Name: Adam
Education: Master's degree in mechanical engineering from California State University Long Beach
Bachelor's degree in aerospace engineering from CSULB
What are you working on at Aerospace?
I work in the mechanical engineering and fabrication department where I specialize in designing, building, testing, and analyzing optical assemblies from terrestrial telescopes located at Aerospace, to small satellite and Class A optical payloads.
What is a typical day like for you at Aerospace?
On a typical day, I will spend about half my time in the office and the other half in the lab. In the office, I’m working on designing new optical assemblies, running analysis to confirm the designs meet requirements and producing fabrication drawings for those units to be built. In the lab, I’m inspecting the parts that have been built, assembling the components into assemblies, and testing the assemblies for desired performance.
What’s the most exciting part of your job?
The most exciting part of the job is to work with a team of some of the most skilled engineers in the world and getting exposed to such a broad range of projects and customers.
Tell us one thing nobody would guess about you.
I’m an extreme sports enthusiast outside of work. I’ve jumped out of an airplane more than 300 times, competed in springboard diving in college, and ride centuries (100+ mile bicycle rides).
What excites you about the aerospace industry and space today?
The most exciting part of the industry today is the shift toward more agile and small satellite programs. Although the need for large and highly engineered Class A programs is as great as it has ever been, the emerging small satellite industry is allowing engineers to fly and experiment with new ideas on a shorter development cycle.
Would you be willing to colonize Mars if it meant never returning to Earth?
If you had asked me five years ago, absolutely! I love exploring new things and taking huge risks for the sake of adventure. However, now I have kids, so my first love is my family, followed by a close second of adventure.
Ready to join the Aerospace team? Visit our careers page.