I work in vehicle and environmental engineering for an automotive company. I focus mostly on evaluating the various emissions (including carbon dioxide, hydrocarbons, and nitric oxide) from vehicles and their effect on air quality.

EDUCATION | BA in Chemistry, MS in Chemical Engineering, PhD in Organic Chemistry

HOW TO GET STARTED | It is important for any job that you are considering to stay open-minded. I am not a huge fan of working on cars, yet I work for an autmotive company and am still excited to be part of such a valued industry. I am very interested in the environment and so although my job is for an automotive company, I spend my entire day focusing on the impacts of vehicles on the environment and that is very satisfying.

MUST HAVE TRAITS | Strong math, analytical and problem-solving abilities. Also, be organized and diligent in processing data. Strong verbal and presentation skills on technical topics.

how I got started | The combination of living in the Motor City and an engineering degree landed me in a position at an automotive company. Growing up, during college, and still today, it was my biggest dream to work at one of the Big Three.

why this job?| As Kermit says, "It isn't easy being green", but I have always been interested in helping to keep the earth green. At a young age my dad and I volunteered every day on Earth Day. Then, I started my school work in the area of chemistry and did an internship at Oak Ridge National Laboratory. It was there that I noticed that by integrating various knowledge disciplines (chemistry, biology, engineering, controlling, etc.) you could change your design/process to intentional or smart design that supports a sustainable future.

why I love this job!| I love that I have the ability to think on a daily basis. On some days, I might look at a particular vehicle technology (85% Ethanol) and work to understand the emissions and how they impact various regions of the country based on meterological data. Or I can take my thinking in a different direction and try to understand the testing methodology or work to improve or develop better analytical techniques (internally or globally) to support the testing.

my typical day| I spend about 10% of my time in meetings, 20% participating in workgroups with other automotive specialists in my field and also with EPA and CARB, 20% running vehicle tests and developing vehicle test plans, and 50% processing data, interpreting results and making recommendations to vehicle program teams, regulatory agencies (EPA) or industry colleagues regarding future emissions test technology. Outside of work, I enjoy exercising, a nice dinner, traveling and catching up with friends.

what they are | The work is constantly evolving with the changing times. So, you need to be flexible to change priorities or projects as the company changes directions. Also, it is important to be able to interpret and understand the results and sometimes that is a challenge until more data is obtained. There is always a need for more data!

all about growth | Engineers typically start at a respectable salary; however, it is not uncommon for raises to be conservative over the years. So, in order to grow in your career you may need to develop a speciality or perhaps compliment your engineering degree with a business or advanced technical degree. Then you will have an opportunity to move into management or into a position where you are a technical specialist and in these cases your salary can grow substantially.

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