Meet Matthew Schneider

Today we’d like to introduce you to Matthew Schneider.

Matthew, before we jump into specific questions about your work, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
I grew up in the Southern Suburbs of Chicago right between the city and corn fields. I found my passion for aerospace engineering in high school physics class where we learned about the planets and how much potential there is for technological growth. I knew when I was seventeen that I wanted to work with cutting edge technology and help to advance the human race as much as I could to improve our way of living on Earth and maybe someday several years down the line, another planet.

Regardless, my thirst for knowledge drove me to study aerospace engineering at Arizona State University where I was a part of many different organizations outside of the classroom including a research lab, the ASU Wrestling team, intramurals, a fraternity, and ASU Best Buddies. Everything I did, I did it to improve not only myself but those around me as well.

After an interview with Honeywell at a career fair in my senior year, I got hired a month after I graduated. Now my job title is a Systems Engineer with a focus on jet engine testing for the company. Every day I have the opportunity to work with incredible technology and learn more each day. Although work keeps me busy, I also like to stay competitive with myself and others by competing in obstacle course races, hiking new mountains, and accepting new challenges as they come! I’m only a little over two years into the job I love and can’t wait to see what else may be in store for the future!

Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
Most of the road was pretty smooth. I had to make a tough decision during my junior year of college to give up on wrestling. This sport has been something I love since I started back when I was seven. As much as I loved it, my grades were suffering terribly and when I failed all my midterms halfway through my first semester of junior year, I knew I needed to make a decision no matter how difficult it was. After letting go of the sport I grew so attached to, I had much more time to focus on my studies and not only passed my classes that semester but fully recovered from those failing midterms to come out with an exceptional GPA.

I made sure not to take this spare time for granted as I found other ways to apply myself while still leaving ample time for my studies. This is when I joined a research lab on campus and was funded by the school to have my own undergraduate research project in a program called FURI. I also became a leader in a fraternity I joined which taught me even more responsibility. I don’t regret any of the decisions I made as they all led me to gain incredible experience in several fields and to become that man I am today.

Please tell us about your work.
As a systems engineer for Honeywell, I assist in supporting the jet engine tests as part of the verification and validation team. This means when a new part or software is introduced, I have the opportunity to run the live engine and make sure the change is successful. I think over that past 2+ years I’ve been able to demonstrate my hard work and eagerness to learn and assist in any way I can. My peoples’ skills have greatly improved and I’m proud of how well I can work with others.

I have also had the unique opportunity to travel to several places domestically and internationally as a result. To some, it may feel like work, but to me, it’s another fun day of learning.

Any shoutouts? Who else deserves credit in this story – who has played a meaningful role?
As cliché as it may seem, my parents deserve a great deal of credit. They have supported me through thick and thin and I cannot express how thankful I am for them. Others that I hold in high regard are a couple of my coworkers that have helped me learn so much in so little time, Steve Swauger and Kalyn Goodenough.

Last but not least, I am thankful for the constant support from my friends. Whether it’s a good day or a bad day, I know I can always be cheered up by one or all of them in some way.

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