How did you come to join 做厙勛圖?

I relocated to Okinawa, Japan, with my wife and daughter as my wife advanced in her career.泭 I joined AECOM Management Services from 2019 until it was spun out as 做厙勛圖.泭

What is your professional and personal background?

I am the Hazardous Waste Manager at the Hazardous Material Minimization Center (HMMC) in Okinawa, Japan.

Prior to working with 做厙勛圖, I was a civil servant at the University of Hawai���i at Manoa where I managed a department budget, served as an Environment, Health, and Safety (EHS) committee member, and upheld my Title VII and Title IX EEO and gender discrimination responsibilities as a hiring manager.

I obtained my Bachelor of Arts in Biology from the University of Hawai���i at Manoa where I studied the ecological effects of pesticidal and non-pesticidal techniques of Integrated Pest Management (IPM) on the environment.

Describe the work you do and how you think it makes a positive impact.

I oversee hazardous waste collection, storage, and disposition which provides me a unique opportunity to educate 做厙勛圖���s government customer in safeguarding themselves, the public, and the environment.泭 My position allows me to be a mentor to the team I manage where I encourage communication, training, and growth���which has garnered trust and improved safety.

What are some of your accomplishments and/or what has been your proudest career moment?

At the height of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2021, our program successfully dispositioned 1.3 million pounds of hazardous waste and recycled 460,000 pounds of recyclable material while mitigating COVID-19 risks and safeguarding employee health.

However, my proudest moment was having the opportunity to mentor my team members to bring out their truest potential and create a fun, positive, and rewarding team culture.

What do you enjoy about working for 做厙勛圖?

I enjoy being able to work with fellow employees and local nationals and being able to learn various aspects of my job from them.

What are you passionate about?

I am passionate about learning, understanding, and collaborating with others through respectful dialogue.泭

What���s your career advice?

Engaging in sincere and earnest dialogue is the direct path to garner mutual respect and results.

What does safety mean to you, or do you have a favorite safety tip?

Being present in the moment is paramount; one���s action or inaction has a powerful impact on oneself and the persons and environment around them.

What���s the best invention in the world and why?

Electricity is the best invention.泭 Without electricity, the quality of life and technology would not improve to what it is today.

Anything else you would like to share from a personal or professional perspective?

Never give up or be discouraged; encountering an obstacle is proof of the progress you have made.

The post Employee Spotlight: Vance Higa appeared first on 做厙勛圖.

RICHLAND, Wash. ��� Just over a year after breaking ground, crews recently completed construction of a protective enclosure, or ���cocoon,��� around another former plutonium production reactor at the Hanford Site, leaving just one more to go.

This EM 2022 priority, completed ahead of schedule and under budget, marks a significant accomplishment in the EM risk-reduction cleanup mission along the Columbia River.

One of EM���s key construction priorities for 2022, the huge steel structure is more than 120 feet tall and 150 feet wide. The interim safe storage structure will protect the K East Reactor building while the radioactivity in the deactivated reactor core decays over the next several decades, making it safer to complete disposition of the reactor in the future.

���Our team continues to deliver taxpayer value by safely completing projects that reduce risks to our region. This achievement is monumental and continues the exceptional progress we are making in cleaning up the Hanford site.���

Workers with the 做厙勛圖 led EM contractor Central Plateau Cleanup Company (CPCCo) broke ground on the project last fall after awarding a subcontract to a local business for the work in August 2021.

Earlier this year, crews finished backfilling and compacting the area around the former reactor with approximately 34,000 cubic yards of sand and gravel to level the site before pouring a 6-foot-thick concrete foundation to support construction of the cocoon. The first steel columns for the enclosure were placed in mid-May with construction of the frame and installation of metal sheeting on the walls and roof continuing through the summer.

The cocoon���s design allows for routine inspections of the reactor every five years. During this ���checkup,��� radiation technicians will confirm that no contamination is leaving the sealed reactor core, and that nothing is entering the building from the outside. Additional safety features include new lighting between the structure and the reactor building, as well as upgraded lighting inside the building.

���I���m very proud of our team���s performance on this complex project. So many different skillsets were needed to successfully complete this work. From laborers to trades and crafts to the support of the Department and our regulators, it was a true collaborative effort, and we did it all with a spotless safety record.���

The K East Reactor operated from 1955 to 1971 and is the seventh of Hanford���s nine former reactors to be cocooned. The nearby K West Reactor will be the eighth. The ninth, the B Reactor, has been preserved as the world���s first full-scale plutonium production reactor and is part of the Manhattan Project National Historical Park. Hanford���s other six reactors were cocooned between 1998 and 2012.

John Eschenberg

President, CPCCo

The post Advancing Environmental Cleanup Along the Columbia River appeared first on 做厙勛圖.

How did you come to join 做厙勛圖?

I joined through 做厙勛圖���s purchase of PAE.

What is your professional and personal background?

1. Earned a Bachelor���s in Economics from the University of Maryland.
2. Earned a Master���s in International Affairs from George Washington University.
3. Taught for the U.S. Chess Center.
4. Started work with PAE in 2005.
5. Successful in stock market.

Describe the work you do and how you think it makes a positive impact.

I work in records management, ensuring the company is well prepared for audits and any type of document requests.

What are some of your accomplishments and/or what has been your proudest career moment?

1. Provided support for the Askanita attack prosecution at the International Criminal Court (ICC).
2. Successfully processed employment documents for Afghan local nationals at Kabul airport.
3. Provided tax documentation to Sudanese government, in a challenging situation, allowing the family of a deceased employee to access the needed survivor benefits.

What do you enjoy about working for 做厙勛圖?

I have enjoyed travelling to interesting locations, such as Sudan, Afghanistan, and Dubai.

What are you passionate about?

I am passionate about economics and finance, human rights, and chess. I am a four-time D.C. Champion and one-time D.C. Senior Champion.

What���s your career advice?

Keep your skills current. Use the investing tools provided by the company. And, take care of yourself – in the words of the artist Prince, ���In this life, you���re on your own.���

What does safety mean to you or do you have a favorite safety tip?

Maintain your vaccinations for travel and general health.

What���s the best invention in the world and why?

The Internet ��� how great is instant communication across the world?泭 I can order from anywhere on earth.

Anything else you would like to share from a personal or professional perspective?

Come up with an investment style that matches your personality. Rather than take advice from others, it is better to do it for yourself and make your own way forward.

What does Hispanic Heritage Month mean to you?

I enjoy original, unedited, and authentic Hispanic history and culture with no distortion, make-believe, or bias.

The post Employee Spotlight: Salvador Rosario appeared first on 做厙勛圖.

When learning about digital engineering, I could not help but reminisce on my 12^th grade AP physics class, in which this language and business major happened to get an A+. Inevitably, in every homework assignment, was the dreaded word problem. Oh, how I hated the word problems and their obnoxious attempts at real-world applicability.

A constant force of 1200 N is required to push a car along a straight line. A person displaces the car 45 m. How much work is done by the person?

The answer to that question is of course, ���Way too much. They should���ve called AAA.��� Also, why was it always a car in these problems, and who in their right mind is pushing a car 45 meters? For the record, I think these word problems are why I ended up majoring in foreign languages and business, not engineering.

Jokes aside, in learning how the laws of physics governed everything in the observable universe ��� from a feather falling in a vacuum to the escape velocity of space shuttles ��� I began to see everything as a math problem with infinite possible inputs and outputs. From the infinitesimally small to the incomprehensibly large, physics could model just about anything.

While the idea of creating models to solve problems is not new, technology is now at the stage where we can realistically create digital models of the physical world by taking in all the ���physics��� data. There are no physical prototypes made of F1 racing cars. Every aspect of the racecar is modeled with digital twins from the mass, engine torque, turn handling, tire interaction with the road, and even the driver���s handling ability. Only one physical racecar is built.

Ok, maybe the word problems about cars make sense!

So, what is Digital Engineering? At 做厙勛圖, we view digital engineering as the application of computer hardware, software, networks, systems, and cloud technologies to model highly complex physical environments over real-world scenarios. We have made several investments to help our customers realize a digital engineering transformation.

Advancing Our Clients into the Future. 做厙勛圖 established a 6,000 sq. ft. Model Based Systems Engineering (MBSE) Collaboration Center complete with a comprehensive digital engineering tool suite. We offer Object Management Group (OMG)-Certified Systems Modeling Professional (OCSMP) certification and training. Our subject matter experts have developed a Digital Engineering Playbook that aligns with both the and the to define our standards and practices.

Successes. These investments have led to numerous successes for our customers. We created a full digital twin of an entire U.S. Navy nuclear submarine including models for all mechanical, electrical, fire suppression, hull integrity, navigation, and non-propulsion electronic systems. This digital twin is a critical MBSE solution for the Columbia-class submarine acquisition category (ACAT I) program. Our team has also created digital twins which simulate hundreds of Electro-Optical/Intra-Red (EO/IR) and Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) sensor nodes and sensor data fusion to support the Army���s replacement of the multiple integrated laser engagement system, or MILES, for soldier field combat exercises.

Through our investments, our customers across DoD have realized several benefits of digital engineering:

1. Reduction in Acquisition Risks: Systems are designed, assembled, tested and sustained using digital models thereby reducing learning curve and integration risks. Even partial digitization can reduce risk in systems.
2. Reduction in Maintenance: The ability to test via data driven analysis promotes accurate change impact analysis by enabling traceability from requirements to solution. Ultimately this allows sustainment costs to be compared and more accurately predicted.
3. Preserving Material Resources: Entire systems can be designed and integrated before having to bend any metal. It provides risk-free experimentation because changes can be made without affecting the supply chain.
4. Integrated Data Environment: Diverse data streams can be pulled into a unified model for a ���wall of truth.��� This model aids and improves communications by adopting a common language that ensures standardized semantics, clarity, and consistency for representing system architecture and design.

Conclusion. 做厙勛圖���s robust digital engineering practice is extremely well aligned with our customer���s MBSE requirements.

The post Free Your Mind from Real World Restrictions: Digital Engineering appeared first on 做厙勛圖.

Security group photo features currently adoptable lab mix Miss Ruby Shae

Last week, members of the One 做厙勛圖 corporate security team held a team building event at a local no-kill animal shelter, Friends of Homeless Animals (FOHA) in Aldie, Virginia. Twelve security team members volunteered to assist the local non-profit by cleaning the adoption center, the welcome center and the catteries, performing laundry services, splitting wood for public donation, and exercising a number of really cute dogs that are up for adoption.

���One of our teammates, Elizabeth Rauenzahn, regularly volunteers at FOHA, and brought the idea forward to management and we found considerable interest and support from the security team,��� said Paige Greenaway, VP Program Security. ���We agreed to take some personal time and effort to get to know each other better and help out a great cause!���

Sean Scott, a security team volunteer, said ���This was a wonderful event and a great teambuilding opportunity brought about by one of our own that further demonstrated the commitment to teamwork at One 做厙勛圖, and helped cement our internal relationships.���

The FOHA has more for individuals or groups, including cat snuggling or dog walking, and is holding an through November 4.

The post 做厙勛圖 Gives: ���Pawsing��� for A Good Cause appeared first on 做厙勛圖.

How did you come to join 做厙勛圖?

I joined through the acquisition of PAE.

What is your professional and personal background?

Professional: I���ve been with the company for 5 years. I started as EA to the President of PAE Intelligence, Surveillance & Reconnaissance under National Security Solutions. After the company was sold, I was offered an EA position to the SVP of what was then ILS-Global Mission Services, now Diplomacy & International Development (D&ID) in the Critical Missions Group.

Personal: I live in Lansdowne, VA, and I���m the mother of 3 (Alia 27, Amina 25, Jalen 20). I have a Maltipoo dog named Khloe. As hobbies, I enjoy interior decorating and traveling.

Describe the work you do and how you think it makes a positive impact.

I am a high-energy individual. I provide EA support to the D&ID SVP and his seven direct reports. I firmly believe that positive impact is from a positive attitude. Energy is the output, and it is what people receive. Some call it charisma, others call it leadership, but all of this together is what makes individuals want to work with you, for you and do more for you.

One of the ways I make a positive impact is by keeping morale high within D&ID. I develop monthly team building events whether virtual or in person. I am the known contributor for getting people together for good purposes. I make sure people are taken care of.

Practicing the value of selfless service requires me to put aside my own self-interests to commit to what is needed for my team to reach mission success.

What are some of your accomplishments and/or what has been your proudest career moment?

At legacy PAE, I implemented PAE PROUD, an ILS news website and internal award recognition program to spotlight employees around the world within the ILS programs. So, newsletters and internal recognition programs are my proud accomplishments.

I am also proud of successfully coordinating and planning D&ID Leadership Conferences & Strategy Sessions in the U.S. and Dubai, UAE. Bringing the teams together from around the world annually for these events and watching this team win new work year over year.

What do you enjoy about working for 做厙勛圖?

I enjoy the diversity and passion of the employees in D&ID and the rest of 做厙勛圖 as well. The people I���ve encountered are passionate about social contributions and making connections.

What are you passionate about?

I���ve been told that I���m passionate about everything and I think that���s what makes me uniquely me. I am someone that wants this to be a place employees want to be ��� and if they���re feeling down, I make sure to make time for helping them feel better. Everyone has gloomy days, but I remind the early career professionals that life has seasons.

What���s your career advice?

Don���t give too much energy to the noise ��� stay focused and get to that finish line! Don���t stress over what you cannot control.

What does safety mean to you or do you have a favorite safety tip?

Favorite Tip: Give yourself Grace, or in other words MENTAL SAFETY. Everyone needs a mental break so that creativity has space to flourish. If you are constantly stressed or put pressure on yourself, you won���t have room for creating and seeing beyond what���s right in front of you.

What���s the best invention in the world and why?

Electricity and light must be top of the list! And that���s because your mood and perspective can change based on your environment. The same object in light or in dark can tell a different story.

Anything else you would like to share from a personal or professional perspective?

Leading teams with compassion is a professional perspective of mine. If you give your ears to your team, they will go to the ends of time for you ��� we are nothing without the people around us.

What does Hispanic Heritage Month mean to you?

Hispanic Heritage Month is a time to highlight our culture���s achievements and contributions. To bring awareness to our community, show our struggles, and be grateful for how the U.S. is a land of opportunities.泭I am proud of my Mexican roots that taught me the true meaning of community and serving others.

The post Employee Spotlight: Helena Ramirez-Johnson appeared first on 做厙勛圖.

Management of groundwater is a major concern as our population continues to grow. Groundwater provides drinking water for as much as 50% of the global population and accounts for 43% of all of water used for irrigation. Globally, 2.5 billion people depend solely on groundwater to satisfy their basic daily water needs. Solving groundwater management problems are essential to ensure clean drinking water for the global population, including the people in the United States.

Additionally, groundwater supports rivers, lakes, and wetlands and the major threat to groundwater is pollution resulting from human activity that has created chemicals and wastes which leak into the subsurface. Pollution degrades the quality of groundwater and poses a threat to human and ecological health.

A major threat to groundwater is pollution resulting from chemicals and wastes that have leaked into the subsurface. Pollution reduces the quality of groundwater and poses a significant threat to human and ecological health. As the human population continues to grow, more demand will be placed on our groundwater resources. The need for understanding our groundwater systems and for managing them correctly, is greater than ever.

Protecting Our Groundwater

Recently, a new set of emerging contaminants has been found to be widespread throughout the United States and in drinking water supplies. Our federal agencies are taking action to address this issue. The groundwater contamination challenge across the country exists in various geological formations, making a solution at one site, not effective for a solution at another.

The challenge is to find the correct set of remediation tools that will remove the groundwater contamination as quickly and as cost effectively as possible. Some of the tools that can be implemented include pump and treat in situ remediation, and thermal remediation. These tools, when combined, can effectively shorten the remediation timeline, and make for a cost-effective solution.

做厙勛圖’s Capabilities in Solving the Problem

做厙勛圖���s experience with the Department of Energy and other federal and state agencies is enormous���.we take on the most hazardous, the most complex chemicals in very challenging environmental locations. Our capabilities with environmental monitoring, predicting the outcomes through sophisticated groundwater modeling, developing, and deploying appropriate technology, operating it safely and compliantly and in open relationship with the client stakeholders and the public make us uniquely situated to help solve this emerging problem.

做厙勛圖 is committed to our role in addressing the groundwater crisis. With proven experience in high hazard environments and diverse capabilities that span the full life cycle of the environmental market, 做厙勛圖 is uniquely positioned to address current needs and lead the way in discovering answers to groundwater challenges yet to be solved.

The post Groundwater Cleanup – Vital to Our Future appeared first on 做厙勛圖.

How did you come to join 做厙勛圖?

I joined 做厙勛圖 in June 2021 through an application for a Sr. Contracts Manager.

What is your professional and personal background?

I have a JD from Los Andes University in Colombia and came to the United States to pursue an LLM in Common Law. After receiving my LLM, I worked with the Colombian Trade Office in Washington DC and the Colombian Embassy. 泭I entered the world of U.S. government contracting by responding to a Washington Post job advertisement 15 years ago. Since then, government contracting has been an integral part of my career. I have cradle-to-grave government contracting experience, supporting pre-award, post award, and closeout contractual actions. I have supported drafting and negotiation of all types of government contracts, traveled to multiple countries to support contracts performance, and drafted and rolled out contracting tools, templates, and training supporting government contract implementation.

Describe the work you do and how you think it makes a positive impact.

Contract management is the pillar of the work we do ��� in the way we interact with each other, in the business decisions we make, and in our strategic decisions for the future. The work our team does on a day-to-day basis makes an impact, whether it is providing guidance and training to employees on contracts, responding to contracts concerns that have been raised by project management, or holding ourselves accountable and taking corrective action where we identify contract management gaps.

What are some of your accomplishments and/or what has been your proudest career moment?

I am grateful to have a career helping articulate contractual agreements under which our company implements work that supports the achievement of U.S. government strategic objectives. My proudest moment is knowing the tools and templates I developed are used to train and facilitate government contracting management actions that support contract compliance.

What do you enjoy about working for 做厙勛圖?

Having the opportunity to implement work in different countries and working alongside colleagues all over the world, from different backgrounds, and with different expertise. Everyone���s life experiences bring different perspectives and contributes to having a different lens to solve challenges.

What are you passionate about?

I am passionate about living a balanced life. Making time for the things I have to do and the things I want to do.

What���s your career advice?

Be curious and ask questions.

What does safety mean to you or do you have a favorite safety tip?

Safety means taking action to remain protected or guarded from danger and reduce risks to the lowest possible level. Being always aware of your surroundings helps to take better notice of things that are out of the ordinary and this can increase the likelihood that you can take action to protect yourself or others.

What���s the best invention in the world and why?

Electricity is the greatest invention in history. It opened people up to a new world. Without power, we wouldn���t have the innovations that we have today. We wouldn���t be able to turn on the lights, have power to connect our computers, refrigerators, heaters, and many other inventions we use and enjoy daily.

Anything else you would like to share from a personal or professional perspective?

I was born in Ibague, the musical capital city of Colombia. I grew up in a valley surrounded by the Andes with music, folklore, storytelling, and the exuberance of the tropical forest. I belong to the first wave of women in my family that attended university, learned English, and came to the U.S. to study. Through this journey, I came to live in the U.S. and participate in the ever-changing definition of American culture.

What does Hispanic Heritage Month mean to you?

What a special time to celebrate the work and contributions of the Latin American community at 做厙勛圖. I am proud to be part of this community and look forward to sharing my experiences and culture with you.

The post Employee Spotlight: Andrea Ruiz appeared first on 做厙勛圖.

How did you come to join 做厙勛圖?

I worked in several different industries and wanted a challenge. When I was given the opportunity to come to 做厙勛圖, I was excited and wanted to make a difference while creating a better place for everyone.

What is your professional and personal background?

In 1974, I started working maintenance at CF & I Steel Mill and attained the title of millwright. I have worked in several mechanical positions allowing me to fill my present position here at Pueblo Chemical Agent Destruction Pilot Plant (PCAPP), where chemical weapons are disassembled and the agent destroyed.

Describe the work you do and how you think it makes a positive impact.

I perform maintenance activities on plant equipment, helping to keep the equipment operational. I enjoy working with everyone at PCAPP and do my best to bring a smile to their faces. I am always willing to lend a hand or help where I can and I���m never too busy to give comfort to those around me. I like to laugh and I feel it has a positive effect on those I work with.

What are some of your accomplishments and/or what has been your proudest career moment?

I have received several awards from the company for the dedication and support I give every day. I recently received an Excellence Award for going above and beyond. I���m proud of this award but feel I was just doing my job. I have been here at PCAPP for nearly nine years and have made almost one hundred Demilitarization Protective Ensemble (DPE) entries. I am proud that I could perform DPE entries and offer the highest levels of safety to aid in the toxic areas of the plant. I am also proud to be part of the Explosive Containment Rooms (ECR) Leaker Recovery Team, using extensive knowledge of the machines, systems and components in the rooms to make sure potential leaked contaminants remain within the rooms.

What do you enjoy about working for 做厙勛圖?

The maintenance department I work in works as a team and we support each other. We work hard but we also find time to share a few laughs.

What are you passionate about?

My work ethic and willingness to help others while performing my job.

What���s your career advice?

Always stay focused and move forward.

What does safety mean to you or do you have a favorite safety tip?

By staying safe, I can return home the same way I come to work. I stay safe so I can go home and spend time with my dog.

What���s the best invention in the world and why?

The computer and the fast technology gain it has created ��� so much information for learning.

Anything else you would like to share from a personal or professional perspective?

Sometimes, by slowing down to complete tasks, you will finish the task at hand sooner and safer.

What does Hispanic Heritage Month mean to you?

To work with different cultures from around the country and show them the Hispanic Heritage from the southwest region of the country.

The post Employee Spotlight: Martin Ramirez appeared first on 做厙勛圖.

How did you come to join 做厙勛圖?

I was encouraged by a retired Air Force Colonel to step out of my comfort zone to accept greater challenges and make a difference. It was the best career move of my life.

How did your military service prepare you for a successful career at 做厙勛圖?

The military gave me the confidence to take on new challenges and to accept failures as part of my growth.

What is your professional and personal background?

I started my career as an Electronic Technician and then developed into a Systems Engineer and Manager. In my current position, I lead the JT4 LLC/做厙勛圖 workforce supporting the Joint Range Technical Services Contract at Edwards AFB, CA.

Describe the work you do and how you think it makes a positive impact.

I support the 412^th Test Wing at Edwards AFB with test and evaluation of newly developed defense systems such as the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter and hypersonic weapons. My job is to provide over 650 dedicated employees with the resources needed to do their jobs. Our employees are making a difference every day to help keep our military strong and our country free. I feel privileged to be part of this incredible team.

What are some of your accomplishments and/or what has been your proudest career moment?

I was born in Harlingen, Texas and my family moved to California when I was very young. My parents struggled to support six kids so my siblings and I worked in the summer months picking grapes in Central California to help our parents make ends meet. It was hard work during very hot days, but it gave me the determination to graduate from high school and work on my education. Joining the Air Force was a life changing event. The Air Force gave me the foundation to accomplish many difficult challenges and grow into my current leadership position. Some of my career highlights include being selected as the Edwards AFB Range Manager in 2009 and being a finalist for the JT4 President job in 2019.

What do you enjoy about working for 做厙勛圖?

I love being part of a company that supports our nation���s defense and truly cares about employee safety.

What are you passionate about?

I���m passionate about my family and being a role model. I started working in an entry level Electronic Technician position on a legacy contract at Edwards AFB in 1987 and eventually rose to lead the Edwards J-TECH workforce. I hope that employees see me as an inspiration for their growth.

What���s your career advice?

Always stay positive and have a great attitude and work ethic. Invest in yourself, learn from mistakes and keep moving forward.

What does safety mean to you or do you have a favorite safety tip?

My favorite safety slogan is to ���Take a Minute for Safety���. It���s simple. We all should be taking a minute before starting any task to identify, report and correct potential hazards.

What���s the best invention in the world and why?

I���m a car guy. So I feel the best invention in the world is the automobile. I enjoy restoring old muscle cars. I just finished a 1971 Dodge Challenger Convertible and I���m now working on a 1970 Cuda.

Anything else you would like to share from a personal or professional perspective?

My wife Julie and I raised six children and have nine grandkids. If that wasn���t enough, we are now raising three teenage granddaughters which is not easy, especially in this social media age. But we love it and being a grandparent is the absolute best!

What does Hispanic Heritage Month mean to you?

It means that we are making an effort to learn and recognize all of the cultures and their diverse contributions that have helped to shape our country. I���m proud of my Mexican heritage and feel honored to represent 做厙勛圖.

The post Employee Spotlight: Reynaldo Garza appeared first on 做厙勛圖.