Jamie Sevigny - Engineer, Project Management

• Quote: In whatever you do, bring your own unique perspective to the job.
• Born: Jonquière, Quebec, Canada
• Favourite subjects in school: Mathematics, physical education
• Education: Bachelor's, electrical engineering
• Job title: Engineer, Project Management
• Employer: Canadian Space Agency
• Directorate: Space Utilization
• Projects at the CSA: RADARSAT-1, RADARSAT Constellation, Canadarm2, Dextre, Mobile Servicing System of the ISS

When teaching astronauts to operate Canadarm2, I had to know my stuff inside and out. Being a younger woman in that environment sometimes made it hard to tell an astronaut, who's proven himself technically and all, to go back and try again or that I was going to show him how to improve on something. I knew that I had to know my stuff because if I was going to challenge one of those people, I'd better have a darn good reason and solid arguments.

Teaching astronauts is not a purely technical job. Yeah, you need to be able to understand the engineering, understand how the system's wired, understand what the impact down the line is if something goes wrong. But soft skills are critical.

Jamie is an electrical engineer who has trained countless astronauts in her capacity of Robotics Instructor. Five years ago, she shifted to project management and works on developing the ground segment for the RADARSAT Constellation Mission. She's a mother of three. For many years, including two as its President, she has been actively involved with the Board of the Centre de la petite enfance La Voie lactée, the CSA's daycare in the workplace.

What is unique about your job?
The projects we work on eventually go into space!

Which professional accomplishment are you the most proud of?
There are many little accomplishments along the way that make the job very rewarding.

Who or what helped you the most throughout your career?
What has helped me is being open and honest, and making decisions that are in line with my values.

What advice would you offer to girls or women?
Don’t let the unknown stop you from following a career path. In whatever you do, be yourself and bring your own unique perspective to the job.