Why This Industry Is Perfect For New Electrical Engineers

Why This Industry Is Perfect For New Electrical EngineersWhy The Aerospace And Defense Industry Is Perfect For Electrical EngineersElectrical engineers have a multitude ofchoices when it comes to choosing a career path. There is the world of startuptech, the old guard of consumer electronics, and of course the opportunityto work on machines that make children want to become engineers in the firstplane rockets, planes, and satellites.The opportunity to combine childlike wonder withmeaningful impact has always made the aerospace and defense industry a top spotfor engineers.But did you know that there are a ton of otherbenefits to working in aerospace and defense? The industry not only offers youopportunities for accelerated growth but also the opportunity to develop deepexpertise.To get the knaller on why so many electricalengineers and engineers-in-the-making choose the aerospace and defenseindustry, we spoke with two managers from Sierra Nevada Corporation (SNC) a companythat buil ds and modifies spaceplanes, airplanes, satellites, and way more.Heres what they told us.You Can Work On High-Impact Projects Right Away Derek, now a manager at SNC, started his career at an aviationstartup. As that job wound down, he came to SNC because he wanted to work at anorganization with superior resources and opportunity to work on the types ofprojects that mattered to him high-impact, innovative products.Some of those products include spacecraft, unmanned systems, and, forDereks team, fire-fighting planes.The state of Colorado enlisted our help a few years ago todevelop a firefighting aircraft. Weve got a couple of fielded firefightingaircraft for them right now, said Derek, an Electrical Engineering Manager inSNCs Intelligence, Aviation, and Security business area. Some of the aircrafts capabilities include providing thermaland optical views of high-risk fire zones. This allows firefighters to binnenbinnenseehotspots in real time and provide rapid response to areas to mini mize impact toresidents, property and natural habitat. I actually had the complete opposite story as Derek, said Zach,a Director of Engineering in the same business area. I came from a very largedefense contractor, and I felt like I wanted a more agile workforce. I wantedthe opportunity to make a difference. And I needed a small environment to dothat in.Smaller, of course, is a relative term when it comes to SNC. Thecompany has about 4,000 employees and isconstantly adding new talent to the team. Zach, however, admired the companysability to grant independence to their nimble teams, while also providing themwith the guidance they needed to actually succeed.As far as electrical engineers roles, youredoing a lot of system-level design, architecture, wiring diagrams, schematics,and development design, Derek said.Engineers have a tangible impact on the end-product, and seeing that for example on a plane that helps fight wildfires is a pretty amazingoutcome for someone at any stage of t heir career.Learn From A Fast-Paced, Innovative Team Dont worry if any of this soundsintimidating. Its only natural, the engineering veterans tell us, because noone is an expert electrical engineer on day one. Thats one reason why the teamat SNC emphasizes a teaching culture.Willingness to learn and adaptability are twoof the most important qualities SNC looks for in a candidate. Employees are expectedto ask for help when they need it and pick up skills quickly.Especially for new college grads, theexpectation isnt that you know everything its that youre willing to learnand work hard on the stuff that you dont know, Zach said.Work With Managers Who Will Help You Move Up And Meet Your GoalsAs for growing in your career as an ElectricalEngineer at SNC, Zach says, the skys the limit. We, as managers, are personally willing towork with anybody to get them where they want to go, Derek said. If theres apath they want to take, then well help get them where they need to be or tellthem what t hey need to work on to get there.That means mentorship, on-the-job training,and supporting a culture of learning throughout the organization. After all,when you work on cutting-edge products involving spacecraft, airplanes, andmore, its a team effort. Further, the managers at SNC believe that trainingand guiding people helps them excel at their jobs and that is part of whatmakes them so successful.As managers, we want to see people be ashappy as possible, Derek said. When our team is happy and motivated, they cando amazing things and we want to foster that.Moving up doesnt necessarily meanorganizational management (like the jobs Zach and Derek have). You could honeyour electrical engineering expertise with technical program management or thecompany could help you secure advanced training and certification from the FAA(and other organizations) to make you even more of a subject-matter expert.One of the best things about working in the aerospace and defense industry is the culture o f training and dedication to learning. Constant innovation and high stakes have led to an extensive growth at companies like SNC and the companys size and management philosophy make it the perfect place to flourish. Want to learn more about where your career could go as an electrical engineer? Check out Sierra Nevada on WayUp