All through the life cycles of missions, Goddard engineer Noosha Haghani has championed problem-solving and decision-making to get to flight-ready tasks.

Title: Noosha Haghani
Title: Plankton Aerosol Clouds and Ecosystem (PACE) Deputy Mission Techniques Engineer
Formal Job Classification: Electrical engineer
Group: Engineering and Know-how Directorate, Mission Techniques Engineering Department (Code 599)

What do you do and what’s most fascinating about your function right here at Goddard?

Because the PACE deputy mission techniques engineer, we resolve issues on daily basis, all day lengthy. A bonus I’ve is that I’ve been on this challenge from the start.

Why did you develop into an engineer? What’s your instructional background?

I used to be all the time excellent at math and science. Each of my mother and father are engineers. I beloved constructing with Legos and fixing puzzles. Turning into an engineer was a pure development for me.

I’ve a BS in electrical engineering and a grasp’s in reliability engineering from the College of Maryland, Faculty Park. I had accomplished all my course work for my Ph.D. as properly however by no means completed attributable to household obligations.

How did you come to Goddard?

As a freshman in faculty, I interned at Goddard. After commencement, I labored in trade for a couple of years. In 2002, I returned to Goddard as a result of I noticed that what we do at Goddard is a lot extra distinctive and thrilling to me.

My mom additionally works at Goddard as a software program engineer, so I’m a second-generation Goddard worker. Early on in my profession, my mom and I met for lunch sometimes. Now I’m simply too busy to even schedule lunch.

Describe the benefits you might have in understanding a system which you might have labored on from the unique design by construct and testing?

I got here to the PACE challenge because the architect of an avionics system known as MUSTANG, a set of {hardware} electronics that performs the operate of the avionics of the mission together with command and knowledge dealing with, energy, perspective management, and extra. Because the MUSTANG lead, I proposed an structure for the PACE spacecraft which the PACE supervisor accepted, so MUSTANG is the core structure for the PACE spacecraft. I led the group in constructing the preliminary {hardware} after which moved into my present techniques engineering function.

Realizing the historical past of a challenge is a bonus in that it teaches me how the system works. Understanding the rationale of the choice making we made through the years helps me to higher respect why we constructed the system method we did.

How would you describe your problem-solving methods?

An issue all the time manifests as some incorrect studying or some failure in a check, which I check with as proof of the issue. Drawback fixing is principally trying on the proof and determining what’s inflicting the issue. You undergo sure paths to find out in case your principle matches the proof. It requires a sure degree of understanding of the system we’ve got constructed. There are a lot of parts to the observatory together with {hardware} and software program that may very well be implicated. We compartmentalize the issue and take a look at to determine the basis trigger systematically. Typically we should do extra testing to get the issue to recreate itself and supply extra proof.

As a group lead, how do you create and assign an investigation plan?

As a pacesetter, I divide up the obligations of the troubleshooting investigation. We’re a really massive group. Every particular person has completely different roles and obligations. I’m the second-highest rating technical authority for the mission, so I will be main a number of teams of individuals on any given day, relying on the problem.

The proof introduced to us for the issue will normally implicate a couple of subsystems. We pull within the leads for these subsystems and related personnel and we focus on the issue. We brainstorm. We resolve on investigation and mitigation methods. We then ask the Integration and Take a look at group to assist perform our investigation plan.

As a techniques engineer, how do you lead people who don’t report back to you or by your chain of command?

I’m liable for the technical integrity of the mission. As a techniques engineer, these people don’t work for me. They themselves reply to a line supervisor who will not be in my chain of command. I lead them by influencing them.

I exploit management character and mutual respect to information the group and persuade them that the tactic we’ve got chosen to unravel the issue is one of the best methodology. As a result of I’ve an extended historical past with the challenge, and was with this technique from the drafting board, I usually perceive how the system works. This helps me information the group to discovering the basis reason for any downside.

How do you lead your group to achieve consensus?

All the pieces is a group effort. We’d be no the place with out the group. I need to give full credit score to all of the groups.

You could respect members of your group, and every group member should respect you as a pacesetter. I first attempt to collect and study as a lot as attainable in regards to the work, what it takes to do the work, understanding the technical elements of the work and principally understanding the technical necessities of the {hardware}. I do know just a little about all of the subsystems, however I depend on my subsystem group leads who’re the subject material specialists.

The choice on easy methods to construct the system falls on the Techniques Crew. The subject material specialists present a number of choices and outline dangers related to every.  We then decide primarily based on one of the best technical resolution for the challenge that falls inside the fee/schedule and danger posture.

If my material specialists and I don’t agree, we commute and work collectively as a group to return to a consensus on easy methods to proceed. Typically all of us ask many questions to assist information out path. The group is constructed on mutual respect and good communication. Once we lastly attain a call, nearly everybody agrees due to our collaboration, negotiation and typically compromise.

What’s your favourite saying?

Higher is the enemy of fine sufficient. You could steadiness perfectionism with actuality.

How do you steadiness perfectionism with actuality to decide?

Goddard has numerous perfectionists. I’m not a perfectionist, however I’ve excessive expectations. Goddard has numerous conservatism, however conservatism alone won’t deliver a challenge to fruition.

There’s a degree of idealism in design that claims you could all the time enhance on a design. Perfection is idealistic. You possibly can analyze one thing on paper eternally. In the end, though I’m liable for the technical elements solely, we nonetheless as a mission should keep price and schedule. We may enhance a design eternally however that may take money and time away from different tasks. We have to know when we’ve got constructed one thing that’s adequate, though possibly not good.

In the long run, one thing on paper is nice, however constructing and testing {hardware} is prime with the intention to proceed. Often the choices we make take some calculated danger. We don’t all the time have all of the info and moreover we don’t all the time have the time to attend for all of the info. We should sooner or later decide primarily based on the information we’ve got.

In the end a group lead has to make a judgement name. The reply will not be in doing naked minimal or reducing corners to get the job accomplished, however fairly realizing what degree of effort is the correct quantity to maneuver ahead.

Why is the power to decide certainly one of your finest management qualities?

There’s a sure degree of talent in with the ability to decide. If you don’t decide, sooner or later that incapability to decide turns into a call. You could have misplaced time and nothing will get constructed.

My group is aware of that if they arrive to me, I’ll give them a path ahead to execute. Nobody likes to be caught in limbo, working in circles. Lots of people in a challenge need path in order that they’ll go ahead and implement that call. The techniques group should have the ability to make choices in order that the group can find yourself with a completed, launchable challenge.

Certainly one of my most important jobs is to entry danger. Is it dangerous to maneuver on? Or do I would like to analyze additional? We’ve a day-by-day danger evaluation resolution making course of which decides whether or not or not we’ll transfer on with the actions of that day.

As a casual mentor, what’s an important recommendation you give?

Don’t quit. All the pieces will ultimately all click on collectively.

What do you want most about your job?

I like downside fixing. I thrive in organized chaos. Day by day we push ahead, full duties. Day by day is a reward as a result of we’re progressing in direction of our launch date.

Who conjures up you?

The group conjures up me. They make me need to come to work on daily basis and perform a little bit higher. My job may be very nerve-racking. I work numerous hours. What motivates me to proceed is that there are different individuals doing the identical factor, they’re superb. I respect every of them a lot.

What do you do for enjoyable?

I wish to go to the gymnasium and I like watching my son play sports activities. I take pleasure in journey and I like getting immersed in a metropolis of a special nation.

By Elizabeth M. Jarrell
NASA’s Goddard House Flight Heart, Greenbelt, Md.

Conversations With Goddard is a set of Q&A profiles highlighting the breadth and depth of NASA’s Goddard House Flight Heart’s gifted and numerous workforce. The Conversations have been printed twice a month on common since Might 2011. Learn previous editions on Goddard’s “Our Folks” webpage.