Jonathan Miller, 35
Automation Engineer
CDM Smith
Columbus, OH, United States
BS Electrical & Computer Engineering, Ohio State University

What Makes Jonathan an Engineering Leader

Jonathan’s strong technical skills provide a solid foundation for supporting his clients in the water and wastewater sector. He is deeply dedicated to his clients and understands the greater public purpose they serve. Jonathan has earned their trust by being available in emergencies 24/7/365, including nights, weekends, holidays, and even during vacations. Jonathan also stands out as a leader and is eager to mentor the next generation of control engineering professionals. His greatest passion is seeing others succeed in achieving their career goals.

Achievements, Advancements & Career-related Industry Contributions

Jonathan is an automation engineer responsible for field assessment, design, applications engineering, construction oversight/commissioning, and maintenance of water and wastewater control systems. He is a licensed professional engineer in the state of Ohio and holds a Rockwell Programmer Certificate. Jonathan has taught multiple training courses on general programmable logic controller (PLC) programming as well as GE/Emerson PLCs. At CDM Smith, Jonathan has served in several leadership roles, including Project Technical Leader and member of the Guidance Committee in the CDM Smith Automation Community of Practice. Currently, he is the Ohio Region Area Coordinator for the automation discipline, where he leads or assists with proposals, pursuits, staffing, workloads, training, mentoring, performance appraisals, recruitment, project delivery, identifying research and development opportunities, and attending industry conferences. Jonathan recently obtained his Project Management Professional (PMP) certification from the Project Management Institute, furthering his advancement as a Project Manager. Throughout his career, Jonathan has been active in recruiting new professionals to the field of automation. He frequently attends college recruitment events and has presented to the Ohio State American Society of Mechanical Engineers chapter, providing an overview of automation and career opportunities in the field.

Non-work-related Activities & Hobbies

Last year, Jonathan and his wife Monika welcomed their second child. Jonathan is a dedicated family man who enjoys spending time with his family at local parks, museums, and the zoo. Outside of his family commitments, he enjoys working on his home automation system and attending events for the local International Society of Automation (ISA) Columbus Section, where he is a member.

Interesting Details

Due to Jonathan’s strong commitment to mentorship, he was selected as senior master mentor in CDM Smith’s technical specialist development program. Jonathan recently traveled to India, where he met the two senior engineers he will be mentoring for the next two years. One interesting and inventive task Jonathan undertook was with a chemically enhanced primary treatment system. The challenge was that the treatment train being constructed would only activate a few times per year during high flows, making commissioning very difficult. Jonathan developed PLC programming that utilized historical data to replay past events, assisting with testing and system visualization.

Why Jonathan Chose This Career

Jonathan chose this career path because he enjoys working on control systems. There is a powerful feeling when you hit the green “start” button and a control system comes alive for the first time. It gives him a strong sense of purpose knowing that what he has created is controlling a system that delivers drinking water or treats wastewater for the local community. Many of the projects Jonathan has worked on have had direct positive impacts on the local environment. Knowing that he was part of the team that made it all possible is incredibly rewarding.

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