From mountain tops to aerospace: Thomas Skoog enjoys scaling the heights

What was your background before joining Safran Engineering Services?

Prior to joining Safran I was a student at the University of Washington studying mechanical engineering.

I worked as a landscaper throughout college, which taught me a lot about problem solving and collaboration.

I was also a member of the University of Washington society for advanced rocket propulsion, which designed, built, tested and ultimately flew a small sounding rocket every year down in New Mexico.

Fun fact about my student life: I skipped my “graduation ceremony” to go climbing with my dad!

Have you always dreamed about working in this industry?

Yes! I’ve always been interested in things that fly (whether that’s planes or rockets). And having grown up in Seattle my whole life, it made sense that one day I would join the region’s booming aerospace industry.

Why did you choose Safran Engineering Services for your current job?

My current job was recommended by one of my university professors whose opinion I really value. He had worked with Safran Engineering Services in the past and had excellent things to say about them. Given my interest in working in aerospace, it was only natural that I pursue the opportunity to work with Safran.

Can you describe your job? What do you enjoy about working at Safran Engineering Services?

My job is to design a way in which to install the miles upon miles of electrical wiring that power and control a modern airplane. I love the way that my job calls upon different skillsets. I would describe my job as one part electrical engineering, one part mechanical engineering and one part urban planning. I love working alongside the depth and variety of experience that my coworkers bring to the table. It feels like no matter how difficult a problem is, someone on my team will say: “Ah, I’ve seen this before on airplane program XYZ” and give us all a natural way to approach the problem.

Where do you see yourself in the future?

I’ve begun to grow interested in the software end of things. Specifically, working on programs that would assist or one day take over the type of work that I do today. I imagine that I may return to school to learn more computer science or look for ways to improve my knowledge within Safran.