Mike is an embedded software engineer. His journey to engineering began on the road as a truck driver, which sparked his curiosity about the onboard software of the truck he was driving each day.
What made you discover your passion and skill set for engineering?
I used to be a truck driver. Every day you had to do a pre- and post-trip inspection. These inspections made me wonder how the technology on the truck operated, specifically the sensors that mitigated speed and collision.
In my spare time, I would research how the sensors, engine brakes and cruise control worked. The process of finding these answers led me to enrolling in online prerequisite classes with my local community college in Maryland. I would take the classes during my spare time at truck stops.
One day while driving through Iowa, I saw a billboard for the College of Engineering at Iowa State University. I called and asked how I could register in their school. Two years later I was back in Iowa, not as a truck driver but as a full-time student.
What do you do?
My main responsibilities include designing, developing, coding, testing and debugging software of embedded devices (controllers) and systems to enhance its functions.
What do you like most about your field?
I enjoy the creativity and challenges that come with it. In this career, you get to design and build things that make the world a better place.
What do you like most about working at Vermeer?
The culture here is not something that you will find at any other company. The people here make you want to come to work every day — communication, knowledge, development and growth is infinite.