Ismael S.
- Title: Structural Engineer
- Alma Mater: Bachelor & Master of Civil Engineering, University of Illinois, Chicago
- Hobbies: I enjoy music. My main instrument is guitar, but I can also play bass, ukulele, keyboard, and drums. I also enjoy spending time with family and friends.
I chose to pursue a career as a Structural Engineer because…
The thing I love most about my job is…
The thing I love most about my job is…
Every day is something new. I’ll be assigned various tasks such as working on CAD sheets, quantities, and design.
My favorite thing about TranSystems is…
The work environment. Since this is my first full-time engineer position since graduating, I wasn’t sure what to expect, but my team was very welcoming and is always helping me improve as an engineer.
Since joining TranSystems…
I’m constantly learning. As I get exposed to different projects, I get a better understanding of how each project is constructed as well as the various approaches required to tackle them.
7:00 AM – Begin the day with breakfast
I’ll start the day by making myself a light breakfast. As I eat, I’ll look through emails and get my workspace ready to pick up where I left off the day prior.
8:00 AM – Start working on projects
My primary project at the moment is the widening of Randall Road in McHenry County. I’ve been setting up CAD sheets while following the Bridge and Culvert manual checklists to get them at a professional, presentable stage.
11:00 AM – Bridge team meeting
Every Tuesday, the Chicago downtown and Schaumburg bridge team meet up to go over what’s new within the team as well as briefly go over the status of all our projects.
12:00 PM – Lunch break
I often take my lunch around noon. If I’m at home, I’ll cook myself a lunch to stretch my legs and take a break from sitting in front of a screen all day.
2:00 PM – Projects continued
While working through projects, I’ll often communicate with my coworkers to address any questions I have and go over any reviews they have for me as well set up the next steps we’ll be taking to advance through the project.
4:00 – 5:00 PM – End of the day & dinner
If I’m working from home, I’ll end the day at 5pm. If I’m at the office, I’ll take off at 4pm to make up for the commute or to attend class. On days I don’t have class, I’ll prepare myself dinner and run any errands I have for the day.
With the rest of my day, I’ll either work on homework, practice music, or spend time with family and friends.
