What you do for a living?

#1

I am always trying to tell people about all of the awesome people on here and the ideas they post. It always ends up with someone wondering what that person does for a living. I know most people have posted at one point or another what they do on the forum at one point or another, but I thought it would be nice to have a reference thread to make it easier to reference.

I personally work for a company that owns multiple companies and I have been blessed enough to have been able to mentor under some of the greatest electrical minds in the country. I also did field maintenance work until the economic downturn in 08 so I was able to work at some of the largest companies in the country as an advisor on projects, project designer, field service work, IR thermography of electrical and piping, installation and maintenance on diesel generators and electric motors of all styles, and electronic compliance testing (which is the closest thing I do that remotely connects to what I went to college for). Now I work on rewinding, rebuilding, and custom builds of ac and dc motors/generators. I’m almost 35 and started working with my dad at AEP on the weekends at 9 and then at 15 he purchased the companies I have worked for since.

Edit: forgot to mention high voltage distribution planning for on site substations and hipot testing of high voltage cables.

#2

Nowadays, I do nothing for a living, as I’ve been retired for 12 years. During my time of employment though, I was a bank teller for about 26 years …which will have no relevance to making anything with the Glowforge. I am, however, an artistic person emanating from an incredibly artistic family, and always curious and excited about new technology. That is what will be my guide when I receive my laser in December.

#3

Electrical Engineer and Computer Engineer working for the DoD. Mostly computer simulation and training simulators for Navy aircraft nowadays. And other stuff.

edit: interesting that we both used the word “nowadays” at the same time.

#4

Did your job ever take you southern wv to work at the department of logistics in kenova? I used to do the electrical testing at that facility. It used to be used to build sections of aircraft carriers then turned into storage for manganese before closing down a few years ago

Edit: happy cake day btw

#5

Sci/tech writer getting old and slowly transitioning to playing with some of the toys I’ve written about all these years. (The stuff that visionaries were talking about when I started out are now sorta/kinda/somewhat available to ordinary mortals, which I guess is a pretty good pace of progress.)

#6

I work at the place that makes this stuff (among other brands):

20161005_174159.jpg2560x1440 1.33 MB

I’ve been here for about 9 years now, all of it spent in production, specifically bottling. I’m typically operating one of the big machines or cleaning them. Or I’m in the office wrestling with Microsoft’s ever irritating Great Plains (doing that as I type this). Overall it’s been a pretty great place to work, and I have no plans to go anywhere anytime soon.

#7

My training was in more traditional graphic design (digital and print). I was doing toothbrush, floss and mouthwash packaging for J&J about 5 years ago before being part of some lay-offs. I used the extra time to come up with my own projects, one of which caused me to stumble into the world of UX design. One thing led to another and I now lead a small team at a digital agency designing native and web-based apps of all types.

#8

I’m a knifemaker. Keeps me very busy. Looking forward to the opportunities the Glowforge will bring in making packaging and other interesting stuff.

#9

I work as a landscape architect. My firm does mostly private sector development work in the Boston area. We have worked on some public projects like the High Line in NYC and some high end residential. We basically do everything from when you exit a building.

In the past I have run a print lab for a beer distribution company, been a projectionist at a museums theater, and developed web programming for data visualization.

#10

I am long retired (85 years old) but am active making handcrafted pens. Http://www.pensbylarry.com
In my pre-retirement I was an aerospace engineer, real estate broker, magazine editor, etc.
looking forward to the Glowforge to play with and possibly enhance my pens

#11

First life was as a Petroleum Engineer - Worked the offshore Gulf of Mexico region for a few years, and learned to play really kick-ass poker. (Very innocent face with large blue eyes and an extremely good grasp of statistical probability. Poor suckers didn’t stand a chance.):innocent:

Met the right guy, got married, and we built a house and a business together. After a few years, we had gotten the business stable enough that he could fire me, so he did. (Yes, my husband actually fired me!) . We’re two alphas…one of us had to go. :sunglasses:

So now I guess I’m a kept woman. It gives me lots of time for artistic endeavors. (And managing our personal finances and investments, doing some of the marketing for the company, artwork, accounting, computer repair for the 48 employees because they will continue to go for those free screensavers no matter how many times I ask them not to; other IT chores; some specialty programming; cooking; cleaning; and reminding him to pack his pants when he’s taking out clients on fishing jaunts.)

(And of all of those, the hardest is getting him to remember his freaking pants.):sweat_smile:

Anyway - to fill my time after I got the boot, I taught myself a bunch of design software, played with digital cutters for a bit, got into 3D printing last year, and now…lasers. So lots of recent crafty stuff, of the non-professional variety. :slight_smile:

#12

I normally would assume you have read the topics, but just in case, wanted to link to the QOTD by @Tony that asked this question.

I’m pastor of a medium size church in Missouri. Taught high school for 14 years. Was principal of a small high school.

#13

I’ve been retired for 7 years. Enjoying every minute! When I was employed I was a process development scientist for Major agricultural and pharmaceutical companies. The last six years were so stressful that I honestly wasn’t sure I would survive; glad I did! The part of the job I enjoyed the most was simulation modeling (predicting outcomes of complex reaction mixtures based on known kinetics, physical properties, etc.). Now I do Sudoku to keep my brain from turning to mush. I’ve always enjoyed making things, and in process development you have to be a bit of a Rube Goldberg anyway. Guess that’s why a laser appeals to me–I can make the tool I need to do the job!

#14

Retired public school guidance counselor. No experience in using design and creativity-based software? Any advice is truly appreciated.

#15

I am a Mechanical Engineer. In my career, I’ve worked on a range of different things; Submarines, Ion Implanters, Sonar/Ultrasound Transducers, Micro-Electronics, MEMS. I’ve worked at big companies and small. Currently, I’m at Draper Labs in Cambridge, Mass.

Shameless Plug: We are having a technology showcase this week. Come check out some cool technology if you are in the Cambridge area!
A few of the projects: Treating Patient-Specific Cancer, Guiding Insect Navigation, Integrating Wearable Tech…other cool stuff!

http://www.draper.com/EP-16

#16

Must be by now an antiquated term, don’t you think?

Oh yes…happy Cake Day :tada:

#17

Happy cake day. I was figuring you would have to post pretty soon or get dropped from regular. Thanks for sticking it out.

#18

I remembered this, too…but the thread was already in full swing. :relaxed:

#19

"Let’s go campin’! Threw the stuff in the van while she got dinner etc. together.
Sitting around the the campfire as the sun set, I said "getting kinda cool, think I’ll change out of these shorts.“
Sitting there in jeans, She said I didn’t bring your jeans…“
I looked at her and said: (Schwarzenegger voice)” take dem offf.”

#20

Chuckle! Another one! :smile:

Happy cake day @rpegg!