Jessica Maldonado is an Electrical Engineer at Tony Demaria Electric (TDE), a NETA Accredited Company in Wilmington, California. In her 10-plus years at TDE, Maldonado has consistently expanded her responsibilities from performing power system studies, reviewing and updating electrical prints and drawings, and teaching safety and technical workshops to providing testing services and analysis for electrical equipment —including transformers, large rotating machines, and all types of relays — as well as advanced testing services, fault protection parameter specification, design analysis, and failure investigation. Her focus now is on executing protection system retrofits and upgrades, including redesigning control systems, reviewing equipment specifications, testing installed components, supervising electrical commissioning work, and providing engineering consulting services.
Maldonado earned a BS in electrical engineering at UC Irvine, worked her way through the levels to achieve NETA Level 4 Senior Certified Technician, and is a Professional Engineer in the state of California.
In our continuing “Insight and Inspiration” series, Maldonado describes her journey and shares her thoughts for those new to the industry.
NW: What attracted you to electrical testing?
Maldonado: I started working for Tony Demaria Electric (TDE) because I wanted to go out in the field to see electrical equipment in action. I learned the theory of transformers, motors, and protection systems and the design of power systems, but I had never seen any of these in person until I started working for TDE. I began to get involved in the electrical testing of equipment and became very interested in using test results for troubleshooting and diagnostics.
NW: How long have you been in the field and how did you get started?
Maldonado: I have been a field engineer for almost 10 years. I started with many hours of training, including safety and industrial site training. I learned about the many standards used to analyze electrical test results and began using that information to review our test forms as part of quality control. I performed insulation resistance and contact resistance testing on circuit breakers together with our technicians. Over time, I have received additional training and have attended multiple conferences that have expanded my knowledge and ability to perform testing on equipment such as power transformers, motors, and protection systems.
NW: What was your path to your current position?
Maldonado: I started working for TDE as an electrical engineer. I had a theoretical background, but I did not have hands-on experience with electrical equipment. I started in the company by performing electrical system studies, such as arc flash, for our customers. I was also tasked with providing technical training to our employees and our customers. I slowly started going out to the field with our field technicians and began receiving the best on-the-job training. Over the years, I have attended numerous conferences and trainings, coordinated large projects, provided engineering services, and learned about electrical testing through NETA. I became a NETA Level 4 Senior Certified Technician and a more well-rounded electrical engineer.
NW: Who influenced or mentored you along the way?
Maldonado: At the beginning of my career at TDE, I had two of the greatest mentors: Tony Demaria and Gary Donner have taught me so much and have helped my growth in the company as well as in our industry. I remember the first conference I attended — they introduced me to many of their colleagues, who were subject-matter-experts in our industry. Tony and Gary continue to guide me and offer their expertise whenever needed.
These days my biggest influence is my daughters. As a mother of two young girls, I dream that one day I can mentor them to become electrical engineers and help them follow a similar career path. I enjoy returning home to tell them how exciting my day was and share the challenges I helped resolve. I love it when they ask me over dinner, “Mom, what happened at work today?”
NW: What about this work keeps you committed to the profession?
Maldonado: I always look forward to learning about new technology that is emerging for electrical testing. In the last couple of years, we have seen shifts in the types of tests and the use of different equipment in our industry as standards are being updated. I am sure electrical testing will continue to change with the years, and I can’t wait to see how the use of new technology will make our work more efficient and safer.
NW: Describe one of your best workdays…what happened?
Maldonado: One of my best workdays was a result of many hours of planning ahead of the job. It included constant communication with the customer and agreeing on the job scope and expectations. Job walks were completed before the work started to identify where lock-out/tag-out was necessary. On the first day of the job, every technician had their necessary PPE and tools. All the technicians had a clear job scope and understood their assignments. Some of our technicians found issues with the customer’s equipment, which they were able to solve promptly. When we finished the job, we had a preliminary test report for the customer that identified some of the issues with their equipment that needed immediate attention. The customer was very appreciative of the quality work from our technicians, and everyone went home on time and uninjured. Not every day or job goes as planned, but that day, I truly felt that all the pre-work and planning paid off.
NW: Please share the story of a day that didn’t go as planned. How did you respond and what did you learn?
Maldonado: This was a day when almost everything that could go wrong did go wrong. We had to travel several hours to perform preventive maintenance for one of our customers. Two of our top technicians called in sick, making it harder to complete the work within the allotted time frame provided by the customer. At the beginning of the job, everything was running smoothly, making me think that we would finish the job on time. All the test results were acceptable, and the equipment was working properly.
Suddenly, one of our test machines stopped functioning, and we realized our backup machine was in the vehicle of the technician who called in sick. We arranged for a replacement machine to be delivered, and I skipped any unnecessary breaks to try to catch up. We communicated with the customer, and they understood the situation and approved the additional time. In the end, we completed the full job scope at a decent time, but most importantly, safely. That day, I learned that it is best to have two backup test machines whenever possible.
NW: What energy trend do you think will most affect your work in the future?
Maldonado: The electrification of everything is already impacting our work, and I can’t wait to see what our everyday jobs will look like in the future.
NW: If you were talking to a young person interested in knowing more about being an electrical testing technician, how would you describe the job, and what advice would you give them?
Maldonado: An electrical testing technician performs maintenance and electrical tests to identify possible problems and life expectancy with electrical equipment. Technicians might work on one type of equipment as subject matter experts or on different types of equipment. Technicians work out in the field, which might not always be the cleanest or have the best weather conditions. It is very dynamic, and for that reason, it is never boring.
My advice for someone who would like to become an electrical testing technician is to get as much training as possible and constantly read about new technology related to testing. Find a company that is willing to invest in your growth. Lastly, find what interests you and learn as much as you can to become a subject matter expert.