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National SWE
Region F SWE
A Day in the Life of...
Miranda Oaks
B. S. Mechanical Engineering, University of Denver
Hardware Engineer
1. What is your job title? Briefly, what are your roles and
responsibilities?
I am a mechanical engineer working as a hardware engineer in Lexmark's
Laser Printer Technology Development. I am responsible for delivering a key
technology component that resides in 4 product families. This entails
everything from vendor relations to parts testing/qualification to
logistics. I am also responsible for directing a team of engineers in the
Philippines.
2. What is the work environment like (hours, life outside of work,
colleagues, …)?
Each day is different for me, but overall I do spend more time in the lab
than at my desk. I've even had the opportunity to travel internationally to
both China and the Philipphines. Most weeks I work between 40 and 45 hours.
Lexmark offers flex time in terms of when our work day begins/ends. Beyond
the office, Lexmark offers intermural leagues for almost any sport
(volleyball, softball, disc golf, bowling, basketball, tennis, etc) - they
even hold yoga and tai chi classes on-site. of colleagues very close to me
in age that I hang out with inside and outside of work.
3. Why did you choose to work at this company?
When I interviewed at Lexmark, I was both impressed by the people I met and
excited about the type of work. Almost everyone I talked to at the time
said that the thing that they loved best about working for Lexmark was the
people and after working here for over three years, I would say the same
thing. Doing hands on work in the lab and was extremely appealing to me as
well. Because Lexmark is a fairly large company, I also have lots of
opportunities to work in other areas if I so desire.
4. Did you have any prior experience (including internships/co-ops) in the
field?
During summers in college, I worked for an architect doing drafting and for
Agilent Technologies in a printed circuit board manufacturing facility as a
test/quality intern.
5. Do you have any career advice for university students to help them
better succeed?
Take advantage of the projects you work on in school. Do a coop or internship if you have the opportunity.
Spend time talking to engineers in the field learning about what they do
and what they like/dislike about their jobs and/or their companies. In
industry, the focus is on results, not on effort. Effective time management
and ability to prioritize workload is key. I see skills related to working
in a team and strong communication as lacking in industry. Finally, when it
comes to looking for a job.
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