A Day in the Life of Electrical Engineer Adrienne Schroeder

What does a typical day look like for Adrienne Schroeder, electrical engineer in Design Engineers’ Cedar Rapids office?

It’s a blend of technical problem-solving, creativity, collaboration, and variety to make every day feel different. Whether it’s lighting design discussions or on-site coordination in a hard hat, Adrienne’s work shapes the look, feel, and performance of buildings in Iowa and beyond.

Join Electrical Engineer Adrienne as she takes you through a day in her shoes!

Morning Kickoff

My day starts before I even walk through the door. As I drive into the parking lot of our Net-Zero headquarters, I plug my car into one of our company EV chargers—a free perk that makes commuting with an EV easy!

Once inside, I usually make a quick stop at our espresso machine (a true favorite) before heading to my desk. Mornings are my time to review project deadlines, check emails, and map out priorities for the day. At DE, every day brings a different mix of projects and challenges. As building systems consultants, we often work on several different types of projects at the same time, and each could be in a different phase. It means no two days are quite the same, and that’s what keeps things interesting!

With a fresh cup in hand and a clear plan ahead, I’m ready to dive in.

Design Review With Architects

This morning starts in a design review meeting with our client, the architect, and the broader project team. These meetings are where the big-picture vision meets the technical details. We walk through lighting layouts, power distribution strategies, and discuss how the electrical systems can support both the aesthetic and functional goals of the building.

I love the design phase because it’s forward-looking and creative. We’re not just placing lights and panels—we’re shaping how people will experience the space and that’s exciting! Being proactive in this phase helps us avoid conflicts later in construction and ensures the design is efficient and well-coordinated.

This particular project involves renovating a historic building to modernize and update the space while preserving select original infrastructure to maintain its historical character. Our architect lets us know of a forthcoming floor plan change and we review our electrical design to ensure it complies with preservation guidelines while still meeting modern code and performance expectations.

It’s a bit like a puzzle. How do we introduce new infrastructure without compromising the building’s beauty and character? It challenges me to think creatively and keeps the job interesting! After the meeting, I stop by the BIM area to talk them through the floor plan change.

Power Load Analysis

Mid-morning, I switch to a completely different project and crank out a couple hours of power load analysis for a new fire station. Some of my days have more meetings than others, but today I blocked off time to focus on calculations and design. I evaluate connected loads, demand factors, and future expansion capacity to ensure the electrical service is appropriately sized—this is where the engineering math kicks in!

In any project, this step is critical work that takes time and attention. Oversize the system and you increase costs unnecessarily. Undersize it, and you create long-term operational issues. Getting it right protects both the client’s budget, the building’s performance, and the safety of the building’s occupants.

Lunch Break!

I grab my lunch and join fellow early-career mechanical and electrical engineers for our biweekly Young Engineers Series, where senior staff lead short, interesting discussions on all sorts of topics in our industry. It’s a great chance to fuel our passion to always learn!

Midday Client Presentation

After lunch, I present electrical design updates to a client owner on an elementary school remodel. I walk them through our approach in clear, non-technical language and answer questions about efficiency and long-term operating costs. What I quickly learned after joining DE is we’re a social group of engineers. While our down time can be characterized with jokes and laughter, we’re also smart communicators, and it shows in moments like this.

Site Visit

In the afternoon, I join one of our senior engineers on a site visit to Iowa City. I grab my hard hat and hop in the company EV. Our Green Team records all the electric vehicle miles we log each month and highlights them on a digital leaderboard across the offices. It’s a fun competition to see who uses our company EV the most each month—a few more trips, and we might make the leaderboard!

On site, I review installation progress, answer contractor questions, and confirm that the work matches our design intent. Seeing the systems come to life is an exciting and rewarding milestone.

Coordination with Internal Team

Back at the office, I coordinate an internal design meeting with our mechanical and technology teams. Electrical systems don’t exist in isolation, they interact with HVAC equipment, fire alarm systems, controls, and more. Close coordination is needed between our Electrical, Technology, and Mechanical teams on any given project to ensure that we are providing well-rounded and functional systems. We review potential conflicts in the model, clarify responsibilities, and adjust designs where necessary.

We know sometimes a project requires extra collaboration for the greater good. Our lead technology consultant and I decide to follow up the meeting with more discussion. We talk together about the new design elements to ensure we have the same understanding of what needs to be added.

Equipment Submittal Review

Later in the day, I review a couple equipment submittals from contractors. I confirm that the proposed equipment (i.e. switchgear, lighting fixtures, etc.) meets our specifications and performance criteria.

This step protects quality. It ensures what gets ordered and installed will function the way we intended and supports the energy and durability goals of the project.

Construction Support

Before wrapping up for the day, I respond to RFIs (Requests for Information) in my inbox, providing design clarifications to the contractor installing the electrical system. Depending on the phase of my projects, some days bring more questions from the field than others.

These responses do more than clarify drawings—they help keep construction moving, and sometimes entire crews are waiting on answers before work can continue. Staying responsive reinforces that we’re engaged partners through every phase, from design through project completion.

Wrapping Up

Adrienne’s day reflects what makes electrical engineering at DE dynamic and rewarding: creativity, collaborative problem-solving, technical depth, and real-world impact. Whether she’s analyzing loads, coordinating with architects, or supporting contractors in the field, every step contributes to buildings that blend innovation, beauty, and practicality.

If espresso-fueled brainstorming sessions or EV-powered site visits sound like your cup of tea, check out our careers page and learn more about careers at Design Engineers!