Koops Project Engineer Co-op
Zachary
Experience Information
Employer: Koops Automation Systems
Job Title: Project Engineer
Major: Electrical Engineering
Received Credit: Yes
Paid: Yes
Abroad: No
Description of the Organization
As Koops says, "Koops unites rock solid engineering solutions with stellar customer support to meet the complex demands of robust manufacturers seeking to grow." They are a company which aims to create automation systems for other companies, and then offer support for their solutions. Koops has around 300 employees over their three different locations, and aim to have 60% of their work in the automotive industry and 40% diversified over other industries.
Description of the Tasks/Projects Completed
Over the course of my PE rotation I worked to debug a line of machines all made for one customer. This involved finding problems with the already assembled machines, looking for the best and most sensible solution for each problem, and then carrying out said solution. One problem with interference between two moving parts could be grinding off excess material, while another problem of a sensor not functioning could be a miss wired connection. These problems often take on the spot problem solving to find and fix, and making a machine work when it wasn't is a satisfying feeling.
Skills/Knowledge Gained Through The Experience
Over the course of my rotation as a PE, I learned many things. I learned how to drill and tap holes, how to use power tools, how to rapidly problem solve, how to find the source of a problem, how to work with coworkers to find a solution to problems, how to present solutions to superiors, how to travel for work, and how to find ways to help others at work.
Favorite Part of the Experience
My favorite part was being able to problem solve with my hands and work with hand tools. I didn't have very much experience with that previously, and is something that I will be able to use at home in the future.
How the Experience Influenced Future Career Goals
Before starting this semester I had no idea what a project engineer did. Now that I have seen what they do, I could see it as a future career path. The idea of helping on each step of a project from the concept design to the final project is very intriguing.
Internship Format
In Person