.

Re: What's your day job?
 

I . . . am . . . Batman!

Er, uh, ahh, wait, you said "what is your DAY job?"

I build robots. That go to other planets.

Formal title is "Program Executive for Solar System Exploration" for NASA. I have no idea what that actually means or what I am really supposed to be doing, since it seems to change on pretty much a daily basis. But it keeps me employed and I get to play with some really, really cool hardware.

-dave



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Re: What's your day job?
 

It's no big deal, really.

When I describe your job to others based on my understanding of what you do, I say, "He's in charge of space."

Re: What's your day job?
 

I am a teacher of robotics at the middle school level currently. We cover many aspects of STEM education and the application of math and science concepts. This allows me to help students see the applicable situations of things that they learn in other classes (yes, even English).

This is a very rewarding job. Nothing beats seeing students come into my room, having no idea what a servo motor is, or how to program a robot, and seeing them succeed. It doesn't hurt that I get to participate in the VEX Robotics Competition and the FIRST competition.

Re: What's your day job?
 

I am a Theater Technician, which means I run all components to a 450 seat theater. I do lighting, sound, stage managing, set construction, and make sure nobody does anything stupid.

I also am a Video Technician for an arena, which is a fancy way of saying I run a jumbotron. I direct and run camera for various events including hockey and football.

Aside from my day jobs I freelance edit and coach youth cheer.

Huge thanks to FRC for teaching me that I don't want to be a scientist or engineer. Without a video team on Stang I wouldn't have realized how much I love film. Life is so much better when you do what you love rather than what others want you to do.

Re: What's your day job?
 

Bicycle Repairman

Re: What's your day job?
 

I'm a Senior Project Engineer with the Aerospace Corporation and a Lieutenant Colonel in the Air Force Reserves. As a Lieutenant Colonel, I work at the Joint Space Operations Center which provides space situational awareness and command and control for our country. This Air Force commercial is actually filmed at the operations center and everyone in there is a member of the Air Force.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RfAHw1kTpvY

A word of caution--it's not exactly like that. The commercial is as close to reality as R2D2 is to FIRST robotics competition--it would be cool to build an R2D2 for a competition though. :)

As an engineer for Aerospace Corporation, I'm working to modernize that operations center. Mostly it's a matter of designing and helping the government acquire the primary computer system that tracks the objects in space and provides that integrated command and control.

Re: What's your day job?
 

I am a student, however I feel that other students might find this post interesting / helpful.

I am a (paid) intern this summer (and have been for the past three summers) at an IT consulting firm. It is fairly small with < 10 full time employees. We do some programming, quite a bit of File Maker, and general tech support. It isn't exactly engineering, however it is solving problems, and it does have you work with all sorts of problems and issues. The experience has been quite valuable in terms of working with people, and solving problems (as I said), and has been somewhere that Gracious Professionalism certainly is necessary. Clients can be upset (I haven't run into too many of these), and as someone who does a lot of phone support for clients, and occasionally goes to client offices, maintaining a professional and personable attitude is quite important.

That's what I do at the moment.
- Oliver

Re: What's your day job?
 

I've worked at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory for 30 years.

Currently, I'm the Instrument Engineer, Investigation Scientist and Co-investigator for the Radiation Assessment Detector (RAD) on the Mars Science Laboratory. MSL is Dave Lavery's really big rover on it's way to Mars (thanks for the ride, Dave)!

In the past, I've worked other missions, including Deep Space One, with an ion engine, and the Magellan mission (radar mapping of Venus).

FIRST students get to experience a project life-cycle in a few months. Our projects can take years of development and operate in space even longer!

Re: What's your day job?
 

I am a manufacturing engineering for Microvention. I focus on access products (microcatheters and etc.) used to help treat aneurysms.

I am in the process development group. So I get to help R&D with new products and figure out how to mass produce them. I also work with the FDA submission proving we can consistently build safe products.

Re: What's your day job?
 

Glenn from Team 359.
Former Electrical Engineer.
B.S. degree in EE, Master's in Business Administration, Secondary Certification in Math, Minor in Math
Waialua High School-Learning Center Coordinator, Co-Technology Cadre Coordinator, Team 359-Lead Teacher, Mentor and Coordinator, Afterschool Programs Grants Coordinator/Project Director. FRC and VEX Instructor. 18 years and counting.
Honolulu Country Club-Banquet Wait Help-limited part time. 22 years and counting.

Re: What's your day job?
 

I am an electrician who was a quality inspector before that. I may not have engineering skills, but I was raised by a mechanic father and understand how to use tools. I try to support our team in whatever way I can. Sometimes, that is only providing meals and making sure areas are clean from debris so we have no safety issues. I also try to be there to cheer the students on when things get low and praise them when they do an excellent job. I am proud of our students both in bad times and good. They make my life a joy.

Re: What's your day job?
 

2000-2006: Worked for SVG/ASML at an Intel fab. We do the lithography which means we print the circuit pattern on the silicon. It's a machine the size of a bathroom full of robots, lasers, optics, etc. Here's a marketing line: we make the machines that make the chips that make the devices that make our lives better... Intel touts moores law which we make true...

2006-2011: high school teacher for physics and math. Traded all free time for education. Heard of something called FIRST, and gave up the other? free time for that.

2012: back with ASML at an Atmel fab. They make chips for HTC and some samsung touchscreens and also microprocessors for arduinos, toasters, and such. Still give my (now larger) free time to FIRST.

Re: What's your day job?
 

Retired US Army Warrant Officer, Currently working for the Federal Government doing the same thing I've done since Dec 1982.
I research and analyze data to find the bad guys. I'm an Intelligence Analyst. When mentoring I play Devil's advocate and make them think. What is going to happen if..., how do you prevent that...., coming from a very mechanically inclined family I have the skills to help in almost any aspect of mentoring.

Re: What's your day job?
 

My day job keeps getting cooler. My advice to all young engineers to be out there is if you are unsure of what you want go for, get a standard mechcanical engineering degree. It can get you anywhere.

I graduated from WPI in 2001, spent a few years working at intelitek (team 40) designing CNC machines. Then I went to work for Stanley Black and Decker. I spent a few years designing woodworking equipment under the Delta brand ( Delta 18-900l drill press) and then moved over to Dewalt accessories ( both brands are owned by sbd). At Dewalt I was the Accessory Innovations engineer, which meant it was my job to come up with either accessories that dont currently exist or discover ways of manufacturing product that currently don't exist. I was mainly focused in the area of recip blades and oscillating tool blades.
Now I work a Apple as a manufacturing process design engineer. And that's all I'm allowed to say about that ;)

It's been a fun ride so far and what I love the most is the daily challenges that have continues to push me to keep learning new things.

Re: What's your day job?
 

Wow 7 pages and no one's hit my job yet.

I'm a graduate student at UC Irvine studying colon cancer. Broadly speaking I'm a biologist, though my focus has always been in cancer biology. After graduating UCSD, I worked in a lab for a few years studying leukemia, doing drug therapy testing, animal model development, and some basic science. Currently researching the causes of colon cancer metastasis (tumor spreading).

Re: What's your day job?
 

I am an electro-mechanical tech at the Giesel School of Medicine (yes, Dartmouth just named it's medical school after Dr. Suess).

On paper, my job is to install, repair, modify and calibrate medical research lab equipment, and create custom experimental apparatus. Pretty much anything to do with technology, I get to figure out. The variety is astounding- everything from replacing vacuum tubes on enormous 70 year old amplifiers to making carbon fiber fixtures for MRI's. Every lab has it's own unique research challenges and I get to help figure them out.

It's the perfect job for me, right at the sweet spot between being a full up engineer and a machinist. I've had jobs in the past that came down to shaving half a penny in cost off plastic junk that was destined for a landfill. Here, in some small way, I help contribute to science and the next generation of doctors. The job satisfaction level is off scale high here.

Re: What's your day job?
 

I'm an R&D Mechanical Engineer at a small engineering firm. I do CAD modeling and print making, spec and assemble DAQ systems, FE modeling and scripting, novel welding research (Titanium MIG), armor system design and fabrication, some API programming. I'm largely focused on prototype design and fabrication though. I've designed and built some fun machines, my favorite being one that tested batteries with a long-duration 1100g shock-pulse in a sustainable way.

Re: What's your day job?
 

I am an advanced manufacturing intern at Cleveland Punch and Die. This job is my first internship experience and has progressed through an internship period and two semesters of co-op experience. I haven't been responsible for much and have done mostly machining work over the last year, but I have been given two projects. The first project I completed during my internship tenure revolved around setting up the programming and fixture of a wire EDM so that the process could be run 24 hours a day. The second and most recent project is a three position fixture design to streamline the setup on an after production process.

Along with school and robotics I have a pretty full schedule to deal with this semester. I have learned alot in the last year and have gotten a feel for the manufacturing side of things. Sadly with three weeks left in the semester and in the middle of a project I was informed that I am being terminated before finals. I am now stuck trying last minute efforts to find another internship or engineering opportunity before I have to take up the search for another 'job'.

Re: What's your day job?
 

Been working about a year and a half now as a CAD Drafter for Superior Design Group. We do outsourcing work from other companies like Pratt & Whitney, MOOG, Dresser Rand and of course Delphi.

In what I can only call providence, I ended up working in the Delphi Group. After being a student for 4 years on a Robotics whose main sponsor was Delphi.

Huzzah!

Re: What's your day job?
 

I work as an upholsterer. Custom built and reupholstered furniture. Antique museum pieces to commercial upholstery. We've done chair's from the 1600's, tons of antiques, chiropractor tables, boats, hotels. I absolute love my job. It gives me a chance to work with my hands, design cool things, and make old things new again.

Re: What's your day job?
 

flight attendant