Forget a one-size-fits-all approach; we believe in customized career paths + professional development plans. At Schaefer, we believe in providing diverse opportunities, both internally + in our communities, to find + elevate our people’s passions.
Read more about some of our team members’ career paths + the surprising turns that led them to their current roles.
Principal | Cincinnati, Ohio | Joined 2011
What internal roles have you held?
- Co-op
- Co-op mentor
- Co-op facilitator
- Engineer mentee
- Engineer mentor
- Culture Team | member
- Culture Team | leader
- Recycling leader
- Team leader
- Board director
- Board member-at-large
- Client manager
- Interviewer
- Makers+Shakers | instructor
- Technical content manager
- Industrial market leader
- Tilt-up concrete leader
- Strategic plan member facilitator
- CORE leadership training mentor
Has your career path progressed as you expected?
My project-related career path did not even come close to what I expected. I came to Schaefer wanting to do entertainment design, masonry (so I could design my own castle home someday), and co-op mentoring. I also liked steel, but wasn’t fond of concrete. I was given the requested designs when I started, and I found I enjoyed entertainment and mentoring (and didn’t like masonry…*shhh*…), but Schaefer wanted me to learn more. They set me on a DHL building with my mentor, which was originally a steel building (something they knew I had dabbled in while at college). Midway through the project, the client decided to change to tilt-up walls on the second story only (supported by steel columns below), which was something completely outside my wheelhouse. Rather than bring in tilt designers, John (my team leader at the time) taught me how to do the tilt design, and I quickly learned how much I loved it. John caught on and introduced me to warehouse designs where I could do more tilt and learn more concrete + steel building design concepts. I fell in love with that, too (the projects, the clients, the processes), and have since explored industrial designs intensely. Schaefer introduced me to other types of designs (hotels, schools, offices, churches, solar canopies, etc.) but none of them stuck quite like industrial. I’m glad they gave me those opportunities, as they allowed me to see what’s out there, what I enjoy or don’t, and where my skills best align. I never thought industrial would be the path for me. There is no glory in industrial, and it’s nothing like what I originally craved (entertainment and “cool looking projects”), but industrial projects perfectly mirror my work style, and I truly enjoy what I do and who I do it for.
Non-project related, I knew I wanted to be a mentor, but I figured I’d stick to the technical path (which didn’t exist at the time) because managing looked so stressful. That opinion has changed as I learned more about “the next phase,” and I’m glad I’ve found a path where I can be a people manager and client manager, in addition to still being knowledgeable about technical designs and with the ability to mentor/teach what I’ve learned. I also discovered how much I enjoy helping people develop, which is strange as I never cared about my personal development before coming to Schaefer.
What involvement has supported your career path goal?
I’m the type of person who likes to dabble in everything until I find exactly what I like. I volunteered with various outreach programs/groups, and the one that stuck was the TCA (Tilt-Up Concrete Association). I knew I enjoyed designing tilt, but I wanted to learn more and give back, so I reached out to the TCA to see if I could be on the board of directors. I didn’t realize that the group is hand-selected from prominent members of the tilt-up concrete community, but during my search, I met a retired TCA president. He introduced me to everyone including a a subgroup within the TCA that was starting a new program – something like a young member group, but with the power to change what the TCA does, information that’s shared, etc. (i.e. use the younger members to lead new directions for the main body). Because I reached out to get involved with the group, I was put on that committee, and now we run the behind the scenes show for the TCA, pushing forward changes to the community that have been needed for a long time. That exposure has led me to additional opportunities in the community, and constantly spurs me to learn more about both tilt and anything tilt touches (such as the industrial market). Like a ball rolling downhill…
Technically, I’ve attended many seminars and conferences to get where I am now (some technical, some professional, some leadership). They all have their merits, though some were more beneficial than others. I’ve also learned to reach out to those presenters afterward, because the follow-up conversations can quadruple the amount of knowledge you gained from the original presentation. If you want samples, let me know, and I can share. My favorite one is still the Core Leadership Training since I’m partial to any activity that improves my self-awareness and interactions with colleagues.
How did Schaefer help you reach this place in your career?
Schaefer heard me when I suggested what I wanted, and they offered me opportunities to explore those suggestions, such as specific project types, outreach or technical programs I could get involved in, and people to contact to learn more. They also listened when I said I found something I love (like tilt-up/warehouse buildings) and pushed me to dig into it as far as I could, and listened when I said I wanted more than what they were thinking (like being a team leader), and gave me a path to achieve that goal. They recognized potential in me, and asked me if I wanted to keep going further (serving on our board of directors), which was not a path I had considered before they suggested it. Schaefer has constantly pushed me to do more, try more, learn more, even when I didn’t want to; they understood that learning those new skills was beneficial for both the company and also for me. I realized I didn’t dislike the design as much as I thought I did so I was able to add more tools to my tool chest, and also got to meet + develop relationships with experts along the way who opened doors to new opportunities.
Where do you want your career to go from here + how do you intend to get there?
The same thing I want every night, Pinky, to take over the world… Realistically, I just want to improve myself the best I can right now – as a leader, a technical director, a board member, a colleague, a coach, a mentor, a manager, a consultant, a market leader. Someday internally – a vice president. To get there, I will find out everything I can about what I’m doing well and what I’m not via self assessments, peer feedback, not turning away new opportunities, seeking + reaching out for new opportunities, etc., and then take the first step to make changes where I find they’re needed.
Executive Vice President | Remote | Joined 2001
What internal roles have you held?
- Mentee
- Director | Schaefer board of directors
- Client manager
- Future leaders advisory group member
- Geographic expansion team champion
- Team leader
What has been your career path?
- Design engineer
- Project engineer
- Project manager
- Managing director, Columbus office
- Vice president, marketing
- Executive vice president
Has your career path progressed as you expected?
My career has absolutely NOT followed the path I expected when I started full-time at Schaefer’s Cincinnati office in 2001. When I moved to Columbus, Ohio and was presented with the opportunity to open a new office, the entire trajectory of my career changed. That began the start of my leadership and marketing + business development journey with Schaefer.
When + how did you recognize your current career path as an option?
My career path unfolded as the needs of opening a new office became more clear. We needed a strategic growth plan, more sophisticated marketing + business development department, and general leadership that led our firm’s growth. I took advantage of local resources to learn what I didn’t know including earning a marketing license.
What involvement has supported your career path goal?
I’ve been involved in a lot of organizations from technical engineer to leadership. These organizations + positions within them have been the most helpful + rewarding to my career path:
- Structural Engineers Association of Ohio | president
- Society for Marketing Professional Services, Columbus chapter | treasurer + president
- Rising Leaders Program (BX)
- Executive Leadership Program (BX)
- Leadership Columbus
- Huckleberry House | board member
How did Schaefer help you reach this place in your career?
My manager empowered me to follow my entrepreneurial spirit and let me define what I thought was best for our firm. There was always support + encouragement with the appropriate amount of scrutiny + challenge. We’re all working towards the same goal, but also learning along the way.
Where do you want your career to go from here + how do you intend to get there?
I want to continue to contribute to positive change + growth at Schaefer, and to lead us to our strategic planning goals.
Project Manager | Columbus, Ohio | Joined 2017
What internal roles have you held?
- Sustainability initiative champion
- Client manager
- Concrete content manager
- Diversity + inclusion committee member
- Mentor
Has your career path progressed as you expected?
Overall my career path has followed what I expected as a structural engineer in the building sector. The most unexpected change for me has been my focus on sustainability. When I started my career, I was interested in LEED + sustainability, but most of the focus was on the architecture + mechanical systems for a building. As embodied carbon in the structure has become a hot topic, I have been able to channel that interest more and apply it to my job as a structural engineer. My focus on becoming an expert on sustainability has also led to leadership roles I had not expected when I started my career.
What involvement has supported your career path goal?
- I completed the PSMJ Bootcamp which provided a lot of great training for project management.
- For the past five years, I’ve been a member of the ACI Central Ohio Board and have helped to plan educational meetings. The networking has boosted my knowledge + connections related to concrete design.
- In 2019, I became a licensed LEED AP BD+C which led to further training + involvement in sustainability.
- I’m currently a member of the National Council for Structural Engineers Associations (NCSEA) sustainable design committee for and the sustainable design committee chair for the for Structural Engineers Association of Ohio (SEAoO) that was just started in 2023.
How did Schaefer help you reach this place in your career?
Schaefer has provided a lot of flexibility in allowing me to shape my own career. They offer a wide range of projects + various career paths – you can choose from technical-focused to project manager-focused. I have found that my team leaders have been supportive + encouraging, but have not led me to go in a direction that I’m not passionate about. The training budget + hours they provide each year has also been a great asset to allow me to shape my continuing education to suit my career.
Where do you want your career to go from here + how do you intend to get there?
I love to learn and hope to continue to become an expert on sustainability. I also expect to continue to develop as a project manager and continue to develop my client relationships. There are a lot of great resources available at Schaefer to help me grow in my career as well as the resources through the professional groups I’m involved in.
Senior Project Manager | Cincinnati, Ohio | Joined 2008
What internal roles have you held?
- Team leader
- Mentor
- Client manager
- Office relocation team
- Technical content manager
Has your career path progressed as you expected?
No. I didn’t think that I would do technical content management work/SMART presentations that I did mostly because I didn’t know about that being part of a typical structural consulting company. I also didn’t anticipate wanting to work a part-time schedule and how I could do that while still progressing in my career.
What involvement has supported your career path goal?
I’m currently participating in the CORE Leadership Program which has been great to understand communication strategies + opportunities as a people manager.
How did Schaefer help you reach this place in your career?
There has been a project progression that made sense – projects get bigger + more complex, and ownership of projects increases as tenure does. Our career path documents are helpful in laying out the important places to spend development time. I also appreciated encouragement from others to consider the team leader role.
Where do you want your career to go from here + how do you intend to get there?
I’m relatively new to my current role and want to continue to grow within it. I plan to explore training opportunities that develop more of my soft skills + business skills necessary for engineering management + leadership like delegation, finance etc.
Principal | Cincinnati, Ohio | Joined 2007
What internal roles have you held?
- Technical director
- Culture Team | member
- College ambassador
- Mentor
- Director | Schaefer board of directors
- Client manager
- Production Improvement Team
What has been your career path?
- Project Engineer
- Project Manager
- Senior Project Engineer
- Principal
Has your career path progressed as you expected?
When I first started at Schaefer, I was driven to manage healthcare projects, be a client manager for firms that did healthcare work, and perhaps eventually a team leader of a group that focused on healthcare. I specifically leaned towards healthcare + higher education projects because my prior experience was with high seismic projects, and those were most likely to be Seismic Design Category C or higher.
However, I naturally found myself engaging more with the technical aspects of my role. I took on being part of a new initiative, the Production Improvement Team, that eventually provided me opportunities to do internal technical projects that led to a technical director opportunity. Then came the biggest twist in my career path to date – becoming involved in knowledge management + IT.
When + how did you recognize your current career path as an option?
We used to have a vice president of engineering who was knowledgeable in a wide breadth of areas, enjoyed coaching + mentoring, and had a wide range of responsibilities related to technical and contract/risk/liability oversight. When he retired, we were too big + diverse for one person to serve all of the roles he was previously covered. I stepped into the technical director role to be a resource to all of our team members in both a technical + coaching capacity; technical responsibilities + development opportunities moved to our material + market experts in the firm. This also kicked off our interest in knowledge management – we were looking at ways to effectively share knowledge between offices, between technical content managers + the rest of the firm, and between incoming + outgoing technical content managers.
What involvement has supported your career path goal?
- Tri-State Healthcare Engineers (TSHE) | member
- Structural Engineers Association of Ohio (SEAoO) | code committee chair
- National Council of Structural Engineers Associations (NCSEA)| seismic code advisory committee member
- Building Seismic Safety Council | code resource support committee member
- NIBS Simplified Seismic Project Team Member (Trial Problems Review)
- Applied Technologies Council | 124 committee focus group member (ASCE 41 Applications to Low/Moderate Seismic)
How did Schaefer help you reach this place in your career?
Schaefer encouraged + supported all of my outreach activities. It was a benefit to both me and the firm in terms of information learned and brought back to the firm, but also in assisting in creating relationships. Even though I’m no longer currently on these committees, I have people I can reach out to, and that reach out to me to discuss ideas.
Where do you want your career to go from here + how do you intend to get there?
I’m really interested in knowledge management. I believe strongly that as a technical consulting firm our strength and value is in our knowledge, our relationships, and our ability to communicate + share that knowledge for the benefit of our clients + community.
Being intentional about making knowledge accessible across roles + offices is a way to continuously improved on what provides strength + consistency to our organization. I’d love to spend time investigating how this looks as we grow. At a 50-person single-office firm, it isn’t hard to know the person in your firm (if they exist) who can help with the knowledge you’re looking for, but at a 500-person multi-office firm, there may be more knowledge available, but it might be a bit further away. Efficiently connecting the dots is more challenging.
Externally, I’m working to get more involved with technical communication with one of the engineering organizations to support knowledge management. More details hopefully coming soon.
Project Manager | Cincinnati, Ohio | Joined 2015
What internal roles have you held?
- College ambassador
- Intern facilitator
- Mentor
- Technical content + program manager
- Makers+Shakers | build team
Has your career path progressed as you expected?
My career path did not follow what I expected.
I did not start out thinking I would learn wood design given that I had minimal previous training.
I did not foresee taking on multiple internal roles or being a part of Structural Engineers Association of Ohio.
I did not expect that my wood expertise and confidence would turn into becoming an adjunct instructor at University of Cincinnati for a wood design class.
I did, however, keep an open mind and an eye out for opportunities. A previous mentor had encouraged me to “become comfortable with the uncomfortable” as it related to career progression. Uncomfortable is the area of most growth + opportunities. I believe living in the uncomfortable at times has the potential to drive you forward and provide you with opportunities that you couldn’t imagine when you started.
What involvement has supported your career path goal?
I was active in Structural Engineers Association of Ohio (SEAoO) Student Chapter and chose to continue involvement with the organization after I graduated. I held leadership positions in my local Cincinnati chapter as well as statewide including serving as director + president. I was frequently setting up meetings and forging new relationships with my peers + industry contacts which are still active today. My time in SEAoO also taught me how to become more confident in my abilities + public speaking skills. I often found myself in front of many people where the audience or group looked to me for direction. Groups like SEAoO are a great place to develop and refine the soft skills which are a great compliment to the project skills you develop at Schaefer.
Internally, two roles have stood out the most. As a technical content manager, I engaged with a new group of people and learned how to best support our engineers. My time as an intern facilitator was one of the most challenging, but also the most rewarding. I worked with mentors + interns on a regular basis learning how to best support them and their careers while also supporting Schaefer’s mission to hire great people. I’m extremely grateful for all who have given their time so generously to the intern program!
How did Schaefer help you reach this place in your career?
Schaefer provided the resources, including time + money, for me to pursue outside training and roles in outside organizations. Schaefer has also afforded me opportunities to take on internal roles and supported me with additional training + time. Without this investment from Schaefer, I wouldn’t have been able to pursue or engage in these career advancing opportunities. Many thanks to Lauren, our human resources manager, and Marshall, our technical director, for the abundance of training + support!
Where do you want your career to go from here + how do you intend to get there?
My time in these roles has taught me that I enjoy working with people and learning how to best support them. I’d like to see my internal roles evolve where I can utilize the soft + leadership skills I’ve developed to fuel Schaefer’s growth. In addition, as my role progresses towards more client interaction, I would like to apply the skills + knowledge I’ve gained towards forging stronger relationships with my clients leading to project success.
For me to advance, I need to create an inviting + supportive place to train those who will fill my shoes and seek out new training opportunities.
I intend to apply the same formula that has gotten me this far; stay open minded, become comfortable with the uncomfortable and support others so that they can benefit, too!
Modeler | Columbus, Ohio | Joined 2017
What internal roles have you held?
- Mentor
Has your career path progressed as you expected?
I came here immediately after graduating college and was eager to work hard (+ enjoy not having to take classes anymore). When I first started, I was the only modeler in our Columbus, Ohio office (all others were in Cincinnati) which meant I was working remotely from a lot of my team members before it became the norm. While I was open to it, I hadn’t anticipated becoming a mentor as part of my career path; I’ve since mentored three individuals.
What involvement has supported your career path goal?
Asking questions! Open communication + transparency with others in my department as well as my managers has been helpful to understand opportunities and anything I’ve been unfamiliar with.
How did Schaefer help you reach this place in your career?
Starting off, I had a great mentor when I joined Schaefer; the mentorship program is very helpful to new team members. Teamwork + communication are very strong at Schaefer. The modeling team keeps in close contact, and anyone is willing to jump in + help on deadline work whenever someone needs it. I enjoy having a large variety of projects. It keeps things interesting, and allows me to gain more knowledge and challenge myself. I also enjoy the number of different people I work with so that I can strengthen my people skills and get a chance to know + learn from my colleagues across offices.
Where do you want your career to go from here + how do you intend to get there?
I want to continue to gain more knowledge about different construction types and become a better modeler – I want to be known as the best modeler to work with. Looking forward, I want to be a team leader for modelers in the Columbus office. The best way to do this is to mentor more people and grow my management + people skills.
