Test Engineering Coop
Thomas
Experience Information
Employer: L3 Aviation Products
Job Title: Test Engineering Coop
Major: Mechanical Engineering
Received Credit: Yes
Paid: Yes
Abroad: No
Description of the Organization
The Grand Rapids division of L3 communications is a medium sized company that consist of both manufacturing and office workers under one building. The TE department consists of a smaller group of engineers in charge of testing the units made by production to ensure they're up to FAA standards.
Description of the Tasks/Projects Completed
My work at L3 was focused on Test Engineering and the rigorous testing process which aviation products have to go through. Software work was emphasized as much of the mechanical/ electrical aspect of the design is taken care of by the initial engineering team as the products are designed. Some work was done in aspects of project management as well.
Skills/Knowledge Gained Through The Experience
I have gained specific knowledge on a bunch of Serial interfaces including RS-232,RS-422,RS-485, ARINC-429, MIL-1553, and CSDB interfaces. Aside from this I have worked a lot in C coding as well as a bit of python coding. As a result of this I have a significantly better understanding of C libraries and larger scale coding projects. Work in fixing production problems (things that break/don't work on the test floor) has improved my improvisation and problem solving skills. I have improved circuit analysis and troubleshooting skills as a result of this coop.
Favorite Part of the Experience
Everyone in the department is happy to help in any problems that you may come across as an engineer. No one knows everything that they need to know as a professional engineer during their first coop cycles, but everyone at L3 is happy to help you grow and learn as an engineer and this is a great aspect to working here.
How the Experience Influenced Future Career Goals
I've now decided to pursue a career in aviation as a result of this coop experience.