What's your day job?

[tim-tim]

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!

[s_forbes]

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!

[Tom Line]

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.

[EricH]

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.

[sanddrag]

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.

[Madison]

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.

[tsaksa]

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.

[thefro526]

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.

[Ravage457]

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

[Peter Matteson]

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.

[Wayne C.]

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.

[pfreivald]

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!)

[Mr MOE]

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!

[Gary Dillard]

"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.

[Koko Ed]

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.