Pedro Alfaro - Project Development Engineer

In 1999, Pedro Alfaro emigrated to the United States from El Salvador; now, as a Project Development Engineer, he has become integral to the fabric of Bruks Siwertell, using his engineering skills and inquisitive mind to enhance customer projects 

I started my life in the US over twenty-three years ago, initially being allowed to live here through the Temporary Protected Status (TPS) program. After having become ineligible to multiple full-ride scholarships at other schools due to my immigration status, I studied at the University of Southern Indiana (USI), earning my Bachelors in Mechanical Engineering.

I since worked in power generation, prototyping, and the natural gas industry, so as well as studying, I acquired many of my competencies there. But by then, I wanted to work in a different industry.

Open opportunities

In 2019, I applied for the position of Project Development Engineer, based in Bruks Siwertell’s offices in Alpharetta, Georgia. I mentioned my immigration status to Ken Upchurch, Senior Vice President, Sales and Marketing, Bruks Siwertell, and he told me that Bruks Siwertell would be willing to sponsor my permanent residency process; a fantastic opportunity.

In my job, I get to work with a wide range of products from mobile unloaders, conveyors, truck dumpers, to woodyard products. I am responsible for making estimates, producing layouts and sales drawings, and proposals for our customers, which means that I have to have detailed knowledge of how our systems fit and work together, on the macro-scale. We tend to sell a lot of systems that way. 

I also carry out project management of installations. This includes the logistics of delivering material and components to the site, and the financial aspects. I also get to work with a wide range of stakeholders including site engineers, purchasing departments, project managers, engineering firms, and legal departments. As part of this job I am constantly traveling, seeing new parts of this country, which is awesome, and of course, I am bilingual, which helps a lot. 

Fluidity and freedom

I would say there is a fluidity and a freedom in our products. We benefit from being an international organization, which means that if there is a better way of doing something, we can offer equipment that will extend those benefits to our customers. 

We have the flexibility to adapt quickly to local ways of working, as well. It keeps us busy, and the work varied. Every day is different: there are no ‘down’ days, and I am constantly engaged in my work.