Daniel Covert Email and Phone Number

As my first full time job out of college, IKA has helped me develop professionally in many ways. As an Electrical Engineer in the process department at the company I wear many different hats. I program Rockwell Automation PLCs and HMIs for the various machines that we make. I primarily use Ladder Logic in Studio 5000 and FactoryTalk View ME. Occasionally, I also use Siemen's TIA Portal and Crimson 3.1 depending on the application. When programming the machines, I have to take a creative approach as every machine is made custom as in the software. Every customer wants their own specific functionality, from a fully customizable recipe system to automatic drainage system. Everyday is a new challenge.On the hardware side of things, I design and review AutoCAD Electrical schematics for the electrical panels that power and run our machines. This involves calculating the power and cooling requirements of all of the components in the panel to ensure that it functions properly. I am also currently overseeing our transition from using AutoCAD to EPlan.I also help source parts for the panels, which has become increasingly difficult due to ongoing supply chain issues. The team and I have had to work around this by working with vendors and being resourceful.IKA is a place where I continue to grow and hone my skills, not only as an electrical engineer but my social skills working with a team and with vendors.

While I attended NC State University, I pursued a double major in both Computer and Electrical Engineering. I have took numerous courses that were crucial to my professional development. I also participated in three academic projects while attending NCSU, a Freshman Engineering project, creating an RC car using an MSP microcontroller, and a self-driving RC car for IBM. These projects have taught me how to work on professional-level engineering projects with a group of peers and lead others when I need to.

Over the summer of 2021, I worked as an Electrical Engineering intern for the company working on multiple projects. My primary project was to build an End-of-Line tester for a PCB that would control the motors on medium-sized boats. Through the internship, I gained experience designing the tester in Cadence OrCAD and creating documentation for it.

During the summer of 2020, I worked with the head Electrical Engineer at the company to work on numerous projects. These projects could be divided into two categories, one of which being renovations, where the parts of existing lines and systems were placed. One such example of a renovation was when I designed and built a new electrical panel in order to accommodate a new brine supply system for a preexisting line. The other category is brand new installations, where entirely new lines or systems were put in. An example of a brand new installation I did, was the design of a brand new panel for the thirteenth line in the factory. This panel would control the motors and computers that ensured that the conveyor belt would run without error. While designing these panels I familiarized myself with ABB controllers and Ladder Logic. While working on these projects I received excellent experience working in a professional environment with a diverse group of employees, I also learned the importance of deadlines and how to meet them while delivering a quality product.

As a lifeguard, I gained experience in teamwork, leadership, and keeping calm under pressure. As a new hire, I worked with a more experienced lifeguard to guard two Olympic-sized pools. Together we would watch over the pools that would typically contain twenty swimmers each. Together we would coordinate to ensure that we identified at-risk swimmers and were prepared to act in case of emergencies. Occasional events would sometimes double the numbers that we would have to deal with, and as a result, we would take on an additional lifeguard. Even with the additional help, as a team, we were under pressure due to the increased activity in the pool, so I had to ensure that I remained cool while observing pool-goers to keep them safe. After the first summer, I was promoted to head life, and my role transitioned from that of a follower to a leader. While continuing my normal duties I had to help train new hires while also coordinating rescues. My time as a lifeguard how to keep a cool head while people’s lives were at risk, along with how to work with teams of my peers.

While I worked at the school, I oversaw the maintenance and repair of the computers of over 300 students and faculty. In order to do this Ied and taught a team of students how to identify and fix both software and hardware issues. Additionally, I organized an electronics recycling program for the school where my team and I collected used electronics and delivered them to the local recycling center.

Over the course of the summer, I tested and debugged functions for websites used by credit unions. I also reported my findings and accomplishments to a supervisor and learned how to work on a programming project with a team both online and in-person.