I understand why engineers are drawn to work for companies with sexy products, like robotics or game design. Earlier in my career, I worked in space launch support. Literally launching craft into space via barely controlled explosions is exciting.
However, I’d like to speak in praise of “ordinary.”
I became a founding partner at Seeq because I saw the benefits of improving foundational industries that provide critical infrastructure, such as mining and energy. Making these systems work may not be sexy, but if they stop working, so does civilization.
Engineers and inventors design and build stuff to solve real-world problems. There isn’t anything more real-world than a refinery plant or a power utility.
Yet, it’s surprising that so much of our creative energy, so much of the tech boom, has bypassed industry when investing in these fields can have outsized results. Minor adjustments can increase yield, reduce pollution, and improve reliability, with downstream benefits. Technological innovations that are applied to infrastructure let us move past oil and gas into renewables so we can create better lives for the next generation. Those “ordinary” innovations are worth doing.
Working on industry solutions lets engineers make a tangible difference. The results may not get you on the cover of Time Magazine, but they probably have a bigger actual impact.
At Seeq, we empower fellow engineers who work in industries that power our modern civilization and are core to our way of life. For me, delivering value to those industries is as satisfying as creating a bestselling computer game–and way more useful for society than yet another social networking app.
If you feel the same way, I encourage you to keep an eye on our job openings below.
