Interning at an Engineering Firm

This past summer, I had the opportunity to intern at Jain Consultants, an engineering consulting firm where I worked on a combination of mechanical and software engineering projects. It was my first in-person office job, which made the experience even more meaningful. Most of my intern journey post-COVID had been online remote work, so this was my first chance to work in a professional office setting. Getting to experience a real work environment, interact with engineers face-to-face, collaborate on designs in real time, and observe the day-to-day dynamics of a consulting firm was invaluable. I came to appreciate not only the technical challenges of engineering, but also the importance of communication, teamwork, and the small details of office culture that cannot be replicated through remote experiences.

On the mechanical engineering side, much of my work revolved around HVAC design for high-rise buildings. I spent a significant portion of my time working with HAP 4.9, creating spaces and systems, and using ASHRAE tables to source reference data so my calculations were accurate. A lot of the work came down to precision, consistency, and double or even triple checking my work, particularly when I was calculating and measuring exterior surfaces such as glass and walls for buildings in AutoCAD. These measurements formed the backbone of my heat load calculations, which then informed my decisions about system sizing and energy demands.

From there, I moved on to duct design, which I carried out using AutoCAD and DuctSizer. By calculating CFM requirements, I was able to design duct layouts and flex ducts that aligned with the needs of the heat pumps and the overall building. This process taught me just how interconnected mechanical design decisions are, since even small missteps in airflow calculations could have large consequences for the overall system's performance.

I was also tasked with designing layouts for fan units. This involved determining the exact kilowatt requirements for different spaces and calculating how many units would be necessary for efficient operation while also adhering to a specific budget. Once I had those numbers, I could select the appropriate heat pumps to meet the building's demand. I also had the chance to design supply duct systems for the ground floor model, which gave me an opportunity to apply theoretical knowledge to a practical, detailed project. These tasks were not only technically demanding, but also helped me understand how detailed and meticulous building services design must be in order to meet both efficiency standards and regulatory requirements. By the end, I had a fully formed mechanical design that could handle all types of air circulating through a large high-rise building.

In addition to the mechanical engineering work, I also had the chance to contribute on the software side. One of the more impactful projects I worked on was building a file editing tool designed to streamline workflows for the firm's engineers. This tool allowed multiple engineering principals to merge and clean large-scale specification documents in a fraction of the time it would have taken manually. By automating what used to be a repetitive and error-prone process, the tool helped save hours of work each week and reduced the likelihood of mistakes slipping through into final project documentation. Seeing something I developed get used across the firm was one of the highlights of my internship, as it showed me that software solutions can have just as much impact in engineering as physical design work.

Looking back, interning at Jain Consultants was a rewarding and eye-opening experience. Not only did I gain hands-on exposure to HVAC system design and develop skills in industry-standard tools like HAP, AutoCAD, and DuctSizer, but I also learned what it feels like to be part of a professional office environment after years of remote learning. Getting to walk into the office, sit alongside experienced engineers, ask questions in person, and see how teams collaborate gave me perspective I could never have gotten from a textbook or a Zoom call. More importantly, I came away with a stronger sense of how engineering projects require collaboration, precision, and adaptability. This experience further intensified my passion for the industry, and I am excited to carry forward the skills and lessons I gained this summer into future academic and professional opportunities.