Engineering and the Built Environment
Dayne Kemp bit.ly/2P9utPU
Current position: Spacecraft Integration and Test Lead and Lead Systems Engineer at NASA Ames Research Centre in California, USA
Past positions: Electrical Engineer and Researcher at NASA Ames Research Centre in California, USA Ammunition Design and Analysis at Rheinmetall Denel Munition Electrical Engineer at South African Astronomical Observatory Electrical Engineer at Tellumat
Academic history: 2016 (Currently) Doctor of Philosophy in Engineering specialising in Electrical Engineering at UCT 2015 Master of Science in Engineering specialising in Electrical Engineering at UCT 2013 Bachelor of Science in Engineering in Electrical Engineering at UCT
124 / CAREERS SERVICE GUIDE 2021
How did you obtain your position at NASA? During my final year of undergraduate studies, I travelled to California with a good friend/classmate to visit various institutions and companies focused on nanosatellite research and technology development. Visiting NASA Ames Research Center was our primary motivation. I was fortunate enough to be offered an internship after my studies and I have not left since.
What are your day-to-day responsibilities? Fortunately, these vary significantly on a daily basis ranging from documentation, soldering circuit boards, inspecting flight articles through a microscope, radiation testing a science instrument, integration/assembly of a spacecraft and launching our work into space.
What value do your qualifications add to your work? I studied Electrical Engineering focusing on analogue and digital electronics. Although not space science or aeronautical engineering, I felt confident with my education and technical abilities among my peers at NASA and it has been a solid foundation to build on.
Any advice for graduates applying for a position at NASA? NASA is an incredible agency to work for, and if you are passionate, practical and hardworking, you will have an exciting career ahead of you. Do not be intimidated but rather eager to learn.
