What is your current role at Shell?
I'm currently the subsea controls work package engineer for Glider project, a subsea tieback to Brutus TLP in the Gulf of Mexico. In addition to project work, I'm involved in development of some technical specifications to help standardize future projects, ultimately reducing costs and increasing consistency.
What do you like best about your role?
The people with whom I work. I haven't met a person who isn't willing to take the time to answer questions and offer guidance. And Shell values experience - I have many coworkers with over 20 years of experience.
Other companies seem to lose or undervalue their experienced employees, but not Shell. Shell also invests generously in employee training. Since joining Shell I’ve received as much formal training as I’d received during the rest of my career.
Also, subsea production is a nascent discipline - not a lot of “been there, done that”. There are still technical challenges to solve and others yet unknown. Shell is definitely at the forefront of the industry in this field.
Tell us about your background and experience
I worked as a consulting engineer for eleven years prior to joining Shell in September 2002 . My experience has varied from offshore platform control systems to cellular phone transmission sites design to electrical design for a chicken freezer larger than a football field. My last two years were spent working in Shell’s New Orleans office designing and programming electronic process control and safety systems.
What makes you stay at Shell?
With Shell I know that I can have career growth, variety, and mobility without having to change companies. Though conventional wisdom suggests that it’s no longer possible to have a long-term career with one company, I see plenty of opportunities to remain with Shell for the rest of my career.
