Carrie Findle

Employee Spotlight – Carrie Findle

Tell us a little bit about yourself (include family info)?

I’m an only child. I grew up in Pittsburgh, but now I live in Denver, CO and I love everything about Colorado – Sunshine, mountains, and outdoor living. I’ve been married 9 years to my best friend who is also a Systems Engineer. We have a son age 5 who is about to start Kindergarten and a daughter age 3. I spend my time working, at the gym (I finished my first triathlon this summer), or chasing the kids around. In the winter I’m on the ski slopes and in the summer in the mountains for a hike or camping.

Background/education:

I have a B.S. in Aerospace Engineering from Virginia Tech – GO HOKIES! I also have a M.E. in Systems Engineering from Penn State.

As a Systems Engineer at Northstrat, what is your daily routine like? Or is there one?

I’m in Denver, but I work on a team based in Virginia, so I start the day by calling my teammates in VA to find out what’s going on. Then I get to my daily chores: answering emails, going to meetings, etc. We’re an R&D program, so most of the rest of the day is spent on design and development of new features.

What aspect of your job do you enjoy most? 

R&D is a rollercoaster but the peak is when you deliver a feature that improves mission and your customer recognizes its value.

What do you enjoy most about working for Northstrat?

Northstrat is a unique company where ownership and leadership cares about you as a person, not just an employee contributing to the bottom line. Northstrat has an amazing culture with people who are all incredible at what they do. It’s refreshing to know there’s always an expert to call within the company and that everyone is willing to help each other.

What made you decide to become a Systems Engineer?

I chose Systems Engineering because it was a broad discipline that can be applied to many industries. Always being practical, I wanted to make sure I had a job after college.

Did/do you have a mentor? Tell us about that person.

I feel strongly that mentorships happen organically. I try to model my behavior as an engineer after people I see who are successful in difficult situations. I’ve had 3 people who I view as true mentors and they exhibit strong technical skills, endless amounts of patience, and calm demeanors in truly challenging situations.

Any advice for young people who want to pursue STEM?

Smart people ask questions when they have them! If you run across a person who tries to make you feel badly for asking good questions, that’s a poor reflection on them, not you. Always ask questions; amassing knowledge is how you grow and become an expert!