Reine Ntone Johansen, Aerospace Systems Engineer
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Reine Ntone Johansen is an Aerospace Systems Engineer for Millennium Engineering and Integration (MEI) at NASA Ames Research Center. She navigated the globe to follow her dreams and is a truly inspirational success story!
Reine Ntone Johansen, Aerospace Systems Engineer
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Education
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BS, Engineering Sciences
BS, System Engineering MS, Aerospace Engineering |
How did you end up in this role?
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I graduated from high school in 2010 without knowing exactly what I wanted to do for a living. However, I was already convinced that I wanted to become an engineer. My parents encouraged me to start my engineering journey with a bachelor’s in engineering sciences to get a strong technical background. During my internship as an assistant mechanical engineer at Barfield Inc. in Miami, I fell in love with aerospace engineering. After my internship I returned to France determined to pursue my college degree in aerospace engineering. Thanks to my Bachelor’s in Engineering Sciences, I was able to transfer most of my units and graduate with my second Bachelor’s in Systems Engineering with a minor in aerospace engineering.
"Talent will get you the invite. Hard work will open the door, but good spirit will keep you seated at the table."
My dream job was a position at NASA. Hence, it was without hesitation that I decided to move to the US to learn from subject-matter experts in the Silicon Valley. I began my master’s in aerospace engineering at San Jose State in 2016. A semester before I graduated, I started a part-time internship with Millennium Engineering and Integration Company (MEI) at NASA Ames on cross-disciplinary projects. In January 2019, I was offered to transition my internship to a full-time position as a government contractor with MEI.
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A day in the life
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I usually start my day with reading emails while making my daily To-Do list. It is crucial that I not only list my tasks but also prioritize my assignments based on deadlines. I am currently the systems engineer for two projects TechEdSat and Cube Quest. During the design phase of the CubeSats, I focus on writing systems engineering documentation and assisting the program manager for the concept and product design reviews. I also work closely with the specialized engineers on the team to make sure all the requirements are met, per the Interface Control Documentation. My favorite time of the year is when we spend long hours in the lab building the satellite. I am the system lead for the Exobrake, which is a tension-based, flexible braking device resembling a cross-shaped parachute, that deploys from the rear of the satellite to increase the drag. This requires I spend a significant amount of time designing, building and testing the device.
A couple weeks before launch, I supervise the environmental testing of the CubeSat and assist the software engineer during the functional testing. What I love about my job is that my days almost never look alike since my schedule and tasks are highly dependent on the upcoming key milestones. After hours, I volunteer my time to mentor college students on their design projects. |
Advice for aspiring students |
In STEM fields and life in general, your attitude and approach are as important as your skills. “Talent will get you the invite. Hard work will open the door, but good spirit will keep you seated at the table.” Good grades are important in college but once you join the workforce, your practical and social skills are required to thrive in a company. While you are still in college:
Lastly, leave your ego at the door and be enthusiastic about your assigned projects, even if these seem complex. You will quickly realize that your peers are more than happy to help you become the best version of yourself in many ways, if you let them. |
