What It's Really Like to do Systems Engineering for the US Government in Washington, DC

I had always excelled at math and science, and so I entered the College of Engineering at Cornell University. However, I did not know what major I wanted to become nor what career path I wanted to take. I started as a civil engineer but soon realized that mechanical engineering was more fun and exciting to me. I did a few internships at large manufacturing companies, but every internship I did something very different, which helped me find what I really wanted to do. If there's something you have never tried out but you suspect you might like, it is much better to find out whether you like it or not than to regret it later when the opportunity is lost forever. I found out about my current company through a recommendation of a friend. Although the job requirements did not directly match what I had studied in school, my engineering degree and passion for aviation definitely were the most important factors to land the job. I cannot emphasize this enough when interviewing for any job - show some excitement during your interviews and email correspondences - it will help you stand out!

DC is an exciting and diverse place. It is fairly convenient to get around (there is a metro system) but not when driving. It feels like a small city but with plenty to do inside or outside the city - museums, sightseeing, concerts, shopping, fishing, rafting on the Potomac, skiing. There is plenty of nightlife inside the city but not in the suburbs, so it's not the most convenient thing for everybody (most people I know live outside of DC proper). Cost of living is high (although less than NYC and Bay Area). The food isn't as great as NYC or SF in my opinion. Everyone you meet will either be in politics or work for the government, either directly or indirectly.