Can you tell us about your role and responsibilities?
My full job title is Operations Packaging Manager. In this role, I oversee both the design and build sides of our packaging work for focal plane assemblies. It’s a position that brings together mechanical and electrical engineering, project coordination and close customer interaction. I’m responsible for ensuring that every package we deliver meets strict technical requirements and is built to the high standards Teledyne is known for.
What does “packaging” mean in your role?
At Teledyne, “packaging” refers to all the components of a focal plane assembly except the hybrid. It includes the mechanical structure, and all of the interfaces that connect the focal plane to the customer’s system. My responsibility is to make sure our packages are designed to customer requirements and built on schedule.
Did you do similar work before joining Teledyne?
Not exactly. I spent eight years at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory working as a mechanical engineer on three Mars Rovers. After that, I spent another eight years in agricultural technology, which was very different but also fascinating. Packaging was new to me when I joined Teledyne, and I am still learning every day.
Can you tell us about any missions you’ve been involved in?
We are currently working on Landsat Next, a series of satellites that will take infrared images of Earth to support agriculture, water quality monitoring and climate research. The program involves some very tight alignment tolerances across multiple detectors, which makes it an exciting and challenging project for our packaging team.
How does your team approach technical challenges?
We work closely with our customer to fully understand their requirements and where there may be flexibility. Internally, we collaborate with mechanical, systems and focal plane engineers to run simulations and create experiments. Together, we work out how to align components across all degrees of freedom and determine the solutions that will achieve the performance we need.
Tell us about your team.
My team is based entirely in the United States and has twenty-two people. About half of them focus on design and the other half on build. Most of the team is in Camarillo, with one team member located in Thousand Oaks.
What is the best part of your job?
The variety. There is never a dull moment. I really enjoy working alongside the team and having those moments where everything clicks and we realise that we have found a working solution. That collaboration and shared problem solving is the most rewarding part of my job.
Are you a space enthusiast outside work?
I would say I am a general space fan rather than a full space enthusiast. I really enjoyed my time at JPL, especially working on the Mars Rovers, but the missions I am most drawn to now are the ones that look back at Earth and help solve real world problems. Outside of work, I play chess. My ten year old daughter beat me for the first time recently, so I have been studying to try to win back my title.
What are your main goals for the year ahead?
We have several programs that are close to completion, so the immediate goal is to finish those successfully. After that, we will move on to a new wave of designs and requirements. Customers are always looking for more performance and more pixels, so we are already thinking creatively about how to deliver what they need.
Is there anything else important to highlight about your role?
Packaging is about bringing together mechanical and electrical engineering to protect our delicate detectors and ensure they perform at their highest possible level. That is the core focus of what my team delivers.
