Investigating Complex Engineering Problems
Nicole DeGiulio shares her day-to-day at Nexus and transitioning from previous job experiences.
What does an Electrical Engineer at Nexus do on a daily basis?
Nicole: My days at Nexus vary depending on the type of work and the clients I am working on. My work tends to be focused on substations and refineries.
I do not open my emails first thing in the morning. Instead, I like to start my day by writing out the tasks that need to be completed and prioritizing which must be completed first. Then, I will open my email to see if there’s new tasks that need to be included or any requests that I need to respond to. This method makes me feel on top of my work and not overwhelmed by the inbox.
After a morning of engineering duties, meetings, and responding to clients, I will head out to lunch. Sometimes, I will go for a 30-minute walk which helps break up my day. The rest of the day is dedicated to work time and meetings.
One of the motivating factors for you coming to Nexus was the opportunity to work on a variety of projects. Can you compare the experience at Nexus to your previous experience?
Nicole: The people dynamics and environment are different at Nexus, which makes it stand out compared to my last experience. At past employers, there was a “let’s just get it done” mentality. I love working with my Nexus team because I can approach anyone in the department with a question, even if they are not working on the project, and know that I will receive a thoughtful answer. People at Nexus care enough to take a half hour of their time explain it to me or help me dig up the information.
What really interested me about joining Nexus was the opportunity to tackle projects for multiple clients, rather than having a narrowed focus. Since joining the team, I have had the unique opportunity to collaborate and work on a multitude of projects and interact with several disciplines.
Learning from Tim Hoekenga, Joe Werner and Mike Gerenda has been extremely helpful to me. I have established a solid foundation with my technical work – now I can work directly with construction people to answer their questions. Additionally, I have further developed my AutoCAD and 3D modeling skills, which was something I did not do before Nexus!
What is the most interesting thing about your job at Nexus that we would not learn from your job description?
Nicole: What interests me most about my job is 3D modeling. I really enjoy the 3D work because I can collaborate with team members across multiple disciplines. And it is creative. I can adjust my 3D modeling approach to the unique challenges each client brings.
You may think every project is the same, but there’s always slight changes that may cause you to dig a little deeper and investigate. Sometimes, you must be a good detective at Nexus.
Electrical Engineer or detective of complex client projects? The world may never know.
How do you juggle working for multiple clients at once?
Nicole: I love working for multiple clients. It is important to me to give my time and knowledge to one client at a time. I want them to know that they are my focus and that I prioritize an open line of communication, knowledge, and time with them. This method of project management helps me focus on one task at a time rather than hitting pause on one client to jump to another.
What do you find most rewarding about your job?
Nicole: When I think about the most fulfilling thing at work, the first thing that comes to mind is our teamwork. We have people who care about the product we are creating and the quality of that product. We get to collaborate with people who are similar and different, which is a privilege and accomplishment.
It is a great feeling when you receive positive feedback for your work, and the client likes to work with you. It makes you want to work with them again!
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