Third Rotation Engineering Co-Op
Rylan
Experience Information
Employer: Phase 1 Engineering
Job Title: Computer Engineering Co-Op
Major: Computer Engineering
Received Credit: Yes
Paid: Yes
Abroad: No
Description of the Organization
Phase 1 Engineering is an Electrical and Computer Engineering consulting firm. They are a small business with ~15 full time staff. The goal of Phase 1 Engineering is to prototype solutions to problems within the ECE field. This ranges from radio frequency (RF) characterization/solutions to embedded system design.
Description of the Tasks/Projects Completed
As a co-op I participated in a lot the design of experiment process. This means that I helped create test plans to characterize the problem at hand. It then goes further to then suggest how the problem could be resolved. One of my biggest projects was characterizing changes of the performance of an embedded system after the software was changed. This meant testing the battery to make sure there wasn't an increasing in energy being used and making sure the functionality works as expected.
Skills/Knowledge Gained Through The Experience
Through this co-op I learned more about protocols that I use everyday. This includes cell service, GPS, and WIFI. I had to characterize the antennas and the loss to the board and this meant that I had to get a decent grasp on how all these systems work.
Favorite Part of the Experience
I really enjoyed being able to help design the experiments and able to share my insight in how the tests went to other engineers. It made the experience very well rounded and allowed me to feel even more incorporated in the business.
How the Experience Influenced Future Career Goals
It has made me want to continue my degree to learn more about embedded systems and how they can be used to further enhance the daily lives of their users.
Internship Format
In Person