What's your day job?

[Adam Freeman]

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...

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

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

[nahstobor]

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

[Ty Tremblay]

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.

[JesseK]

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.

[Conor Ryan]

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)!

[Matt Krass]

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

[Melissa Nute]

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.

[dlavery]

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



.

[Madison]

Originally Posted by dlavery

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,

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."

[Kyle Love]

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.

[KelliV]

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.

[FrankJ]

Bicycle Repairman

[ctt956]

Originally Posted by KelliV

Life is so much better when you do what you love rather than what others want you to do.

I agree.

[waialua359]

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.

[lpickett]

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.