Being an Engineer

Derek Pietz shares his journey from engineering student to co-founding a successful automation startup and his current role leading engineering teams at Intuitive. He discusses the challenges of starting a company, lessons learned, and trends in the automation industry.

Main Topics:

• Engineering career path
• Founding and growing a startup
• Challenges and pivots
• Prioritizing work/life balance
• Designing robotic surgery equipment
• Improving team morale
• Communication best practices
• Future of AI and vision systems in automation

About the guest: Our guest today is Derek Pietz, the Director of Automation Equipment and Test Engineering at Intuitive, a trailblazing company at the forefront of robotic-assisted surgery. Prior to his role at Intuitive, Derek has been a part of four start-up ventures including one as a co-founder. He has built and led engineering and operations teams, designed machines, run a P/L, pitched investors, obsessed over supply chain, developed sales strategies, taught robots to make pizza and fixed customer problems.

Links:
Derek Pietz - LinkedIn
Intuitive website

About Being An Engineer

The Being An Engineer podcast is a repository for industry knowledge and a tool through which engineers learn about and connect with relevant companies, technologies, people resources, and opportunities. We feature successful mechanical engineers and interview engineers who are passionate about their work and who made a great impact on the engineering community.

The Being An Engineer podcast is brought to you by Pipeline Design & Engineering. Pipeline partners with medical & other device engineering teams who need turnkey equipment such as cycle test machines, custom test fixtures, automation equipment, assembly jigs, inspection stations and more. You can find us on the web at www.teampipeline.us

Jon Montcrief shares his career path in chemical engineering and process development roles in the medical device industry. He discusses challenges in manufacturing, supply chains, and the regulated medical device industry. 

Main Topics:

• Engineering career paths
• Chemical engineering background
• Manufacturing trends
• Supply chain challenges
• Technical and soft skills for engineers
• Challenges facing medical device companies
• The future of medical technology.

About the guest: Jon Montcrief, holds a bachelor's and master's degree in chemical engineering and is currently the director of process development and sustaining engineering at Becton Dickinson, where he applies his process engineering and polymer background to develop products in the medical device space. John, thank you so much for joining us today.

Links:

Jon Montcrief - LinkedIn

About Being An Engineer

The Being An Engineer podcast is a repository for industry knowledge and a tool through which engineers learn about and connect with relevant companies, technologies, people resources, and opportunities. We feature successful mechanical engineers and interview engineers who are passionate about their work and who made a great impact on the engineering community.

The Being An Engineer podcast is brought to you by Pipeline Design & Engineering. Pipeline partners with medical & other device engineering teams who need turnkey equipment such as cycle test machines, custom test fixtures, automation equipment, assembly jigs, inspection stations and more. You can find us on the web at www.teampipeline.us

The episode explores Aaron Call's journey from engineer to entrepreneur, and his insights on innovation, market intelligence and the future of Medtech.

Main Topics:

• Medical device development and market fit
• Market research methods for disruptive innovation
• Market analysis and decision-making in the medical industry
• Engineering background and its impact on business decisions
• Medical device industry trends, AI, and fundraising.

About the guest: Aaron Call is the innovative founding principal of Jaunt, a company specializing in market intelligence and strategic decision-making for the medical device industry. With a rich background in biomedical engineering and product management, Aaron has been instrumental in guiding both startups and established enterprises through the complex landscape of medical technology. His expertise extends to Class I and Class II medical devices, digital health technologies, and he holds patents in the medical device field. Aaron's leadership at Jaunt is marked by a commitment to empowering companies with the insights and strategies needed to succeed in the dynamic world of medical technology. Join us as we explore Aaron's journey from engineer to entrepreneur and delve into his insights on innovation, market intelligence, and the future of MedTech.

Links:
Aaron Call - LinkedIn
Jaunt Website

About Being An Engineer

The Being An Engineer podcast is a repository for industry knowledge and a tool through which engineers learn about and connect with relevant companies, technologies, people resources, and opportunities. We feature successful mechanical engineers and interview engineers who are passionate about their work and who made a great impact on the engineering community.

The Being An Engineer podcast is brought to you by Pipeline Design & Engineering. Pipeline partners with medical & other device engineering teams who need turnkey equipment such as cycle test machines, custom test fixtures, automation equipment, assembly jigs, inspection stations and more. You can find us on the web at www.teampipeline.us

Matt discusses his career path in medical device engineering and leadership insights. He shares how he developed a passion for understanding how things work from a young age and pursued biomedical engineering. Matt discusses developing grit and perseverance, managing stress and ambiguity in leadership roles, and balancing sustaining vs. new products.

Main Topics:

• Engineering career path
• Leadership skills
• Managing stress and anxiety
• Medical device challenges
• Innovation strategies
• Balancing existing vs. new products
• Integrating manufacturing earlier in design.

About the guest: Matt Zachek holds a Bachelor’s degree and PhD in biomedical engineering and is currently the Sr Director of R&D at Werfen, leaders in specialized diagnostics in the areas of Hemostasis, Acute Care Diagnostics, Transfusion, Autoimmunity, and Transplant. Skilled in product roadmapping, stakeholder management, and product delivery in the medical device, pharmaceutical and diagnostic device spaces, Matt is a strategic thinker with a passion for bringing new ideas to life and a talent for fostering a culture of collaboration and creativity.

Links:
Matt Zachek - LinkedIn

About Being An Engineer

The Being An Engineer podcast is a repository for industry knowledge and a tool through which engineers learn about and connect with relevant companies, technologies, people resources, and opportunities. We feature successful mechanical engineers and interview engineers who are passionate about their work and who made a great impact on the engineering community.

The Being An Engineer podcast is brought to you by Pipeline Design & Engineering. Pipeline partners with medical & other device engineering teams who need turnkey equipment such as cycle test machines, custom test fixtures, automation equipment, assembly jigs, inspection stations and more. You can find us on the web at www.teampipeline.us

Alex and Lilly are engineers at Rivian who recently competed in and won the 2022 Rebelle Rally, the longest off-road navigation rally in the US. They discussed their experience in the rally, engineering behind Rivian vehicles, and women in STEM.

Main Topics:

• Details of the Rebelle Rally competition and challenges
• Engineering aspects that helped/hindered using an EV in the rally
• Training process and balancing work/life as engineers
• Relationship with their Rivian vehicle over the 8-day rally
• Favorite things about Rivian vehicles and the brand
  
  

About the guests: Alex Anderson and Lilly Macaruso are both engineers at Rivian, an innovative automotive company specializing in electric vehicles, and known for its commitment to sustainability and cutting-edge technology in the EV market. They recently competed in the Rebelle Rally, which is the longest off-road rally in the United States, an eight-day, 1,600-mile test not of speed but of endurance, technical driving and precision navigation using only a map and compass.

Links:
Alex Anderson - LinkedIn
Rivian website

About Being An Engineer

The Being An Engineer podcast is a repository for industry knowledge and a tool through which engineers learn about and connect with relevant companies, technologies, people resources, and opportunities. We feature successful mechanical engineers and interview engineers who are passionate about their work and who made a great impact on the engineering community.

The Being An Engineer podcast is brought to you by Pipeline Design & Engineering. Pipeline partners with medical & other device engineering teams who need turnkey equipment such as cycle test machines, custom test fixtures, automation equipment, assembly jigs, inspection stations and more. You can find us on the web at www.teampipeline.us

Tom Kress discusses his career path in medical device engineering and leadership. He shares insights on developing successful engineers and teams, challenges in the industry, and a vision for the future of medical devices with AI.

Main Topics:

• Career paths and skills for engineers
• Leadership challenges and politics in the workplace
• Trends in medical device manufacturing and the future of AI
• Technical skills and habits of top engineers

About the guest: Tom Kress has been in the product design & development space for over 15 years. A creative and results-oriented Engineering leader, Tom’s contributions include problem-solving, analytical, and technical skills and a strong ability to lead cross-functional teams in medical and technical industries from concept to feasibility.

Links:
Tom Kress - LinkedIn

About Being An Engineer

The Being An Engineer podcast is a repository for industry knowledge and a tool through which engineers learn about and connect with relevant companies, technologies, people resources, and opportunities. We feature successful mechanical engineers and interview engineers who are passionate about their work and who made a great impact on the engineering community.

The Being An Engineer podcast is brought to you by Pipeline Design & Engineering. Pipeline partners with medical & other device engineering teams who need turnkey equipment such as cycle test machines, custom test fixtures, automation equipment, assembly jigs, inspection stations and more. You can find us on the web at www.teampipeline.us

We discuss Mark's career journey and lessons learned from over two decades in leadership roles. He shares insights on problem-solving, industry trends, keys to success, and advice for career progression.

Main Topics

• Problem-solving skills and tools like DMAIC
• Trends like outsourcing challenges and regulatory burdens
• Keys to success, such as collaboration and extra responsibilities
• Career advice focusing on strong job fits

About the guest: Mark Ross has been leading operations and manufacturing teams for 20 years. His recent roles include manufacturing manager at Medtronic and director of manufacturing at Endologix, where he led, coached, problem-solved, and performed continuous improvement activities in hi-tech medical devices.

Links:
Mark Ross - LinkedIn

About Being An Engineer

The Being An Engineer podcast is a repository for industry knowledge and a tool through which engineers learn about and connect with relevant companies, technologies, people resources, and opportunities. We feature successful mechanical engineers and interview engineers who are passionate about their work and who made a great impact on the engineering community.

The Being An Engineer podcast is brought to you by Pipeline Design & Engineering. Pipeline partners with medical & other device engineering teams who need turnkey equipment such as cycle test machines, custom test fixtures, automation equipment, assembly jigs, inspection stations and more. You can find us on the web at www.teampipeline.us

Grace Park discusses her career journey in medical device engineering, managing challenges as an engineering leader, and her outlook on the future of the industry.

Main Topics:

• Engineering problem-solving mindset
• Overcoming imposter syndrome
• Trends in manufacturing and skills for engineers
• Strategies for self-care, and industry challenges

About the guest: Grace Park holds a bachelor’s degree in materials science & engineering and a PhD in biomedical engineering. She is a passionate R&D leader and people developer with 17 years of medical device product development and lifecycle management expertise and has led global Research and Development teams and program management responsible for developing innovative and safe solutions for medication delivery.

Link:
Grace Park - LinkedIn

About Being An Engineer

The Being An Engineer podcast is a repository for industry knowledge and a tool through which engineers learn about and connect with relevant companies, technologies, people resources, and opportunities. We feature successful mechanical engineers and interview engineers who are passionate about their work and who made a great impact on the engineering community.

The Being An Engineer podcast is brought to you by Pipeline Design & Engineering. Pipeline partners with medical & other device engineering teams who need turnkey equipment such as cycle test machines, custom test fixtures, automation equipment, assembly jigs, inspection stations and more. You can find us on the web at www.teampipeline.us

Tony shares his career journey from plant engineer to leadership roles and offers advice on developing soft skills, gaining diverse experience, and keeping highly skilled engineers motivated.

Main Topics:

• Developing soft skills and emotional intelligence
• Gaining multi-disciplinary experience through various opportunities
• Trends in the medical device industry, like single-use devices and diagnostics
• Macroeconomic challenges facing the industry
• Tips for engineering leadership, like providing new challenges

About the guest: Tony Dedeo is a mechanical engineer with over 20 years of experience in operational strategic planning, manufacturing, quality management, supply chain, and team leadership. Tony has held positions throughout his career, from consultant to director to VP as he has helped organizations drive improvement.

Link:
Tony Dedeo - LinkedIn

About Being An Engineer

The Being An Engineer podcast is a repository for industry knowledge and a tool through which engineers learn about and connect with relevant companies, technologies, people resources, and opportunities. We feature successful mechanical engineers and interview engineers who are passionate about their work and who made a great impact on the engineering community.

The Being An Engineer podcast is brought to you by Pipeline Design & Engineering. Pipeline partners with medical & other device engineering teams who need turnkey equipment such as cycle test machines, custom test fixtures, automation equipment, assembly jigs, inspection stations and more. You can find us on the web at www.teampipeline.us

Aaron Moncur interviews Dora Boussias about her career journey and leadership approach, with a focus on how she leads with empathy, transparency, and inclusiveness.

Main Topics:

• Data architecture roles and responsibilities
• Career progression and leadership skills
• Effective communication for engineers
• Overcoming imposter syndrome
• People management challenges
• Staying competitive through continuous learning.

About the guest: Dora Boussias, is a business data and technology leader with deep domain expertise in data, analytics, enterprise architecture, and digital transformation. She has been known throughout her career as a strategic thought leader with exceptional people skills, and this will be the primary focus of our conversation today as we learn how Dora leads with empathy, transparency, and inclusiveness.

Link:
Dora Boussias - LinkedIn

About Being An Engineer

The Being An Engineer podcast is a repository for industry knowledge and a tool through which engineers learn about and connect with relevant companies, technologies, people resources, and opportunities. We feature successful mechanical engineers and interview engineers who are passionate about their work and who made a great impact on the engineering community.

The Being An Engineer podcast is brought to you by Pipeline Design & Engineering. Pipeline partners with medical & other device engineering teams who need turnkey equipment such as cycle test machines, custom test fixtures, automation equipment, assembly jigs, inspection stations and more. You can find us on the web at www.teampipeline.us

Travis De Jong is Director of Technology development at CQ Medical where they are a global leader in patient radiotherapy positioning and healthcare innovations. Travis’s background includes expertise in Medical Devices, Product Development, Failure Mode and Effects Analysis (FMEA), SolidWorks, and Composites.

Aaron Moncur, host

About Being An Engineer

The Being An Engineer podcast is a repository for industry knowledge and a tool through which engineers learn about and connect with relevant companies, technologies, people resources, and opportunities. We feature successful mechanical engineers and interview engineers who are passionate about their work and who made a great impact on the engineering community.

The Being An Engineer podcast is brought to you by Pipeline Design & Engineering. Pipeline partners with medical & other device engineering teams who need turnkey equipment such as cycle test machines, custom test fixtures, automation equipment, assembly jigs, inspection stations and more. You can find us on the web at www.teampipeline.us

Derek McKenney is the director of engineering at Puritan Medical Products where they manufacture medical swabs and related products. Derek is responsible for corporate and site level engineering in multiple facilities, including manufacturing support, capacity expansion, process validation, continuous improvement, and project management.

Aaron Moncur, host

About Being An Engineer

The Being An Engineer podcast is a repository for industry knowledge and a tool through which engineers learn about and connect with relevant companies, technologies, people resources, and opportunities. We feature successful mechanical engineers and interview engineers who are passionate about their work and who made a great impact on the engineering community.

The Being An Engineer podcast is brought to you by Pipeline Design & Engineering. Pipeline partners with medical & other device engineering teams who need turnkey equipment such as cycle test machines, custom test fixtures, automation equipment, assembly jigs, inspection stations and more. You can find us on the web at www.teampipeline.us

Paul McEnroe is the primary inventor of the universal product code (UPC for short), or better known as the barcode. Paul is also the co-inventor of the handheld “pistol-grip” scanner that reads barcodes at a distance, as well as several other technologies following these.

Aaron Moncur, host

About Being An Engineer

The Being An Engineer podcast is a repository for industry knowledge and a tool through which engineers learn about and connect with relevant companies, technologies, people resources, and opportunities. We feature successful mechanical engineers and interview engineers who are passionate about their work and who made a great impact on the engineering community.

The Being An Engineer podcast is brought to you by Pipeline Design & Engineering. Pipeline partners with medical & other device engineering teams who need turnkey equipment such as cycle test machines, custom test fixtures, automation equipment, assembly jigs, inspection stations and more. You can find us on the web at www.teampipeline.us

Mark Byrne is an experienced life sciences leader with broad commercial and technical experience in: strategic planning, class II and class III medical devices, in-vitro diagnostics and biotech. He has accomplishments in technology commercialization, leadership, general management, product and business development, identifying new growth opportunities, developing innovative technology, negotiating licensing and financing transactions, planning and executing mergers and acquisitions, and managing product development teams.

Aaron Moncur, host

About Being An Engineer

The Being An Engineer podcast is a repository for industry knowledge and a tool through which engineers learn about and connect with relevant companies, technologies, people resources, and opportunities. We feature successful mechanical engineers and interview engineers who are passionate about their work and who made a great impact on the engineering community.

The Being An Engineer podcast is brought to you by Pipeline Design & Engineering. Pipeline partners with medical & other device engineering teams who need turnkey equipment such as cycle test machines, custom test fixtures, automation equipment, assembly jigs, inspection stations and more. You can find us on the web at www.teampipeline.us

Jeff Perry is a return guest and here today to talk about his new book The Intentional Engineer, which will help you become your best self, get clarity on what is most important to you, unlock your potential, and create success and impact in your career and life.

Amazon link: https://amzn.to/469Hjz9
Detailed page: https://www.theintentionalengineer.com
Free workbook: https://www.theintentionalengineer.com/workbook

About Being An Engineer

The Being An Engineer podcast is a repository for industry knowledge and a tool through which engineers learn about and connect with relevant companies, technologies, people resources, and opportunities. We feature successful mechanical engineers and interview engineers who are passionate about their work and who made a great impact on the engineering community.

The Being An Engineer podcast is brought to you by Pipeline Design & Engineering. Pipeline partners with medical & other device engineering teams who need turnkey equipment such as cycle test machines, custom test fixtures, automation equipment, assembly jigs, inspection stations and more. You can find us on the web at www.teampipeline.us

Jonathan MacWilliams holds a bachelor’s degree in metallurgical engineering and has held positions from metallurgist to distinguished engineer at GE to Norman Noble to Mert Medical and now Edwards Lifesciences, where he is currently tasked with developing technical leadership and mentoring programs.

Aaron Moncur, host

About Being An Engineer

The Being An Engineer podcast is a repository for industry knowledge and a tool through which engineers learn about and connect with relevant companies, technologies, people resources, and opportunities. We feature successful mechanical engineers and interview engineers who are passionate about their work and who made a great impact on the engineering community.

The Being An Engineer podcast is brought to you by Pipeline Design & Engineering. Pipeline partners with medical & other device engineering teams who need turnkey equipment such as cycle test machines, custom test fixtures, automation equipment, assembly jigs, inspection stations and more. You can find us on the web at www.teampipeline.us

Dave Jones' career mixed electrical engineering, music, a NASA joint venture, and entrepreneurship. His business provides engineering services specializing in taking electronics from napkin sketch to production ready. This episode will provide insights into blending unique experiences, problem solving, and running a business.

https://dedesignworks.com/

Aaron Robison, host

About Being An Engineer

The Being An Engineer podcast is a repository for industry knowledge and a tool through which engineers learn about and connect with relevant companies, technologies, people resources, and opportunities. We feature successful mechanical engineers and interview engineers who are passionate about their work and who made a great impact on the engineering community.

The Being An Engineer podcast is brought to you by Pipeline Design & Engineering. Pipeline partners with medical & other device engineering teams who need turnkey equipment such as cycle test machines, custom test fixtures, automation equipment, assembly jigs, inspection stations and more. You can find us on the web at www.teampipeline.us

As an AI Keynote speaker & disruptive innovation specialist, Kevin Surace helps companies navigate the dynamic landscape of AI-driven transformation. A few of Kevin’s accomplishments include the following:

• Recipient of INC Magazine's Entrepreneur of the Year (2009)
• Built multiple startups from ground zero to $1B+ valuations
• Awarded 94 worldwide patents, including 32 in the US

Join us on this episode to hear how engineers can leverage AI to improve their work and accelerate their careers.

https://appvance.ai/
Aaron Moncur, host

About Being An Engineer

The Being An Engineer podcast is a repository for industry knowledge and a tool through which engineers learn about and connect with relevant companies, technologies, people resources, and opportunities. We feature successful mechanical engineers and interview engineers who are passionate about their work and who made a great impact on the engineering community.

The Being An Engineer podcast is brought to you by Pipeline Design & Engineering. Pipeline partners with medical & other device engineering teams who need turnkey equipment such as cycle test machines, custom test fixtures, automation equipment, assembly jigs, inspection stations and more. You can find us on the web at www.teampipeline.us

Pam Hurley is the founder of Hurley Write, Inc., where she has developed a curriculum that hundreds of companies use to improve their teams’ writing, reviewing, & presentation skills. Technical writing is an area in which many engineers struggle; if you’re one of those engineers, it is holding you back from opportunities that would otherwise be available to you. Listen to this episode to learn how to improve your technical communication skills.

About Being An Engineer

The Being An Engineer podcast is a repository for industry knowledge and a tool through which engineers learn about and connect with relevant companies, technologies, people resources, and opportunities. We feature successful mechanical engineers and interview engineers who are passionate about their work and who made a great impact on the engineering community.

The Being An Engineer podcast is brought to you by Pipeline Design & Engineering. Pipeline partners with medical & other device engineering teams who need turnkey equipment such as cycle test machines, custom test fixtures, automation equipment, assembly jigs, inspection stations and more. You can find us on the web at www.teampipeline.us

Neil Thompson holds degrees in materials engineering and biomedical engineering. Neil has held roles as a product development engineer, freelance writer, patent agent, professional speaker, business development manager, author and company founder. You can find him online at teachthegeek.com, askuncleneilbooks.com, & youtube.teachthegeek.com.

Aaron Moncur, host

About Being An Engineer

The Being An Engineer podcast is a repository for industry knowledge and a tool through which engineers learn about and connect with relevant companies, technologies, people resources, and opportunities. We feature successful mechanical engineers and interview engineers who are passionate about their work and who made a great impact on the engineering community.

The Being An Engineer podcast is brought to you by Pipeline Design & Engineering. Pipeline partners with medical & other device engineering teams who need turnkey equipment such as cycle test machines, custom test fixtures, automation equipment, assembly jigs, inspection stations and more. You can find us on the web at www.teampipeline.us