DANIAL OKHOVVAT GILANI
Job Title: Project Lead Engineer
Company: M.C. Dean
Location: Tysons, Va.
Age: 26; Years on the Job: 4
Interests: Playing water polo, working out, and creating things with what he’s learned from school and work
After studying electrical engineering at Virginia Tech, Danial Okhovvat Gilani was excited to apply his knowledge and understanding in the field.
“I find it extremely noble to help design and build a system or a project that can help the needs of future generations,” he says.
Born in Iran, he moved to the United States in high school. He’s now studying for his master’s degree in power systems from Virginia Tech, and he says his training has helped him to create more effective and efficient designs and solutions.
“I have been lucky enough to be exposed to field work and see my design come to life,” he says. “I hope other employees also get an opportunity to get a similar experience, as it is extremely helpful to gain a better understanding of the system and what it takes to achieve project goals.”
As a project lead engineer, he has participated in the design, QC inspections, procurement, scheduling, commissioning testing, field installation, and financials.
“I do appreciate being exposed to so many different challenges and roles; however, sometimes managing all of them at once can be quite overwhelming,” he says. “However, as George Patton said, ‘pressure makes diamonds’.”
He says his company has projects with many private and federal clients, and he assists with integrating all electrical disciplines. He says technology and today’s tools can help to create a more accurate design in a more timely manner.
As he progresses in his career, he hopes to be in a position to best help his team and his company to accomplish their goals — whether that be as a senior design engineer, engineer leader, or project manager.
“I'm happy to be part of this group and hope to be able to train other engineers for this team,” he says.
