Employee Stories: Peter, Utah Project Engineer

Peter grew up in Buffalo, Minnesota. His father, a mechanical engineer, influenced him to pursue a career in engineering. Peter attended Michigan Technological University, where he studied near the shores of Lake Superior. After graduating, he relocated to Utah with his girlfriend, Emma, and applied for a job with Janicki. Peter has worked as a Project Engineer for the past year, focusing on machining detailed metallic parts for aerospace, defense and other industries.

Driving Engineering Excellence

Peter’s work is dynamic and diverse. His day-to-day tasks range from building engineering packages based on customer requirements to sourcing materials, overseeing parts machining, ensuring quality and managing corrective actions. Peter thrives on the diversity of his responsibilities.

“The variety of what we do keeps things exciting. We work on projects across multiple industries, and within each project, there’s a wide scope of tasks,” states Peter, “I love how the challenges change daily— one day, you’re working at the computer, and the next, you’re spending all day in the mill. No day is ever the same.”

One of Peter’s favorite achievements at Janicki has been his work on detailed parts for a large-scale aircraft assembly.

Peter skiing through deep powder snow

“I love the complexity of it and seeing how the parts I’ve built fit into the bigger picture. Watching the entire engineering package come to life and integrate it into a real product has been cool,” Peter shares.

Support and Collaboration

During his first year at Janicki, Peter was required to gain new technical and interpersonal skills to manage projects successfully. From technical skills, like learning to design and program machines, to collaborating with different teams, Peter has grown into his role by expanding his skill set and overcoming new challenges.

“The best part of my job is the people,” he says. “We’re a team, and someone will always be there when things get tough. Their support makes all the difference.”

Peter stands with sign while hiking

Peter shares some powerful advice for new engineers entering the field: “Be open and know that you have a lot to learn. Some things take time, but with patience and persistence, you’ll master them.” His words are a great reminder to embrace the learning curve, take ownership of their growth and stay resilient in facing challenges.

Utah National Guard

Peter’s military career began in 2018 when he joined ROTC with the intention of funding his college education. Over time, this initial motivation grew into a strong commitment to the community he found within the Army National Guard. Commissioned as a 2nd Lieutenant in 2022, Peter currently serves as a maintenance control officer for the Utah Army National Guard, overseeing the workflow and maintenance processes within his unit. Through his service experiences, Peter has honed essential skills in leadership, professional communication and critical thinking—qualities he finds highly valuable in the civilian world. While Peter is focused on advancing his career with Janicki, his dedication to the military community remains an enduring part of his professional journey.

Beyond Work

Outside of Janicki, Peter embodies the spirit of adventure. In the winter, he often skis at Snowbasin, Nordic Valley or Brighton. In the summer months, he enjoys hiking in the mountains and fly fishing for trout. His creative side shines through in his love of cooking, which he shares with his girlfriend, Emma. Together, they are fostering a cat, who may end up sticking around as a purr-manent family member.

 

Interested in becoming a project engineer? Check out our Job Openings.