INTERN PROGRAM
ERIC
Career Series: 855 – Electronics Engineer
Educational Background:
When I joined DISA I had a Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering with a minor in Philosophy from Georgia Tech. I also have a Master's Degree in Electrical and Computer Engineering from Georgia Tech
How I found out about the Intern Program:
I attended a career fair in Atlanta, Ga. and learned about DISA’s intern and student programs at a booth there.
The reason I decided to take this position:
Working at DISA requires innovation and forward-thinking. We are at the forefront of network technology – providing services under a huge range of conditions – and we have to get it right; if our networks don’t work, the lives of our servicemembers are at stake. That challenge enticed me to join DISA.
What I do to support our nation's Warfighters:
I work to ensure that warfighters have the network capacity they need to perform their missions. The goal is to determine the bandwidth that warfighters need before they need it so that they don't even have to think about the network when doing their jobs. In addition to proactive planning, when there's some kind of network issue (i.e. fiber cut, excessive packet loss, etc) we try to engineer the best fix as soon as possible to reduce the impact.
My favorite work-life benefit:
The telework program. Avoiding the commute significantly reduces my stress level. I find that on telework days I usually end up spending more time working (because eliminating the commute gives me so much extra time in the day) and that my work time is more efficient (because I can focus better and I'm much more relaxed).
My advice to those interested in an electronics engineer intern position at DISA:
Keep an open mind. We work in a very dynamic field where technologies and companies and strategies are changing every few years. Processes and roles need to constantly change to keep up with technology and requirements. In this career, plan to work on many different things, and always be thinking of how your current work can evolve to support future needs.