Q&A: Talking with Jacobs Assistant Project Controller Kalpana Kumari

Jacobs leads the global professional services sector – powered by our Global Integrated Delivery (GID) services hubs combining knowledge, skillset and technical expertise of a robust talent of talent network worldwide. Our GID services enhances our ability to deliver maximum value, multi-office execution and innovative solutions to our international clients more efficiently across the Americas, Europe, the Middle East and Asia Pacific.

In honor of International Women in Engineering Day, we’re connecting virtually with our team of engineering heroes around the world to showcase their careers and how each of them help Jacobs to live up to our promise of Challenging today. Reinventing tomorrow.

For this feature, we talked with Assistant Senior Project Controller Kalpana Kumari about career, engineers as heroes and going out of your comfort zone.

Tell us a bit about what you’re working on these days.

Currently I am part of the Integrated Project Delivery Services team supporting Australia and New Zealand (ANZ) GID projects as Assistant Project Manager as well as a scheduler for one of our projects in the U.S.

What’s your favorite part of your role?

My favorite part is two-fold:

1. Working on different aspects of the project.
2. Interaction with colleagues from different countries & cultural background and understanding their way of working.

We’re publishing this article in honor of International Women in Engineering Day and this year’s theme is Engineering Heroes. When you think of engineers or engineering as a hero, what does that mean to you?

Engineers are problem solvers and innovators. They understand, review and analyze the challenges and then provide solutions which may be innovative, sustainable and user friendly.

If you aren’t working, what would we be most likely to find you doing?

Cooking and exploring new dishes.

Most interesting career moment?

Taking up the challenge to adapt in the new work environment during the pandemic, including participating and leading virtual meetings and delivering support for my projects.

What would you rate a 10 out of 10?

My dedication towards work.

Most proud career moment?

My most proud moment is my transition from being solely a project controller to leading a team and then being appointed as the first APM on our ANZ GID team.

What advice would you give to young professionals?

Be patient and wait for the right opportunity to come your way and when it comes don’t let any inhibitions overpower you. Explore and go beyond your comfort zone.

People would be surprised to know that I….

am a Gold Medalist of my Civil Engineering match and also I love to sing.

What do you enjoy most about being part of the Jacobs family?

I love Jacobs’ supporting culture and employee-friendly work environment.