Being an Engineer

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Mark began his career as a machinist and counts that role as one of the most important experiences he has had in becoming an engineer. Likely in no small part due to that time of his life, Mark as an empathy & appreciation for the machinists and the builders of our engineering world that is taken for granted by so many of us. Listen to this episode to hear our conversation about the value of getting to know your vendors, as well as many other gold nuggets relating to developing critical engineering skills.

The Being An Engineer podcast is brought to you by Pipeline Design & Engineering. Pipeline partners with medical & other device engineering teams who need turnkey equipment such as cycle test machines, custom test fixtures, automation equipment, assembly jigs, inspection stations and more. You can find us on the web at www.teampipeline.us.  

Subscribe to the show to get notified so you don't miss new episodes every Friday.

The Being An Engineer podcast is brought to you by Pipeline Design & Engineering. Pipeline partners with medical & other device engineering teams who need turnkey equipment like cycle test machines, custom test fixtures, automation equipment, assembly jigs, inspection stations and more. You can find us at www.teampipeline.us

Watch the show on YouTube: www.youtube.com/@TeamPipelineus 

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Brian claims that he isn’t a superstar engineer – we don’t know about that, but what was clear from his interview was that he most certainly is a superstar people person. Brian gets people. He knows how to communicate with them. He knows how to mentor them. He knows how to motivate them. Consider this episode a master class in people skills and emotional intelligence. 

The Being An Engineer podcast is brought to you by Pipeline Design & Engineering. Pipeline partners with medical & other device engineering teams who need turnkey equipment such as cycle test machines, custom test fixtures, automation equipment, assembly jigs, inspection stations and more. You can find us on the web at www.teampipeline.us.  

Subscribe to the show to get notified so you don't miss new episodes every Friday.

The Being An Engineer podcast is brought to you by Pipeline Design & Engineering. Pipeline partners with medical & other device engineering teams who need turnkey equipment like cycle test machines, custom test fixtures, automation equipment, assembly jigs, inspection stations and more. You can find us at www.teampipeline.us

Watch the show on YouTube: www.youtube.com/@TeamPipelineus 

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Joe Moak shares his experience with the podcast working at high-profile companies such as Apple & Sonos, and also gives us a glimpse into “the best place he has ever worked” (Maestro PD). Companies are always looking for those elusive “A” players to join their teams, and it is very clear that Joe qualifies under that definition. Check out this wide-ranging discussion from what makes a good project manager to maintaining design focus to innovative tools for your office.

The Being An Engineer podcast is brought to you by Pipeline Design & Engineering. Pipeline partners with medical & other device engineering teams who need turnkey equipment such as cycle test machines, custom test fixtures, automation equipment, assembly jigs, inspection stations and more. You can find us on the web at www.teampipeline.us.  

Premium Quality 

With the proliferation of products in the market claiming to be of premium quality, Joe ensures shares how you can ensure clients that your products are genuine.  More than this, he says that a product is of premium quality if it is made with extra care and can provide the best user experience. He also shares his experience working with Apple TV, where specific addition of details led to a better customer interaction with the product. 

“The big idea behind premium is it's the things that customers care about and then it doesn't necessarily always mean high cost. It just means that we're paying attention to those important details.” - Joe Moak

Working at Apple

Apple had been a great stepping stone for Joe in his career. He became more effective in recruiting, prioritizing, collaborating, and creating products. He shares that since Apple is composed of highly talented individuals, he pressured himself to be at the same level. On top of that, Apple taught him the value of prioritization which has been helpful in his succeeding engineering jobs and while he was building his company, Maestro. 

“One of the interesting things about working at Apple is we have subject matter experts for anything. If you name a thing we could either find the best or engineer the best instantiation of that thing at that time which was really cool. The trick that I have found is through prioritization, figure out what it is about this product that really matters most to customers, and then figure out who you need to bring in or what expertise you need on the team.” - Joe Moak

Superior Project Management

Joe believes that the performance of a team doesn’t depend on size, but on whether the members have a clear direction of what needs to be done. That said, he is very specific with people he lets on his team and follows two criteria in selecting people: collaborative spirit and can apply engineering fundamentals to solve real engineering problems. In addition, a good project manager can also be a great help for the team in making work more efficient. 

“I think the common thread is that each person on the team has to have a clear direction on what it is they need to be doing. They understand the higher level product goal, they're all shooting toward the same Northstar.” - Joe Moak

To learn more about Joe Moak, listen to this podcast. 

Links:

Joe Moak
Maestro PD 

Subscribe to the show to get notified so you don't miss new episodes every Friday.

The Being An Engineer podcast is brought to you by Pipeline Design & Engineering. Pipeline partners with medical & other device engineering teams who need turnkey equipment like cycle test machines, custom test fixtures, automation equipment, assembly jigs, inspection stations and more. You can find us at www.teampipeline.us

Watch the show on YouTube: www.youtube.com/@TeamPipelineus 

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Despite his many years of experience in engineering and engineering leadership roles, Jeff Perry had reached a point in his career where he just wasn’t feeling the motivation he knew he should be. After some soul searching and advice from his wife, he decided to start More Than Engineering, a coaching service aimed at engineers and technology professionals. Since then he has been able to help engineers move into new roles, shift mindsets, and generally become happier not only in their professional lives but in their personal lives. 

The Being An Engineer podcast is brought to you by Pipeline Design & Engineering. Pipeline partners with medical & other device engineering teams who need turnkey equipment such as cycle test machines, custom test fixtures, automation equipment, assembly jigs, inspection stations and more. You can find us on the web at www.teampipeline.us.


Workplace Perspective

With the help of the Arbinger Institute, Jeff shares how he reflects on his attitude towards the people he works with, which eventually became the foundation of his coaching services. He thinks that a change in belief or perspective towards his co-workers lead to positive changes. 

 "A lot of times, when we’re trying to move through an organizational change, we focus too much on the things we need to do differently but we also need to recognize that we need to be different, and we need to believe differently.” - Jeff Perry 

Law of Motion

Jeff takes pride in using scientific principles to help people grow and develop. For instance, he uses Newton’s Law of Motion to demonstrate that he managed to change his stagnant career when he acted on his passion for serving people. He said that being an engineering coach allowed him to assist people in making the changes they want from their careers and love what they do.

“I see a lot of breakthroughs with the people that I work with. These people would say ‘I know something needs to change but I don’t know what that is or how to make that happen, or where I want to go.’ Focusing on the things that you do want, it’s a much more powerful place to be coming from. When we’re trying to make a change, try to identify what we want and move towards that rather than trying to just move away from a negative situation.” - Jeff Perry 

Land the Job You Love

While it is important to get a job, it is more worthwhile to get the job you’d love doing. That said, getting the job you like is not easy, and that’s where Jeff enters the picture. His practice includes helping people expand their social network, creating personal branding, and optimizing their resumes and LinkedIn profile. He also offers a simple yet vital technique for interviews, which is to know what the company is looking for and how you can solve them.

“I feel like people don’t, there’s plenty of people who don’t take charge and ownership of their own careers, they just kind of expect that and a lot of engineers just kind of had this over the years, if they’ve been in their career for a while, that kind of the next opportunity just kind of came, you know, they just did a good job, and then the next opportunity would come their way. And they’re like, you know, I didn’t actually want this and I realize this isn’t actually where I want to stay but I haven’t actually really thought about what I want to do yet. And so some of the things we’ve already talked about, like getting clear on what you want and moving towards that. “- Jeff Perry

Check out Jeff's website to learn more about More Than Engineering.

Subscribe to the show to get notified so you don't miss new episodes every Friday.

The Being An Engineer podcast is brought to you by Pipeline Design & Engineering. Pipeline partners with medical & other device engineering teams who need turnkey equipment like cycle test machines, custom test fixtures, automation equipment, assembly jigs, inspection stations and more. You can find us at www.teampipeline.us

Watch the show on YouTube: www.youtube.com/@TeamPipelineus 

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Nick grew up building tube radios and cars – it’s no wonder he became an engineer. In high school be completely rebuilt a 2001 Dodge Dakota, before that he had an eBay store building tube radios.  Never the analytical-type engineer, Nick loves getting his hands dirty and is at his best when thrust into a chaotic environment where things need to happen quickly without the support of established systems or protocols. Follow Nick on his Instagram feed.

The Being An Engineer podcast is brought to you by Pipeline Design & Engineering. Pipeline partners with medical & other device engineering teams who need turnkey equipment such as cycle test machines, custom test fixtures, automation equipment, assembly jigs, inspection stations and more. You can find us on the web at www.teampipeline.us.
 

Subscribe to the show to get notified so you don't miss new episodes every Friday.

The Being An Engineer podcast is brought to you by Pipeline Design & Engineering. Pipeline partners with medical & other device engineering teams who need turnkey equipment like cycle test machines, custom test fixtures, automation equipment, assembly jigs, inspection stations and more. You can find us at www.teampipeline.us

Watch the show on YouTube: www.youtube.com/@TeamPipelineus 

Send us Fan Mail

Russell, Alex, and Dylan all love science, and they all love comedy. Hence, Science! The Show was born. They’ve been promoting scientific literacy for over three years now through their show, sharing subject matter from dark matter to cognitive psychology. Check out their Facebook page for links to videos on YouTube and other information about their show.

The Being An Engineer podcast is brought to you by Pipeline Design & Engineering. Pipeline partners with medical & other device engineering teams who need turnkey equipment such as cycle test machines, custom test fixtures, automation equipment, assembly jigs, inspection stations and more. You can find us on the web at www.teampipeline.us.  

Subscribe to the show to get notified so you don't miss new episodes every Friday.

The Being An Engineer podcast is brought to you by Pipeline Design & Engineering. Pipeline partners with medical & other device engineering teams who need turnkey equipment like cycle test machines, custom test fixtures, automation equipment, assembly jigs, inspection stations and more. You can find us at www.teampipeline.us

Watch the show on YouTube: www.youtube.com/@TeamPipelineus 

Send us Fan Mail

Robert grew up thinking he wasn’t any good at math. He would do anything to avoid further exposure to mathematics curriculum from grade school all the way through high school. Then one professor drew a picture, paired it with y=x^2, and changed everything for Robert. In the course of a few weeks he began truly understanding math for the first time, and decided he could, in fact, become an engineer (which, aside from the math, had been the obvious career choice for him ever since he was young). These days, not only is Robert an engineer, but runs his own business (Epsilon Laboratory) helping engineering teams solve measurement problems as relates to load cells and strain gauges. And doing some math here and there. 

The Being An Engineer podcast is brought to you by Pipeline Design & Engineering. Pipeline partners with medical & other device engineering teams who need turnkey equipment such as cycle test machines, custom test fixtures, automation equipment, assembly jigs, inspection stations and more. You can find us on the web at www.teampipeline.us.  

Subscribe to the show to get notified so you don't miss new episodes every Friday.

The Being An Engineer podcast is brought to you by Pipeline Design & Engineering. Pipeline partners with medical & other device engineering teams who need turnkey equipment like cycle test machines, custom test fixtures, automation equipment, assembly jigs, inspection stations and more. You can find us at www.teampipeline.us

Watch the show on YouTube: www.youtube.com/@TeamPipelineus 

Send us Fan Mail

I first found James on his personal website and immediately realized this is an engineer who truly loves design. Why else would one spend the countless hours of personal time required to design one’s own, teenage mutant ninja turtle action figures, GameBoy cartridge cases, and, of course, the infamous Robo kitty. A few years ago I invited James to lunch and we’ve kept in touch ever since. James shares some great tips for design, and how to get noticed in this episode of the BAE podcast.

The Being An Engineer podcast is brought to you by Pipeline Design & Engineering. Pipeline partners with medical & other device engineering teams who need turnkey equipment such as cycle test machines, custom test fixtures, automation equipment, assembly jigs, inspection stations and more. You can find us on the web at www.teampipeline.us.  

Subscribe to the show to get notified so you don't miss new episodes every Friday.

The Being An Engineer podcast is brought to you by Pipeline Design & Engineering. Pipeline partners with medical & other device engineering teams who need turnkey equipment like cycle test machines, custom test fixtures, automation equipment, assembly jigs, inspection stations and more. You can find us at www.teampipeline.us

Watch the show on YouTube: www.youtube.com/@TeamPipelineus 

Send us Fan Mail

Nate has a disarming way about him. You’ll hear it in the interview. It’s a big part of why he has been able to create such a safe environment for his team to operate in, both from a physical standpoint as well as a psychological standpoint. From his role as a new product introduction manager to his side hustle handmaking artisanal cutlery at Blue Collar Blades, the care and attention he gives to his activities is inspirational and exemplary of what a genuine leader should be. 

The Being An Engineer podcast is brought to you by Pipeline Design & Engineering. Pipeline partners with medical device engineering teams who need turnkey equipment such as cycle test machines, custom test fixtures, automation equipment, assembly jigs, inspection stations and more. You can find us on the web at www.teampipeline.us.  

Subscribe to the show to get notified so you don't miss new episodes every Friday.

The Being An Engineer podcast is brought to you by Pipeline Design & Engineering. Pipeline partners with medical & other device engineering teams who need turnkey equipment like cycle test machines, custom test fixtures, automation equipment, assembly jigs, inspection stations and more. You can find us at www.teampipeline.us

Watch the show on YouTube: www.youtube.com/@TeamPipelineus 

Send us Fan Mail

Guna has worked in academia for over 30 years. Though not always a popular topic within the academic community, Guna has pushed for curriculum that includes more relevant learning objectives, often drawing from feedback from professionals working in industry for inspiration. Having worked in industry himself before beginning his academic career, Guna understands the importance for engineering students not only of learning the technical skills, but also laying a sturdy foundation of soft skills. As Guna says, it is often the soft skills that separate the good engineers from the great engineers.

The Being An Engineer podcast is brought to you by Pipeline Design & Engineering. Pipeline partners with medical & other device engineering teams who need turnkey equipment such as cycle test machines, custom test fixtures, automation equipment, assembly jigs, inspection stations and more. You can find us on the web at www.teampipeline.us. 

Subscribe to the show to get notified so you don't miss new episodes every Friday.

The Being An Engineer podcast is brought to you by Pipeline Design & Engineering. Pipeline partners with medical & other device engineering teams who need turnkey equipment like cycle test machines, custom test fixtures, automation equipment, assembly jigs, inspection stations and more. You can find us at www.teampipeline.us

Watch the show on YouTube: www.youtube.com/@TeamPipelineus