While celebrating 20 years in business this year, Design West Engineering is thriving! Through expansion of the Southern California office into a new building that effectively doubled the space of our previous office, continued growth into a new market in the Pacific Northwest, and through new key hires we bring on, DWE is focused on the development of our team to deliver the outstanding customer service that we are known for.
Since the beginning of the year, despite the current situation of COVID-19, we have brought on 2 experienced Professional Engineers (PE) in Nicole Oleas and Brad Barbosa, and had one of our team, Darrell Johnson, pass the exam to become a newly minted PE. Internally at DWE, we have already seen the positive influence that each of them brings to our projects, so we are excited to formally introduce them here.
Nicole Oleas, PE | Mechanical Engineer
As a Project Manager and Mechanical Engineer, Nicole brings an excellent blend of strong problem-solving abilities and great interpersonal skills. Friendly and outgoing, she loves jumping into new challenges and is fast and focused on meeting the client’s needs. Nicole is a licensed Professional Engineer and received a Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering with a minor in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Columbia. Early in her career, she worked as a field engineer in construction management with a focus on MEP trades and continued on to pursue mechanical and plumbing systems design thereafter. Her design experience includes a focus in laboratory work, historical buildings, and high-end high-rise tenant improvements. She delivers creative solutions, coordinates efficiently with other disciplines, and is detail-oriented during all stages of a project.
Brad Barbosa, PE | Electrical Engineer
Brad is a recent addition to the Design West Engineering team, and he brings more than 10 years of diverse electrical engineering experience in K-12, Higher Education, Government/Civic, Commercial and Healthcare design. After serving as an electrician on the USS Columbus Naval Submarine, Brad received a Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering from California State Polytechnic University in 2006. He is a LEED Green Associate, Certified Energy Manager, and licensed Professional Engineer. Prior to his design experience, Brad was the Plant Engineer for a large manufacturing facility, giving him a unique understanding from the end-user’s perspective where he managed energy-efficient upgrades and new plant expansions. He has been able to incorporate that experience into his style of project management as he works with the end-user to achieve their project goals. Brad has extensive experience in needs assessments, Basis of Design, Title 24, and Commissioning documentation for scope that includes site work, demolition / modernization, lighting, power, data, voice, intrusion detection, access control, public address, audio-visual, and fire alarm with emergency voice alarm communication (EVAC). He has quickly integrated with the electrical team and is a great addition to Design West’s projects.
Darrell Johnson, PE | Mechanical Engineer / Commissioning Agent
Darrell Johnson began working with Design West Engineering in 2016 as a part-time intern while in school, then coming on board full-time after completing his degree in Mechanical Engineering at UC Riverside in 2018. Darrell served as design and drafting support for the Mechanical and Plumbing Department Head, Steven Johnson. In January of 2018, Darrell transitioned to supporting the commissioning team. Darrell has experience designing complex mechanical systems for educational facilities, medical facilities, and office buildings. He has worked with clients to prepare project specifications, prepared detailed engineering drawings and schematics for each project and prepared engineering reports and project assessments. His skills include a command of technologies, tools, and best practices in designing mechanical systems using AutoCAD, Revit and Energy Pro. He has comprehensive written and verbal communication abilities. Darrell is great with organizational skills, working closely with team members to achieve project goals, problem-solving, and time-management abilities. He is adept at identifying the root cause of issues and implementing creative, targeted solutions.
Design West Engineering’s mission statement is to provide our clients with the highest quality of engineering and customer service in order to deliver a product that we are proud of and so that together we can help to build better communities in the places where we live and work. We are confident that the addition of these individuals to our already valued staff will continue to elevate our position with our clients and provide the service we are known for in the industry.
