After completing my Master’s degree and submitting a method patent for environmentally correcting variable rate nozzle systems, I took my experience and interests to John Deere as a contingent performance engineer in their cotton Performance Validation and Verification (PV&V) team. This role was a combination of management over others to accomplish tasks, test engineering on experimental and prototype equipment, and customer service for working directly with farmers in the field.For the past year, Deere has given me more responsibility than I ever expected. I have met their expectations and feel as though I did more than what they originally expected I could. However, due to budget cuts my position will not be renewed. With the skills and experience I’ve gained, I now search for a position either within John Deere or with a new company, hoping to both use what I’ve learned to excel at my work and learn more on how to perform even better.