Alex Amerling ’14: I have interned at Mercury Marine for the past three summers, and each year my job gets more interesting. Mercury is the world’s #1 producer of boat propulsion systems (boat engines) and I get to work with the best and brightest in the industry every day. This year I am working with the Engineering Facilities group, and it’s the coolest job I have had so far.

I have built 3 portable data acquisition units that are used to collect on boat data. These data loggers can collect temp, rpm, voltage drop, you name it, these guys can do it. So far, one went to Panama City FL, one to Seattle and one to Malaysia. I have been soldering, slicing and drawing up wiring diagrams for these units so that whoever has to make these in the future can do so easily. When I was first tasked with building these units the first thing I thought was “wow, this is shockingly like my Electronics class.” Building the units was the first task, and then I had to get them to work. This took a lot of testing in the DYNO cells (where the engines are tested) to get the math of the unit to work properly, but after a few hours and some strong words directed at this little box, I got it.

The corporate environment here is something that is not for all people but I have been able to assimilate and operate within it. As the new Head PCA, I want to let everyone know Career Services can help you learn how to properly operate within a big company like this. Sending emails to other professionals, how to dress and how to approach people are all things you can stop by the office to get help with. It’s not rocket science, but there are some things that may escape individuals.

I’m happy to be back at Mercury and it truly is amazing working for the most innovative individuals in the industry. It’s an honor to have these people ask me to help them do their work. I am proud to say that I am an employee of Mercury Marine, and will continue to enjoy my summer!

Safe Boating,
Alex Amerling