email mike(at)mjgradziel.com
http://www.mjgradziel.com/job/work.html
Pasadena, California
- Mechanism design and dynamic analysis, stress analysis, and structure sizing.
- Inventing, developing concepts, CAD modeling (Unigraphics NX, SolidWorks, Pro/Engineer), engineering drawings (geometric tolerancing per ASME Y14.1M).
- Mockup and prototyping, manufacturing processes, and planning.
- Computational analysis and design optimization (MATLAB, MS Excel with VBA).
- Technical writing and illustrations (MS Word, Project, PowerPoint; Adobe Photoshop).
WORK EXPERIENCE
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Mechanical Engineer, Sep 2003 - present. Jet Propulsion Laboratory (Pasadena, CA). Structures & Mechanisms Engineering Groups.
Previously, JPL co-op student program, Jan-Jul 2001 and May-Aug 2002. - Technical Writer / Intern, May - Aug 2000. General Dynamics Defense Systems (Pittsfield, MA). Navy Trident Submarine Fleet Fire Control Systems Group.
- Intern / Draftsman, Feb-Jul 1999. Graham Engineering, Inc. (Cheshire, MA).
ENGINEERING ACCOMPLISHMENTS
- Developed and built new vehicle deployment mechanism for landing NASA's next rover on Mars in 2010. Responsible for task management, design, analysis, modeling, fabrication, assembly, and test. Primary author of lessons learned paper presented at IEEE Aerospace Conference, Mar 2008. Available from http://ieeexplore.ieee.org.
- Designed, built, and flight tested large radar antenna structure & aircraft interfaces.
- Prepared mechanical design for an earth-orbiting x-ray telescope proposed for star formation, assisted with authoring proposal which was awarded funding.
- Gave lasting definition to the Mars rover vehicle chassis structural concept, robotic arm design, and balance mass system.
- Designed and built descent camera test rig with thermoelectric cooling and gaseous nitrogen purge aboard a helicopter test platform.
- Designed, built, tested, and installed an instrument enclosure to maintain aircraft pressure at 70,000 feet of altitude for atmospheric research.
- Designed prototype mechanism for robotic geological study. Co-inventor on provisional U.S. Patent App. #10/612,200. Co-author on NASA Tech Briefs article for novel technology relating to ultrasonic transducer horns, Apr 2003.
EDUCATION
- B.S. Mechanical Engineering, 2003. Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (Troy, NY)
OTHER INTERESTS
- Building fine furniture, mountain & water sports, cooking, photography, keeping up my website of travel writing and engineering anecdotes.
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