Emily Steiner (she/her), a fourth-year Mechatronics Engineering student, walks us through her co-op experiences and dives into how her work terms shaped her career aspirations.
Emily’s co-op journey:
Work term 1: Emily worked at Etalim as a systems engineering co-op. Her role was to improve the software system of their motor and testing unit. She worked on sensor instrumentation and microprocessor software.
Work terms 2 and 3: She worked at exactEarth as a software engineering co-op. The company specializes in maritime tracking using low-orbiting satellites. Emily had the opportunity to contribute to their newest satellite launch as a part of the software team. She had an integral role in designing the autonomous day-to-day operations software for the satellite and integrating flight operation procedures.
Work term 4: Emily worked at Canadensys Aerospace Corporation as their aerospace engineering co-op. The company’s current most significant project is collaborating with the Canadian Space Agency to make the Canadian Lunar Rover. Along with her team, Emily was able to customize the hardware and electrical system for this project to make it robust for space deployment.
Work term 5: She worked at Inertia Engineering + Design as a product development intern (electrical/mechatronics). This co-op helped her explore the consulting aspect of engineering-based jobs and work on a wide range of applications.
Work term 6: Emily worked at Lumafield in Cambridge, Massachusetts, as a research and development engineering co-op on the hardware team. Lumafield is creating an industrial CT scanner. Emily enjoyed the work in this position, performing unique investigations regarding X-rays and image quality and hence discovered her passion for research.
Q and A with Emily
Q: Do you recall any accomplishments that were significant to your growth?
A: “In my most recent co-op, for my major project, I worked on a feasibility study and prototype for an idea the company had for a couple of years. Previously, the company hadn’t had the time or resources to bring the idea to life. So, when I began working on it, I was doing something that had never been attempted in the company, which was very cool. The task was a proof of concept, where I was required to present my work to the CEO and other employees. Developing and presenting the prototype was a great opportunity to test my skills.”
Q: How did you navigate the challenges that you faced?
A: “In my fourth co-op term, I worked on a project where several elements in the existing design were preventing us from moving forward. At a point, my supervisor wanted to move on from the design and assign me to a different project. However, I had been working on the current project for 3 months and was not ready to give up so close to the end. Instead of moving on from it, I convinced him to let me look deeper into the potential solutions for the issue. We found a problem in the electrical design, which caused incorrect sensor readings. So, being there to witness this problem and then having the time to develop a solution was very gratifying.”
Q: Have your co-op experiences shaped your career and personal aspirations?
A: “I have always gravitated towards co-op positions where I could make a big impact and develop something new. My jobs were eye-opening because I realized I wanted to do research. Each opportunity helped me understand the background, training and experience required to succeed in this area. In particular, my last co-op in Research and Development helped shape my career aspirations. I also developed relationships with mentors who had pursued similar paths. I got a good sense of what kind of research I wanted to do in the future, which made me pivot back to academia. I am now planning on attending grad school.”
“All my co-op experiences have helped me understand what environment I wanted to work in and worked best in. I got an understanding of how I perform in a team and independently. This taught me my preferred balance between the right team and field. I got a sense for the team dynamics and company culture from interviews, which will help me continue to choose jobs purposefully in the future.”
Q: How was your co-op experience in the US?
A: “This experience really pushed me out of my comfort zone. It was a great opportunity to experience living in a new city for a few months. I made new friends at the office and with other co-op students and became comfortable exploring the city alone. I also found it particularly fun because I went in the summer and had great weather to explore, which I highly recommend!”
Q: What advice would you give to students looking to study abroad?
A: “When you are in a new city where you may not know people, it is all the more important that you like your coworkers and that your job is a good fit. Getting excited about wanting to go to a certain place is easy, but always look for indicators that the organization has a healthy culture. Great starting points to understanding the culture are talking to the supervisor, contacting previous co-op students or looking at their website. In Boston, the company I worked at organized many social activities, which was great for becoming friends with coworkers and learning about the city.”
Q: What’s next for you?
A: “I am attending Stanford University for my Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering. They have a rotational first-year program, where you work in a few different labs to help find the best fit for environment and research.”