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Engineer I
Penn State University. Double major in Mechanical Engineering and Mathematics, May 2003.
When I accepted my first position in Baltimore with Northrop Grumman’s Electronic Systems sector, I saw an opportunity to work with many different people in many different places during with my career while remaining within the same company. I had worked in the industry before, but at 22 years old, did not know exactly what I wanted yet professionally. Northrop Grumman provided me the chance to learn and grow in my career and try a variety of different jobs, tasks, and projects.
In both of the sectors in which I have worked, I was offered the opportunity to take on responsibility right away and become involved in my work on a deeper level than you might expect as a new hire. After only two months with the company, I was single-handedly demonstrating a software product to customers. I would not have been able to accomplish and achieve as much as I have if it weren’t for the supportive coworkers and management that surround me in my workplace. These people are the real reason this corporation is successful and why I come to work every day. I have also taken advantage of the company’s tuition reimbursement plan in order to pursue my Masters of Science degree.
I began my career in the Professional Development Program at the Electronic Systems sector, where I was afforded the opportunity to rotate every 3 to 4 months between different engineering departments. This experience gave me a broader view of how the company operates as well as some of the numerous products that we produce each year. I have participated in a couple of different mentoring programs at both the Electronic Systems and Newport News sectors, first as a “mentee” and later as a mentor. These mentoring and buddy relationships have provided me with quick resources for any help I might need with things at work or outside of work.
I am currently one of a handful of people working to integrate the new Electromagnetic Aircraft Launch System (EMALS) onto CVN 21, the next generation class of aircraft carrier. I interface with Naval Sea Command, Naval Air Command, several of their contractors, and our own internal experts to gather and provide the information we need to ensure a successful integration and installation on the ship. I travel every other month to the Naval Air Station where the system is being tested prior to its installation on the ship, and have made visits as well to several of the contractors’ sites that are responsible for building the actual system components. Because this is the first time a system of this nature has ever been built, my job is truly one-of-a-kind.
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