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Meet Mathew Ingram

Chicago, Illinois, U.S.

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Mathew Ingram

As our world increases its focus on social equity, our clients are playing their part by green-lighting infrastructure projects focused on these critical values, such as reconnecting neighborhoods and improving services to underprivileged areas. Jacobs Structural & Rail Department Leader Mathew Ingram is proud to serve as one of the locomotives for our industry by including a people-forward focus with each project he delivers.     

Mathew’s career has changed tracks a few times since he started in the military nearly 25 years ago. His father, a union heavy equipment operator, laid the foundation by taking Mathew to job sites, where he got to experience engineering and construction firsthand. After discovering he excelled in math and science, Mathew embarked on his engineering journey, earning his master’s degree from the University of Illinois. His career includes roles at Geotech, structural engineering in a post-Katrina New Orleans and bridge engineering.  

Mathew’s latest track switch sees him as the Structural & Rail Department Leader for a five-state region at Jacobs. Mathew’s team is responsible for delivering the bridge designs for some of our largest transportation projects across the globe, including the Brent Spence Bridge Corridor Project and Wisconsin I-94 East-West projects. 

Mathew’s experience with the military and diverse background across multiple disciplines helps him excel at fast-paced, complex design-build jobs. Mathew’s leadership skills, honed during his service to our country, shine as the department leader and help him bridge the gap between teams and deliver a social equity focus to the communities he serves.   

“Our culture at Jacobs and the culture of our clients are very intentionally aligned – our strength, especially in our design-build projects, is due to our relationships with contractors and owners.”

Mathew Ingram

Mathew Ingram

Structural & Rail Department Leader, Jacobs

Get to know Mathew

What's your favorite part of your role?  

I love advancing staff and developing them for future roles, including eventually taking over my job. I enjoy pairing skill sets (making sure no round pegs go into square holes) so people can blossom. I can recognize where people have their strengths while building up weaknesses at the same time. It's also amazing to help folks, especially younger engineers, see their path forward and get a taste of their options as they choose their careers.   

When you aren't working, what are we most likely to find you doing?  

If I am not working, I cheer on my three kids as they compete with their traveling hockey or baseball teams. I also cheer on our local Chicago sports teams. (Go Blackhawks!) 

How has your background as a veteran guided or impacted your journey?  

The two things I learned while serving in the military are dealing with stress and being mentally tough. I share how to deal with stress with team leaders – when a lot is going on, it is essential to prioritize and execute.  

What advice do you have for veterans who are new to our industry?  

First, I direct them to our mentoring program to assist former military with joining Jacobs. Second – don't be afraid to step back and learn how companies operate. Be patient, and trust that you will move up quickly. Veterans already have leadership skills ingrained, and those skills will shine in the right environment.  

What excites you about the future of our industry?  

I love the continued evolution of technology and the increased pace of how technology is constantly evolving. Software has progressed to the point where what you can do with analysis models is incredible. Laptops can do in ten minutes what supercomputers were used for when I started my career. To me, this means we can provide increased value to our clients. For example – as it grows, I could see artificial intelligence (AI) being used more often in quality control, initial pre-tender designs and other situations. There is always space for new technology.   

What do you enjoy most about working at #OurJacobs?  

Two words: people and projects! 

If you like the projects you’re working on and the people you’re working with, you’re a happier person. Jacobs offers the best of both worlds. With our far reach, not finding a project you want to work on is hard. We also attract the top talent and minds in our industry – we’re very good at that.