Preston Clinemyer, 24
Hardware Design Engineer
Sealevel Systems
Liberty, SC, United States
BS Electronics Engineering Technology, University of Arkansas Grantham

What Makes Preston an Engineering Leader

Preston joined Sealevel in August 2020 as a repair technician on the production team. With a fast-growing skill set and a keen ability to learn, he quickly advanced to an engineering technician role. During this time, Preston decided to pursue a bachelor’s degree in Electronics Engineering Technology, which he completed in just over two years. Throughout his studies, he continued to support Sealevel’s embedded computing products, focusing on developing remote platform management interface firmware and custom BIOSes.

Achievements, Advancements & Career-related Industry Contributions

Preston’s rapid progression from repair technician to hardware design engineer highlights his natural aptitude and inquisitive nature, both of which are key to his engineering success. He consistently seeks opportunities to expand his knowledge through further study and hands-on applications. His enthusiasm for learning and relentless approach to engineering are unmatched. Early in his career at Sealevel, Preston was responsible for advanced solder modifications, prototype revisions, and testing. Today, he is well-versed in products for a leading customer in enterprise and tactical defense solutions. Notably, Preston led the development of custom intelligent platform management interface (IPMI) specifications and firmware. As part of the electrical engineering team, he is also directly involved in designing an artificial intelligence (AI) server product family.

Non-work-related Activities & Hobbies

In the past year, Preston has visited 17 waterfalls while hiking, often with his dog as his “hiking buddy.” He finds that time spent in nature parallels engineering, where the journey is as important as the destination. There are different paths to solutions, and achieving the end goal is deeply rewarding—though he tries not to think too much about work while hiking!

Interesting Details

Preston has broken both of his arms twice, resulting in a total of 16 casts, but it hasn’t slowed him down. He credits his creativity with helping him navigate life during those many times in a cast. Another interesting fact is that Preston shares the same Myers-Briggs personality type as Steve Jobs. They share traits like leadership, rationality, and the ability to inspire.

Why Preston Chose This Career

Preston’s interest in engineering began with his middle school robotics team, where he explored building, prototyping, programming, and testing. This early exposure sparked his curiosity about physics, leading him to pursue electrical engineering. For Preston, an engineering career offers limitless opportunities for developing a passion that began as a hobby into a lifelong pursuit, one that continues to grow and challenge him.

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