Engineers Week is a time to recognize the people who turn complex challenges into practical solutions.  Across our company, our engineers bring deep technical knowledge, perspective, and leadership to every project. They help guide their teams and colleagues through challenges while delivering solutions that protect communities, advance infrastructure, and safeguard the environment.  
To celebrate Engineer’s Week, we are spotlighting a few of the experienced engineers who have helped shape our work and learn more about their lessons learned, career insights, and what continues to inspire them in the profession. 

Jennifer McKinnon, Senior Engineer I, Geotechnical Engineering 

• What originally drew you to a career in engineering?
  • What originally drew me to geotechnical engineering was the idea of making a real-world impact. Unlike many other disciplines, geotechnical engineering quite literally forms the foundation of every structure. During my early exposure to civil engineering, I was fascinated by how soil, something most people overlook, can govern the success or failure of major infrastructure (think of the Leaning Tower of Pisa). Plus, I get to wear fashionable attire, such as Carhartts, a hard hat and steel-toed boots and who wouldn’t love getting paid to play in the dirt?! 😉 What has kept me in the profession for so long are the challenges and variability. No two projects are the same and I enjoy the unpredictability.
• How does experience influence the way you approach complex or high-risk projects?
  • Experience changes how you approach projects. Early in a career, you are more focused on calculations and your recommendations are more rigid based on those results. With experience, you use more engineering judgement by asking, “Is this really what we expect to happen? Or are we being too conservative or not enough?” and you can adjust your recommendations accordingly.
• How do you support or mentor younger engineers on your team?
  • Mentoring younger engineers is one of my favorite parts of the profession. It is a fast-paced work environment and can be very overwhelming. I let them know I am there to support them, and I have an open-door policy if they have any questions or concerns. I also let them know mistakes will happen, learn from them, and move on.   

Frank Clark, Principal Engineer II, Investigation & Remediation 

• Looking back, what moments or milestones stand out most in your engineering journey?
  • The first years of employment after graduate school were at a firm in Boston, much like a young Braun Intertec, a strong regional geotechnical consulting firm with a fledgling environmental group.  I worked directly with firm principals, and that exposure greatly influenced how I approached projects, interacted with colleagues, and managed clients.  Those first few years really molded me as an engineering professional.
• What excites you about the future of engineering despite how much the field has changed?  
  • I think the civil engineering profession has been open to the adoption of newer technologies such as remote sensing and drones and is preparing for the widespread implementation of AI. It seems the applications are endless, and I would encourage young engineers to gain an understanding of how to responsibly use AI to solve engineering challenges.
• What do you like to do outside of work?
  • We have a cabin and three acres on a quiet lake in East Texas, near where my wife grew up.  We enjoy traveling and visiting family in New England multiple times a year.  I am a big New England Patriots fan!  Ha. 

Sarah Bibilonisambolin, Senior Engineer I, Permitting & Compliance 

• What originally drew you to engineering, and what has kept you in the profession over the years?
  • I saw the lights of the south Texas windfarms all blinking on and off in the darkness at the same time. It felt like aliens were landing and knowing that the bizarre phenomena was generating power felt exciting. I don't actually work with windmills, but I do get the chance daily to be a clog in a machine I believe in, Every once in a while, I get the wild opportunity to do things like helping people generate electricity out of cow poop and trash. 
• How does experience influence the way you approach complex or high-risk projects today?
  • Experience keeps things in perspective, I think. When something is complex or high-risk getting all of the information, including the true goal, and talking frankly with the stakeholders about meeting their goals while managing their risk.
• What excites you about the future of engineering despite how much the field has changed?
  • The next generation seems to take sustainability and responsibility as a matter of course.  

Philip Bailey, Senior Engineer II, Geotechnical Engineering 

• Looking back, what moments or milestones stand out most in your engineering journey?
  • I have had the pleasure of working in multiple offices and states throughout my engineering journey. Through experience in different offices, I have had the benefit of mentorship by a variety of engineers and managers that have made me appreciate how unique each different area is while still operating as one company.
• How do you support or mentor younger engineers on your team?
  • I mentor younger engineers by first introducing them to different situations, whether it be bringing them with me for troubleshooting difficult soils on a site, or having them follow along with some detailed analysis. I do my best to explain things thoroughly and give explanations for why we do things the way we do to help them better understand why we provide the recommendations we make. Lastly, I give as many examples as I can of past experiences so they are able to fully understand what the implications may be if we don’t approach the task at hand with the appropriate level of care.
• How have you seen the engineering industry evolve during your career?
  • While much of the engineering industry has remained the same during my career, technology has made many advances. Whether it be automated monitoring equipment, or the speed at which projects move and information is shared, everything is designed to get to the end result quicker. 

This Engineer’s Week is a reminder that progress and expertise are built on experience. The knowledge, perspective, and leadership of our engineers continue to shape our work and strengthen our teams. As the industry evolves, their insight helps guide the next generation, so that the future of engineering is built on a strong foundation, and the expertise at Braun Intertec remains the Science You Build On.