NASA Engineer- Missions Integration Systems, Joan Melendez Misner
What is the hardest part of being a mission integration engineer? Rewarding part?
As a newer employee who started during the pandemic, the hardest part of my job is understanding and learning a new role all while working from home. As an integration engineer, one of your main responsibilities is to work with all the engineering disciplines for a mission to get the technical side in order to communicate it out. It has just been a little weird asking for documents and giving out deadlines without having the opportunity to meet the team and build a good foundation with them. However, it has allowed me the freedom to communicate and build that relationship in different ways (i.e. sending funny GIFs through Microsoft Teams). I would also say that another challenging aspect of my position is you must be a “Jack of all Trades”. As an integration engineer, you have to be the technical expert when working with other organizations (i.e. SpaceX, JPL, ULA, Blue Origin, etc.). Therefore, you have to become well-versed in all engineering disciplines, even if it was not what you specifically studied in college. It can be a little challenging, but it also gives you a good birds-eye view of the entire mission- from electrical to mechanical interfaces.
The most rewarding part of my job is getting to work on space hardware and being involved with the Launch Campaign. Missions typically take 4-5 years from start to finish. This involves developing requirements, inspection, testing, and ultimately launching the spacecraft. As an integration engineer, I am involved with everything. The most exciting part is getting ready for launch, which we call the Launch Campaign. This typically occurs 3-5 months prior to the Launch Date and it is when we are integrating the spacecraft onto the launch vehicle (aka rocket).
What advice would you give to young women who are interested in pursuing a career as an engineer?
First one is going to sound a little cliché, but don’t give up. If working in STEM is your dream, don’t get discouraged if you fail a class, or if you have to study harder than everyone else. Keep on pushing towards finishing your degree and working hard to land your dream job.
Secondly, I strongly believe in the power of your network/mentors. One of the motto’s that I live by is “Network to Get Work”. I went to a NASA networking event and after touring a NASA facility and connecting with NASA engineers, I stayed in touch with them. They guided me by providing me with upcoming job announcements, as well as resume tips. I truly believe that networking can help you get on the right path, which is another reason I am so open on social media. If you need resume help, I got you. If you need someone to give career advice, I got you. A lot of people helped me along the way to help me get to where I am, and I want to extend a helping hand to anyone who was in my position several years ago.
Finally, I think it’s important to showcase STEM careers to young girls at a young age. One of my favorite quotes from a fellow STEM friend is “My biggest fear is that the cure for Cancer is in the mind of a young girl that is told from a young age that science is for boys.” It is a powerful quote that I have repeated several times. We need to encourage young girls who may have an interest in science by showcasing female role models in those careers. It is much easier to show them what they can become if they can see themselves in those positions.
You currently working on DART. (Double Asteroid Redirection Test) What excites you the most about this mission?
What doesn’t excite me about this mission? I get to work on a Planetary Defense Mission that models one of my favorite movies when I was a kid, Armageddon. Jokes aside, this is a super neat project and I get to work on a mission that helps humanity. As someone that works in the space industry, I am asked regularly “why should we spend money on space exploration.” I can list the many benefits, but this is an easy one to counter. By working on planetary defense, it ensures humanity is safe from any future potential asteroid strikes.
Additionally, I get to be in mission control, monitoring the Environmental Control System (think of it as the A/C unit) for the Spacecraft. I will be one of the engineers that get to say “Go, for launch”. □
