Career Path of a Natural Gas Utilities Consultant at Kleinfelder Inc
Alan's career path began with a mechanical engineering degree at the University of Portland, fueled by a childhood love of Legos and a desire to "build things and design construction things." After a sophomore-year internship at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory designing missile components, where the experience of designing for defense gave Alan pause, Alan transitioned to a role as a natural gas utilities consultant at Kleinfelder Inc., focusing on pipeline and station infrastructure assessments and improvement recommendations.
Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Internships, Energy, Utilities
Advizer Information
Name
Job Title
Company
Undergrad
Grad Programs
Majors
Industries
Job Functions
Traits
Alan Iannaccone
Engineer II
Kleinfelder Inc
University of Portland 2018
N/A
Engineering - Mechanical
Energy & Utilities
Product / Service / Software Development and Management
Scholarship Recipient
Video Highlights
1. Alan pursued a mechanical engineering degree at the University of Portland and completed an internship at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, where he designed and tested missile designs for supersonic shock. This experience, however, led him to avoid the defense industry.
2. His current role as a natural gas utilities consultant involves reviewing pipeline and station operations, ensuring they meet standards and providing solutions for improvement. This demonstrates a shift from defense to a more sustainable infrastructure focus.
3. Alan's career path showcases a transition from a laboratory setting to field applications, highlighting the diverse opportunities within mechanical engineering. His experience emphasizes the importance of internships in shaping career direction and the possibility of aligning work with personal values.
Transcript
Could you walk me through your career path, starting with your experiences in college? Did you have any internships or jobs before your current role?
I went to the University of Portland and pursued a mechanical engineering degree. During my time there, the university didn't offer many different focuses. It was mechanical, chemical, or computer engineering.
Growing up, I always wanted to go down the mechanical path. I liked to build Legos, so I thought that was a relatable experience. I was always interested in building and designing things.
My sophomore year, I took an internship at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory. I was tasked with designing or testing different designs for missiles to undergo supersonic shock. I found it pretty interesting.
However, I had a qualm about designing things made to hurt people. After that experience, I knew I didn't want to go down the defense route.
My first job out of college and my current job is as a natural gas utilities consultant. I work with different clients and utility providers throughout the United States. My current role is looking at pipelines and stations and making sure they operate to standard. If they don't, I provide alternatives to these companies to help them fix their infrastructure.