Austin Viramontes
Job Title: Senior Staff and Electrical Engineer
Company: Brown and Caldwell
Location: Ramsey, N.J.
Age: 27
Years on the Job: 6
Interests: Hanging out with friends and family, watching movies, or going to comedy shows
With an interest in math, science, and technology, Austin Viramontes headed to Portland State University with an eye on computer and electrical engineering. After his first semester, he zoned in on power systems.
After graduating in 2016 with an electrical engineering degree, he joined Brown and Caldwell and received on-the-job training from several mentors at his company. Three years later, he moved from Oregon to New York to continue working with the company.
“I am always looking to grow and take on new tasks, ensuring I have the information available to succeed,” says Viramontes, who recently earned his professional engineering license.
As an electrical engineer, he participates with three to five project design teams at any given time. He creates electrical drawing markups, verifies codes and standards, interfaces with equipment manufacturers, and conducts job-site visits. He also assists with equipment startups and electrical design budgeting.
“My favorite part of my role at Brown and Caldwell is being able to see a project from start to finish,” he says. “Being able to help design a project and then see it fully implemented provides a feeling of accomplishment.”
Because every client and project are different, his position is constantly changing and never becomes stale, he says. Currently, his company is working on power distribution upgrades for wastewater treatment plants and pump stations.
In the next five to 10 years, he plans to work as a design lead for electrical projects, then move back to the West Coast to continue his engineering career. He said he is honored to be selected as part of the 30 Under 30.
“Being selected is rewarding as it feels my hard work has not gone unnoticed,” he says.
