The Team at Navus: Cutting Edge Automation in Our Own Backyard

Navus

Navus brings together some of the brightest minds in our industry to work on some of its most exciting projects. We take a people-focused, hands-on approach to our work. This allows our team members to focus on their own projects while giving them the flexibility to jump in and help on others if needed. The final result is nationally recognized projects in our own backyard.

Meet Eric: Electrical Design Engineer

Eric has been with us for about six months as an Electrical Design Engineer. While his tenure with us hasn’t been long, he has an established history working for some impressive companies in the automotive industry, and has had the opportunity to dive in headfirst by working with our clients on cutting-edge projects.

Constant Room for Growth in an Ever-Changing Industry

Navus: What do you do in your role every day at Navus?

Eric: I support a lot of teams at Navus, including electrical, programming, design, and human interface of equipment. I also do PLC programming, HMI creation, and integration of new devices into networks. I work to support one of our biggest clients in the automotive industry, specifically. 

Navus: How did you end up in this career and then at Navus?

Eric: I started as a low-level maintenance technician at a small automotive parts supplier in Ohio. I loved that no two days were the same in this kind of work. I just kept learning on my own, and I went to night school at a small community college. My next career move was to a major automotive company where I worked in die-casting. Eventually, I moved up to programming in this same company where I worked on some major projects. 

But at some point in companies that large, you end up managing more people than projects. I was no longer as technically involved as I once was. I wanted to be closer to the edge of integration, which was what I always enjoyed the most, along with programming.

It might sound funny, but I actually saw a few TikTok videos that Navus made and then researched them further on LinkedIn. They contacted me shortly after I made my own LinkedIn profile. We set up a meeting in Columbus, Ohio, they offered me the job, and I moved down to Knoxville!

Navus: What is your favorite part of your role at Navus?

Eric: I think my favorite project so far is a diecast system we’ve been working on that integrates with an existing system for a client. They’re starting to move into some newer technologies, which allows us to try cutting-edge equipment for their automated systems!

We create and work with so much technology per square foot for systems like theirs. Even if you are very talented, there is always room to grow and learn just by walking in the door at Navus. We’re innovating and adding all sorts of advanced features to the systems we customize for our clients. It’s neat to see something that’s cutting edge on the national level right here where we live in East Tennessee.

Navus: What is your favorite part of working for Navus as a company?

Eric: I would say the culture. Specifically, the fact that we treat each other as close to family as you can. On the other hand, we’re very aware that you’re only as big as your aspirations, dreams, and goals. We definitely work hard to be better on the day-to-day level, but we can also be better at a big picture level and grow exponentially if we continue to do the right thing.

Teamwork and a Team That Works

Navus: Describe some of the ways you’ve seen the Navus team work together to solve challenges.

Eric: We had a person working out of state who had run into some issues. I looked up to see someone with a Bluetooth headset on, at his computer, reviewing the same information. We were talking throughout the office with probably five people supporting one person. 

As a programmer and as an electrical engineer, in general, you have to have a base to call on because there’s so much information to process. You need valuable tools to make that happen, and I’ve yet to ask a question that just gets brushed off. We all have deadlines and we all have work, but we’re never so pressed that you can’t help a teammate in need.

Navus: Which project has been your favorite out of the ones you’ve worked on so far?

Eric: My favorite so far has to be a light industrial manufacturing project we did for a repeat client. It’s a great example of the fast-moving projects we can work on with the technology we use. I loved the reactions this project received during our recent open house. Everyone from little kids to grandmas were interested in what we created. It’s neat to see projects come to fruition, and even better to get to share our successes with friends, family, and the community as a whole.

Navus: What do you hope for the future of Navus?

Eric: I hope that as we grow, we never lose our process. What makes us unique is our commitment to individual customers and individual coworkers. Our attention to detail is unequivocally what sets us apart. Our communication from person to person is what brought me here and what will keep me here long term.

Forging the Future & Clarifying the Complex in Custom Automation & Fabrication

Our team at Navus is invested in every solution we provide to clients. With our intelligent team and all of the years of experience they have, we develop simple solutions that fit your unique needs, and look sleek and elegant at the same time. Dedicated team members like Eric are a part of the reason our company succeeds in helping our clients overcome complex challenges, and forge new possibilities for their manufacturing needs!

Are you interested in joining the Navus family? Reach out to us today. We’re always looking for talented individuals to join our team of engineers and technicians. Learn more by emailing us at info@navusinc.com.