First name: Emma
Time at EDAG Group / year hired: March 2023
Title: Electrical Engineer and CAD Liaison
My interest in engineering started when I was a child as both my parents are engineers. I attended Wayne State University from Fall of 2017 to May 2021 to study mechanical engineering with a concentration in sustainable energy. I initially went to Wayne as an astrophysics major but came to realize that it did not fit with my ultimate life goals. Since I grew up in an engineering family, I ultimately decided to pursue it since it’s also interesting and matches how my brain was molded to work and think from childhood. I chose mechanical engineering because it's hands on and it made sense and worked with the natural flow of how I function in my everyday life.
After getting my mechanical engineering degree and leaving my prior job of 2 years in the automotive industry working as an EV battery design engineer, I found EDAG Group. During the first six months of my role, I was working through a contract house on our electrical engineering team. After the contract’s expiration, I was directly hired by EDAG Group. Due to my expertise in electric vehicle batteries and design, specialization in CAD, and renewable resources, EDAG Group was the natural choice for the next step in my career path. Upon starting here, I have noticed myself immediately connect not only with the company’s work in the industry but also my co-workers.
Our electrical engineering department is growing at a fast rate, and we all click very well with one another. I enjoy the relationships I have built with my coworkers and their willingness to help with any situation, even if it is not about their expertise. There is always a positive atmosphere no matter who you talk to, everyone is easy to talk to whether that be in our local office in Troy, Michigan across departments or to colleagues in different countries. EDAG Group has an extremely prominent level of collaboration across the board, which makes work so much more enjoyable. I also enjoy the level of flexibility in both my role and the delegation of projects within the department, which has allowed me to work on things I am passionate about, which primarily consists of the mechanical aspects of electrical engineering.
The day usually starts with checking emails and teams messages, checking in with my team members to make sure we are all set with our daily priorities and answering any questions that were not addressed the day before. Aligning with coworkers I am collaborating with is an important part of this process, making sure we have a plan set for the day. Most of my meetings are typically in the mornings as well, this can vary from Monday and Wednesday with our quick midweek check-ins to our weekly team meeting on Fridays.
The rest of my day is filled with working on individual or collaborative work based on different projects. This can range from the packaging of electrical systems to standards and regulations for the US and other countries. I also use different CAD software on the electrical side often, primarily working with CATIA and NX, though we are flexible based on customer’s need and can also work in SolidWorks, Creo, and more.
My favorite part of the day is our team meetings. Our personalities mesh well, making it easy to work together, problem-solve, and communicate about projects. I think it has helped build a solid team foundation and allowed us to bond as a department.
Outside of work, I am an avid book reader. I will read wherever, whether that’s at my house or a park in nature. My favorite books are often written by Brandon Sanderson or are similar to his works. Furthermore, I like to spend time with my cat Bean and my friends. I also enjoy catching up on astrophysics news and welding.