Rick Singer joined the Penn E&R team in January 2015. He is a licensed Professional Engineer and serves as an Assistant Project Manager in the Hatfield Engineering Group. Rick’s areas of expertise include electric, gas and water utility design, erosion and sediment control and stormwater management design, associated environmental permitting and land development. He is also proficient in information technology infrastructure and technical documentation. Rick spent four years in a management role in the information technology field prior to joining the Penn E&R team.
1. What is your role at Penn E&R?
I currently serve as an Assistant Project manager. I assist the Hatfield engineering managers with many of the projects we have going on, and I have a couple projects of my own that I manage. I also have a strong focus on developing training documentation and improving processes and communication.
2. What is a typical day at Penn E&R like for you?
My days at Penn E&R are always variable. When not communicating with clients or reviewing agencies, I spend much of my day working with junior staff to improve processes, increase efficiency and develop technical knowledge. I also spend much of my day directing day-to-day tasks in a team environment to develop project deliverables.
3. Where are you from?
I was born and raised in Philadelphia.
4. What college did you attend?
I received my bachelor’s degree from Pennsylvania State University – Main Campus and my master’s degree from the University of Pennsylvania.
5. What is one goal you’d like to accomplish in your lifetime?
I am very passionate about teaching and training. I’d like to one day teach as an adjunct professor for a college class.
6. What is your proudest achievement?
Becoming a professional engineer. I spent some time working in the information technology field before coming to Penn E&R, and decided to pursue my E.I.T. certification relatively late in my career. It was challenging going back and studying material from my undergraduate coursework that I had not received formal education on in some years, but the payoff was well worth it.
7. What hobbies do you enjoy outside of work?
I enjoy photography, building and upgrading computers, and hiking and traveling with my wife. I love talking about technology development and the latest camera, computer and phone hardware.
8. What is something people would be surprised to learn about you?
I grew up with five Rhodesian Ridgebacks—large dogs bred in Africa.
9. What is your favorite part about working at Penn E&R?
I love the breadth of projects that I get to work on every day. No two days are ever the same. I also love the opportunities for learning and professional growth that Penn E&R provides. Each day I am given the chance to work with a diverse team that has a wealth of technical knowledge and expertise from which I can learn. I also take pride in contributing my own knowledge to the development of other staff.
