Being an Engineer

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Francis shares his journey from software engineer to engineering manager to coach. He discusses strategies for balancing product development and organizational growth when scaling teams quickly. Listeners will greatly benefit from Francis's insights on accelerating their careers, enhancing productivity, and adopting best technical and leadership practices. Join us as we delve into the wisdom and experiences of a coach who has been instrumental in shaping the success of numerous engineering leaders and teams across the industry.

Main Topics:

• Defining and onboarding new team members to a strong engineering culture to prevent cultural dilution when scaling.
• Maintaining high performance through accountability and focus on results.
• Fostering a collaborative and supportive culture.

About the guest: Francis Lacoste, a distinguished VPE and CTO coach, known for his exceptional ability to guide engineering leaders and teams toward achieving remarkable growth, fostering a collaborative and high-performance culture. With a wealth of experience in addressing the unique challenges faced by fast-scaling tech startups, Francis has mastered the art of balancing product development with organizational development, all while maintaining a strong focus on emotional intelligence and effective leadership.

Links:
Francis Lacoste - LinkedIn
VPE and CTO coach 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

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In the fifth episode of How to Accelerate the Speed of Engineering, host Aaron Moncur interviews Jim Gabriel. Jim shares his insights on overcoming common bottlenecks, effective decision-making, fostering psychological safety, cross-functional collaboration, data-driven performance improvement, and lessons learned from attempts to expedite engineering processes.

Main Topics:

• Identifying and addressing bottlenecks in engineering projects
• Empowering teams to make effective decisions
• Balancing autonomy and guidance for engineers
• Failing fast and failing cheap to drive innovation
• The role of leadership in creating a culture of acceleration
• Strategies for enhancing cross-functional collaboration
• Leveraging data and metrics to improve team performance
• Introducing new technologies and tools to streamline engineering
• Unconventional approaches to expedite engineering
• Enhancing communication and meeting effectiveness
• Lessons learned from attempts to accelerate engineering

About the guest: Jim Gabriel is a seasoned engineering leader whose most recent expertise lies in the medical device industry. As the Associate Director of Engineering at Abiomed, he played a crucial role in leading teams focused on the development of cutting-edge heart pump technologies that save lives. Jim holds a Bachelor’s degree in Industrial and Manufacturing Engineering from Western Michigan University and a Master’s degree in Engineering Management from Northeastern University.

Links:
Jim Gabriel - LinkedIn
Archangel Operations 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

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In this third episode of the special series on Accelerating the Speed of Engineering, Joe Moak discusses key bottlenecks like changing requirements, development failures, and design challenges. He also covers strategies for managing scope changes, balancing problem-solving with team development, using tools to fail fast and cheaply, implementing checklists for success, and fostering psychological safety. Joe shares unconventional methods to expedite engineering, along with guiding principles and behaviors for teams.

Main Topics:

• Engineering acceleration challenges
• Managing scope changes and team dynamics
• Tools for rapid, inexpensive testing
• Checklists for engineering success
• Importance of psychological safety
• Unconventional methods to fast-track engineering
• Governing principles and behaviors in engineering

About the guest: Joe Moak is a seasoned mechanical engineer and product architect with a deep commitment to creating sustainable, user-centric products. Currently, he serves as a Senior Product Architect at Meta, where he focuses on introducing new technologies and developing product architectures. Joe is also the Founder and Chief Engineer at Maestro PD, a design engineering firm dedicated to helping clients bring high-quality hardware products to market. His extensive experience includes leadership roles at companies like Apple, Sonos, and NeuroPace, where he has driven innovation across various product lines.

Links:
Joe Moak - LinkedIn
Maestro PD 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

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In this episode, Roopinder shares his fascinating journey into engineering and publishing. He discusses his early struggles with math, the serendipitous path that led him to become an engineer, and his transition into the world of technical journalism. Roopinder provides insights into the evolution of CAD technology, the challenges of integrating AI into design tools, and the power and responsibility of journalism in shaping the engineering industry.

Join us as we delve into Roopinder’s insights on content creation, engineering trends, and his journey in becoming a pivotal voice in the engineering community.

Main Topics:

• Roopinder's background and journey into engineering
• His experiences in the publishing industry and the differences between engineering and publishing
• The history and advancements of CAD technology
• Roopinder's vision for the future of CAD and the role of AI in engineering design
• The influence of journalism on the engineering industry

About the guest: Roopinder Tara is a trailblazer in engineering publishing and content management with over two decades of experience shaping how engineers engage with technology and industry trends. Currently serving as Editor in Chief at EngTechnica, Roopinder has a proven record of launching innovative platforms, including EngineersRule.com, and growing audiences to unprecedented levels. He’s an expert in building editorial teams, connecting industry experts, and driving content strategies that balance business needs with editorial integrity.

Roopinder’s background spans leadership roles at engineering.com, TenLinks, and IMSI, where his strategies boosted revenues, readership, and brand recognition. He’s also a former professor of design and engineering, who tripled class engagement during his tenure. With degrees in Mechanical Engineering from Drexel University and Penn State, Roopinder bridges the technical and creative worlds with precision and passion.

Links:

Roopinder Tara - LinkedIn
EngTechnica Website

https://www.thewave.engineer/

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

Send us a text

This is a continuation in our ongoing series about How to Accelerate the Speed of Engineering. The discussion covers topics such as the importance of planning and execution, balancing problem-solving and asking for help, the role of checklists, the impact of leadership and team culture, effective communication and collaboration, risk management and building relationships, and lessons learned from past challenges.

Main Topics:

• The balance between speeding up projects and avoiding unforced errors
• The use of tools like Notion and Loom to improve productivity and efficiency
• The role of leadership in building a strong team culture
• Approaches to risk management and the value of building relationships
• Lessons learned from implementing new processes and tools

About the guest: Brad Hirayama is an experienced engineer and program manager specializing in medical devices, with a focus on new product development (NPD), biomedical devices, and process validation. Currently a Staff Engineer, he drives innovation in electrophysiology (EP) products. Brad's background includes roles at Abbott and NuVera Medical, where he contributed to the development of catheters and other vascular technologies. He has expertise in design thinking, FDA compliance, and leadership, all while embodying a passion for connecting people and technologies in impactful ways.

Links:
Brad Hirayama - 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