Chris Carpenter, Denver Service Center Portfolio Manager

Photo caption: Chris Carpenter recreating in Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks.

What is your name and job title?  

Chris Carpenter, P.E., Portfolio Manager for Grand Canyon National Park Denver Service Center (DSC) Infrastructure Projects

Why did you become an engineer? 

I became an engineer because I enjoy solving problems. I think the process of field observation of a problem, developing probable solutions, and implementing solutions to make something better that it was originally is very rewarding.

What is one of your favorite park projects that you've worked on and why? 

The rehabilitation of the Pinnacles National Park east side campground water system was one of my favorite projects from early in my NPS career. I prepared full design reports, water model, cost estimates and developed three phases of implementation for the project. I was able to complete two of the three phases of construction of the project. The project was a small ground water system that included integrated solar power submersible pump and grid power pump that primarily operated on solar power. Working with the operator through the design and construction of the project was very rewarding and really solidified why I became a civil engineer. Several years ago I heard the last phase was constructed using my construction documents that I prepared; over ten years after I designed it.

How does curiosity and ingenuity play a role in your work? 

There are many different ways to design solutions to a problem that meets all code and regulatory requirements. Curiosity and ingenuity are what allow an engineer to take a good design/solution and customize it to be a great design/solution for a specific situation and application. 

What would your advice be to someone interested in an engineering role at the National Park Service? 

As an engineer with the National Park Service I've had the opportunity to work on such a large variety of different types of projects in some really amazing and challenging locations. On many of the projects, I’ve found that the engineering is easy, it’s the constructability and logistics that are the crux of the problem to solve. Bottom line is with the variety of work and variability of locations you'll always be challenged with something new. After over 15 years as a NPS engineer, I'm still challenged daily.