My Final Co-op at L3Harris
Josh
Experience Information
Employer: L3Harris
Job Title: Test Engineering Intern
Major: Electrical Engineering
Received Credit: Yes
Paid: Yes
Abroad: No
Description of the Organization
L3Harris as a whole is a multinational that produces defense grade technologies for the aerospace, maritime, infantry, ect. sectors.
Description of the Tasks/Projects Completed
I specifically worked within the test engineering department. As a result, most of my time was spent either setting up/designing parts for automated testing stations, troubleshooting issues with testing stations and conducting test procedures.
Skills/Knowledge Gained Through The Experience
I was able to refine my data-gathering and parsing skills through the time I spent troubleshooting testing stations. I was able to refine my ability to create professional-grade documentation, which I could then relay to those inside of the company for technical communication. Lastly, I learned more about what exactly should be in an electrical connections drawing and how to properly create a bill of materials to go with it. In short, I gained a lot of experience and knowledge pertaining to how an experiment should be conducted and documented.
Favorite Part of the Experience
My favorite part of the co-op was when I was tasked with creating the beginning hand drawings for a cable that recently broke. To complete the task, I had to create a prototype from the available cabling that I had, verify its functionality, create a BOM for the theoretical version, then submit my drawing and BOM to my department's in-house technician.
How the Experience Influenced Future Career Goals
I now know that, regardless of what I do, I need to treat almost all of my assignments like experiments. As a result, I need to thoroughly document my work.