Being an Engineer

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Dr. Mahantesh Hiremath has built a rare engineering career at the intersection of deep technical rigor, systems thinking, leadership, and service. Across more than three decades, he has worked in space, energy, transportation, and infrastructure, and is recognized as one of the few engineers to have designed and analyzed complex systems in four very different environments: deep underground, offshore, on-ground, and in space. His academic background includes M.S. and Ph.D. degrees from The Ohio State University, along with a certificate in systems engineering from Stanford University. 
Much of Mahantesh’s industry career has centered on high-consequence engineering, especially in aerospace and structural systems. He held senior roles at organizations including Space Systems Loral and SC Solutions, where his work spanned structural dynamics, verification and validation, mechanical testing, systems engineering, mission assurance, and cross-functional program leadership. Along the way, he developed a reputation for handling technically complex projects where reliability, safety, and execution discipline are non-negotiable. 
He is also widely known for his leadership in the engineering profession. Mahantesh served as the 140th President of ASME for the 2021–2022 term, following earlier service on the Board of Governors and years of volunteer leadership. ASME has noted that he was the first person of Indian and Asian descent nominated for that role, a milestone in the society’s history. During his presidency, he helped shape priorities around strategy, global engagement, and emerging technology areas including space and robotics. 
Beyond industry and professional leadership, Mahantesh has also invested heavily in teaching and mentoring. He serves on the faculty at Santa Clara University, where he teaches topics including dynamics, mechanical vibrations, and systems engineering. His stated focus on helping students not just succeed academically but also find internships and full-time roles speaks to the kind of engineer he is: technically accomplished, yes, but equally committed to building the next generation. 
This conversation is especially relevant for engineers who care about the bigger picture: how deep technical expertise translates into leadership, how systems thinking scales across industries, how policy and engineering influence one another, and how experienced engineers can use their careers to open doors for others. Mahantesh brings a perspective shaped not only by spacecraft, testing, and structural analysis, but also by boardrooms, classrooms, and even Capitol Hill. 
 
LINKS:
Guest LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mahantesh-s-hiremath/
Guest website
Aaron Moncur, host
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The Being An Engineer podcast is brought to you by Pipeline Design & Engineering. Pipeline partners with medical & other device engineering teams who need turnkey equipment like cycle test machines, custom test fixtures, automation equipment, assembly jigs, inspection stations and more. You can find us at www.teampipeline.us
Watch the show on YouTube: www.youtube.com/@TeamPipelineus

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Ryan Schoonmaker has spent roughly two decades in medical device product development, building a career around solving hard engineering problems in high-stakes environments. Today he is the founder of Tight Line Solutions, where he works with growth-stage product development teams to reduce chaos, improve execution, and build the kind of systems that make technical organizations more efficient and predictable. His messaging consistently emphasizes that innovation is not just about ideas, but about disciplined execution, sound principles, and the ability to lead teams through complexity. 
Before launching Tight Line Solutions in late 2025, Ryan served as Director of Mechanical Engineering at Beta Bionics. Prior to that, he held senior R&D leadership positions at BD and spent more than seven years at Dexcom, progressing from Staff Mechanical Engineer to Director of Mechanical R&D. His background also includes product development work at Safety Syringes and Helbling Precision Engineering, where he worked on drug delivery systems, insulin-related devices, infusion sets, and other life science technologies. That combination of consulting, hands-on engineering, and executive leadership gives him a rare view across the full arc of product development.
One of the most compelling parts of Ryan’s story is that his work has touched products with enormous real-world impact. In his own words, helping bring the Dexcom G6 and G7 to market reinforced the lesson that meaningful innovation requires structure, rigor, and strong execution. Public patent records also show his name on multiple Dexcom-related design patents, reflecting direct involvement in device development. He pairs that technical depth with a strong focus on team culture, communication, and breaking large problems into manageable pieces—exactly the kind of perspective that resonates with engineers trying to grow into stronger technical leaders. 
Ryan also brings a strong academic foundation in mechanical engineering, with a B.S. from the University of Maryland and an M.S. from Tufts University, where his thesis focused on vibrotactile feedback in minimally invasive surgery. That blend of technical depth, medical device experience, and leadership philosophy should make for a rich conversation on product development, risk mitigation, engineering culture, and what it takes to build products that truly matter.
 
LINKS:
Guest LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ryan-schoonmaker-59048411/
Guest website: https://www.linkedin.com/company/tight-line-solutions/
Aaron Moncur, host
 
Subscribe to the show to get notified so you don't miss new episodes every Friday.
The Being An Engineer podcast is brought to you by Pipeline Design & Engineering. Pipeline partners with medical & other device engineering teams who need turnkey equipment like cycle test machines, custom test fixtures, automation equipment, assembly jigs, inspection stations and more. You can find us at www.teampipeline.us
Watch the show on YouTube: www.youtube.com/@TeamPipelineus

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In this special role-reversal episode of the Being An Engineer podcast, longtime host Aaron Moncur steps into the guest seat while previous guest Mike Romance takes over as interviewer.
Aaron shares the story behind his journey from a laid-back childhood growing up in Hawaii to becoming the founder of Pipeline Design & Engineering in Phoenix, Arizona. After being laid off during the 2009 recession, Aaron faced a moment of uncertainty that ultimately pushed him to start his own engineering business—learning sales, marketing, and leadership along the way. What began as a one-person consulting effort grew into a thriving engineering services company focused on automation, custom machines, fixtures, and product development. 
During the conversation, Aaron reflects on the early challenges of entrepreneurship—cold-calling for his first customers, figuring out how to quote complex engineering projects, and learning to build a team and culture from the ground up. He also shares one of his favorite Pipeline stories: rallying his team to design and deliver two complex automated test systems in just ten weeks—an effort that required nights, weekends, and a fully committed team. 
The discussion also explores Aaron’s broader mission: accelerating the speed of engineering by sharing knowledge across the industry. That vision led to the creation of the Being An Engineer podcast, the online engineering community The Wave, the PDX – Product Development Expo, and Pipeline’s CAD Club for middle and high school students. Together, these initiatives aim to highlight the often-unsung role engineers play in shaping the modern world. 
Along the way, Aaron and Mike dive into topics like engineering education versus real-world learning, the challenges of running an engineering services business, the importance of culture and leadership, and why engineers deserve more recognition for the impact they have on society.
If you’ve ever wondered how Being An Engineer started—or what drives the person behind the microphone—this episode offers a candid look at the story, philosophy, and vision behind the show.
 
 
LINKS:
Guest LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/pipelinedesign/ & https://www.linkedin.com/in/mikeromance/
Guest website
Aaron Moncur, host
Subscribe to the show to get notified so you don't miss new episodes every Friday.
The Being An Engineer podcast is brought to you by Pipeline Design & Engineering. Pipeline partners with medical & other device engineering teams who need turnkey equipment like cycle test machines, custom test fixtures, automation equipment, assembly jigs, inspection stations and more. You can find us at www.teampipeline.us
Watch the show on YouTube: www.youtube.com/@TeamPipelineus

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Joe Couitt is the founder of JMC Swiss Solutions, a Phoenix-based consulting firm dedicated to CNC Swiss applications and machining optimization. With more than a decade of hands-on experience in high-precision manufacturing, Joe has built a career grounded in programming, setup, prototyping, and department-level leadership.
Joe began his machining career at Aerospace Contacts LLC, where he developed a strong foundation in precision manufacturing. From there, he advanced into CNC programming and screw machining roles, eventually becoming the head of the Screw Machine Department at Korral Kool. In that role, he led operations for multiple Citizen L20 Swiss machines — writing programs, performing setups, managing tooling and maintenance, scheduling jobs, and working closely with engineering teams to refine part designs and manufacturing strategies.
His time as an Application Engineer at Adams Machinery expanded his perspective beyond a single shop environment. Supporting customers across different industries gave him insight into best practices, machine capabilities, and the common pitfalls shops encounter when adopting Swiss-type technology.
Today, through JMC Swiss Solutions, Joe helps manufacturers unlock the full potential of their Swiss machines — whether that means optimizing cycle times, improving tool life, dialing in processes for tight-tolerance parts, or helping shops bridge the gap between design intent and manufacturability. His journey from machinist to consultant gives him credibility on the shop floor and in the conference room alike — and that combination is rare.
LINKS:
Guest LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joe-couitt-ba189195/
Guest website: https://jmcswisssolutions.com/
Aaron Moncur, host
Subscribe to the show to get notified so you don't miss new episodes every Friday.
The Being An Engineer podcast is brought to you by Pipeline Design & Engineering. Pipeline partners with medical & other device engineering teams who need turnkey equipment like cycle test machines, custom test fixtures, automation equipment, assembly jigs, inspection stations and more. You can find us at www.teampipeline.us
Watch the show on YouTube: www.youtube.com/@TeamPipelineus

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Chad Walters is an experienced product design leader with more than two decades of experience developing complex products across healthcare, life sciences, aerospace, defense, and commercial markets. As the first industrial designer at a major engineering-focused design center in the Raleigh-Durham area, Chad helped establish and grow a strong user-centered design presence within an organization traditionally driven by engineering and manufacturing excellence.
Throughout his career, Chad has led multidisciplinary teams in the development of products ranging from large-scale interactive vending systems like the Coca-Cola Freestyle to advanced surgical robotics platforms and handheld CPR coaching devices. His work goes far beyond surface-level aesthetics — focusing on defining product behavior, reducing usability risk, and ensuring that form, function, and brand identity work together to support both user needs and business outcomes.
A passionate mentor, Chad has also served as a long-time Product Development Advisor to biomedical engineering and entrepreneurship students at University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and North Carolina State University. In this role, he guides multidisciplinary student teams through the realities of product development — helping them structure teams, build compelling business cases, refine investor pitches, and understand the importance of being the best storytellers in the room.
Earlier in his career, Chad led design teams developing aftermarket performance components for Audi, Volkswagen, and Porsche vehicles at APR, LLC, where he combined engineering rigor with brand storytelling and public-facing product launches. He began his professional journey designing avionics control systems at Archangel Systems, Inc. and contributed to professional-grade kitchen equipment development at Viking Range, LLC — experiences that shaped his ability to bridge mechanical engineering, user interface design, and human-centered product strategy.
Chad holds a degree in Industrial Design from Auburn University and an associate’s degree in Electrical and Electronics Engineering from Wallace Community College. His career reflects a rare blend of technical fluency, design leadership, and deep empathy for end users — all aimed at creating products that perform at the highest level while genuinely improving the human experience.

LINKS:
Guest LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chadwaltersid/
Aaron Moncur, host
Subscribe to the show to get notified so you don't miss new episodes every Friday.
The Being An Engineer podcast is brought to you by Pipeline Design & Engineering. Pipeline partners with medical & other device engineering teams who need turnkey equipment like cycle test machines, custom test fixtures, automation equipment, assembly jigs, inspection stations and more. You can find us at www.teampipeline.us
Watch the show on YouTube: www.youtube.com/@TeamPipelineus