KELSEY MUCKELBAUER
Job Title: Control Engineer 3
Company: M.C. Dean
Location: Tysons, Va.
Age: 26
Years on the Job: 4
Interests: Playing tennis, exploring Washington D.C., trying new restaurants, reading, discussing books with her friends, and taking Pilates classes
Inspired by the hands-on and creative nature of an electronics class in college, Kelsey Muckelbauer embarked on a path to become a control engineer. After earning her undergraduate degree in mechanical engineering at the University of Maryland, she received a post-baccalaureate certificate in computer science theory and practice at Drexel University.
Her undergraduate degree provided a solid foundation, but the unique challenges she faces in her job frequently deepen her understanding of electrical systems and designs.
“Almost every project I’ve undertaken as a control engineer has been an entirely new experience,” she says. “It’s rewarding to watch the controllers I programmed, tested, and installed help keep a mission-critical facility operational.”
Four years ago, she joined M.C. Dean as an engineer 1 and was responsible for programming controllers for a large federal building. She worked at her company’s modular manufacturing facility and went on site to install, test, and configure the controllers.
Now, as a control engineer 3, she is responsible for the design and implementation of Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) systems for electrical power systems. She’s currently assigned as the primary engineer on multiple federal projects in the Washington, D.C. area. Her day-to-day activities vary from supporting design, programming, bid write-ups, and submittals to configuring, installing, and commissioning SCADA systems for multiple customers.
“The variability of supporting a project from cradle to grave keeps work exciting,” she says.
In the next five to 10 years, she envisions herself continuing to grow within the electrical industry.
“I hope to become an engineering leader within my group,” she says. “I also have my sights on returning to school and receiving my master’s in computer science.”
