Nolan Tandy is an ECE student who spent a semester on co-op at Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (Stellantis) in Auburn Hills, MI.
Nolan Tandy on co-op at Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (Stellantis).
Major: Electrical Engineering
Student Classification: Senior
Name and location of company where you are on co-op: Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (Stellantis) in Auburn Hills, MI.
Job duties:
Rotation One (Fall 2023): Validation Engineer
1. Evaluated response of both individual vehicle components and signals. Using vehicle simulation applications, vehicle functionality documentation, and prototype wiring configurations, the expected behavior of the vehicle was analyzed against written test cases, their results recorded in a database and elevated as necessary.
2. Participated in test drives to evaluate behavior of different signals within manufacturer vehicles due to responses from various stimuli
3. Performed component updates (hardware and software) to manufacturer vehicles being actively used for testing.
Rotation Two (Summer 2024): Functional Integration Engineer
1. Navigated online diagnostic applications to analyze and report behavior of test vehicle features, including cameras, radar, object detection, cruise control, and automatic emergency braking.
2. Completed hardware and software updates on combination of vehicles, both ICE (internal combustion engine) and BEV (battery electric vehicle).
3. Performed long test drives and recorded vehicle logs for manager to verify functionality/operation of components and signals following updates or significant vehicle changes.
Rotation Three (Spring 2025, Current): SWAT Root Cause Engineer
1. Troubleshoot and identify the “root cause” of electric problems within vehicles using model-specific wire schematics and network topographies.
2. Travel to different facilities/plants to work with other electrical engineers on identifying key problems within vehicles, proposing solution methods for resolving them.
Why did you want to do this co-op/What do you hope to gain from the experience? I attended a co-op callout during my freshman year at Purdue and felt it was an excellent method of gaining valuable experience in a real work environment. Not only is room and board covered by FCA each rotation, but I also get paid for my contributions in the workplace, increasing each time I return. While it delays my graduation a year, participating in the co-op program both helps pay for in-state tuition myself and grants me a better understanding of whether the automotive industry and the associated positions I worked in would be worth pursuing as full-time positions after school.
What are your ultimate career goals? The automotive industry can prove to be a rather unstable market at times. However, regardless of whether I stay with FCA after graduating from Purdue, I believe that the co-op was necessary in determining what I want to do with my career. Ultimately, I want to find and secure a position as an electrical engineer that will provide me with the opportunity to use complex problem-solving skills learned from both school and the co-op program to create products that improve a customer’s quality of life.
More Co-op Spotlights: https://engineering.purdue.edu/ECE/Academics/Undergraduates/Enrichment/Co-Op
