Laura Pashley

Can you tell us a bit about your background and what you do now?

My background has primarily been in space systems engineering with Northrop Grumman. Right now, I am actually on a short-term rotation doing a hybrid of systems and manufacturing engineering. It has been really eye-opening to be able to apply my systems experience to improve manufacturing, and hopefully apply my manufacturing experience I will have gained at the end of this rotation to improve systems engineering. They are very different, but complement each other very well in a way that I don’t think is truly appreciated.

What do you most enjoy about your current position?

In my current position, I am most enjoying physically being on the floor with the hardware, the engineers, and the technicians. Their feedback and lessons learned have truly opened my eyes to how important communication and documentation are. Being able to expand my network with a variety of professionals from all across the lifetime of a project has been so valuable, and I am looking forward to incorporating their advice into my career.

Did you have a favorite mentor and how did they inspire you? 

As an early-career professional, I have a lot of mentors that I look up to. If I had to pick a favorite, I would choose JL Calouro from my very first internship with Northrop Grumman in high school. Being a high school student working in a Northrop Grumman facility was very intimidating, but both him and the team i was on were extremely welcoming and supportive. Anyone who knows me knows that I ask a lot of questions, and JL and the team really encouraged me to get comfortable outside my comfort zone. Ultimately, that experience really solidified my confidence in my future of being an aerospace engineer.

What is one piece of advice you wish you had received when you were just starting out?

One piece of advice that I wish I had received when I was just starting out would be that asking questions is a fantastic thing. Asking questions shows passion and commitment to your personal development and the desire to keep learning.

Connect with LinkedIn