Engineering Spotlight: Jose Medina

We welcome Jose Medina to the VTI Engineering team as the latest software engineer focusing on FlightStack development!

Can you tell us a little about your background and how you got into engineering?

I started my career at Boeing over 8 years ago as a mechanical engineer. Over the years, I was able to work on engineering teams in all sorts of airplane systems from flight controls, mission systems, advanced cargo tracking systems and flight automation, among others. I loved writing code, working with computers and sensors and building systems that helped pilots in executing their missions. I ended up focusing my career on computer science and robotics and I’ve had a passion for mixing that in aviation ever since.

Most recently I was working on robotics and computer vision projects at amazon for delivery safety features. It was fun to work in automotive on similar problems, but I missed airplanes and I’m really happy to be back. 

What have you seen at VTI that impresses you the most?

I’m impressed by the team. It’s a small but really strong group of people. It's clear by the broad range of expertise, the technical rigor and speed of the team that this is a great group to collaborate with and learn from. 

What’s your favorite tech-related or engineering joke?

https://xkcd.com/927/

What do you enjoy doing outside of work? Any hobbies or interests you’d like to share?

I like spending time with my wife, family and friends. My wife and I like taking road trips, trying new foods, and visiting places. I like movies, drinking coffee, and fishing.

What are you hoping to learn or achieve in your new role?

Many have said that aviation has an enduring pioneering spirit, and when you work in the field you can feel what they mean. If I can contribute to advancing aviation and aerospace even just a little and contributing to the next innovation or advancement in making flying safer, I think that would be very rewarding.