Describe your day to day responsibilities:
My day to day responsibilities typically include the design and layout of storm sewers and storm water management facilities, sanitary sewers and force mains, road design; preparation of grading plans; addressing county comments and client requests; and preparation of plans for submission. In addition, I coordinate closely with other Burgess & Niple offices to obtain and coordinate information relevant to the project design.
How long have you worked for the firm and how have your responsibilities increased?
I have been with Burgess & Niple since June of 2006. Initially, I worked closely with project engineers and project managers, primarily working on specific aspects of the design, such as the layout and computations of a storm sewer or sanitary sewer. As I became more familiar with the design requirements and process, I was given more design responsibility. Today, I work with project managers on the design and computations for small site plans.
What type of projects do you work on?
I have had the opportunity to work on a number of different projects in a number of jurisdictions in Northern Virginia. These include church sites, a road widening project, residential site development projects, county park projects, and small utility design projects.
What types of activities, associations or memberships have you had that contributed to your career?
There are a number of activities that have contributed to my career. I played two years of soccer in college. I then became an active member of the ASCE student chapter, where I was a member and co-captain of the Concrete Canoe team for two years. I was also the Conference chair for the Virginia’s Conference. These activities allowed me to meet and work with a diverse group of people inside and outside of the profession. These experiences have allowed me to better manage my time and work well with large and diverse groups of people.
Looking back to your college years, what types of internships or jobs did you have that helped your career path?
I had several jobs and internships that had a definite impact on my current career path. My first engineering job was with a very small firm. Due to the size of the firm, I was able to get a great deal of hands on experience. I then worked for a construction company, which allowed me to see the obstacles that contractors encounter everyday in the field, and gain an appreciation for the importance of well-prepared plans. The last internship was with a large national engineering firm, which allowed me to gain some experience working on very large commercial design projects.
All of these experiences provided me with a different outlook on the industry. This background helped me determine what size and type of company I wanted work for upon graduation.
Will you be sitting for your PE exam in the coming future?
I plan to sit for the PE in 2009 or 2010.
