Beyond the Pour: Joel Swerchesky, Senior Director Engineering
At Keurig Dr Pepper (KDP), we provide employees with the training and resources to cultivate long-lasting, engaging careers. Joel Swerchesky, a Senior Director of Engineering, joined KDP as a mechanical engineer 11 years ago and has built his career through training and mentorship. Swerchesky works with teams across our global offices to develop innovative appliances and maintain the quality of our existing products.
What does a day in your role look like?
Every day in Appliance Engineering brings something new and unique. I can be supporting the development of our latest products, collaborating with global teams to ensure we have the best possible quality or optimizing our existing products.
Who/What inspired you to pursue a career in engineering?
I have always enjoyed working with my hands and either building or taking things apart to see how they work (and likely breaking it in the process – sorry Mom and Dad). In high school I learned that this is basically what mechanical engineers get paid to do. After that, I never looked back.
Describe your career path. What brought you to your current role?
I started my career designing industrial equipment before switching to consumer products. I was fortunate to work with many great engineers who mentored me and helped me build a strong foundation in engineering. While I enjoyed leading teams and projects, I wasn’t sure management was the right path for me. KDP gave me the opportunity to explore that path supervising co-ops and interns and that has led to a very rewarding career working with great people.
What advice would you give to someone looking to pursue a career in engineering?
Be curious and a lifelong learner. Having the technical education is important but the most valuable skill I picked up in college is “how to learn.” I almost never know how to solve a problem immediately, but I’m confident I can learn enough about the problem to come up with a solution.
Can you share ways you have developed at KDP?
My development at KDP has been a mix of formal trainings and informal, on-the-job growth. Having the opportunity to set aside time for formal training is great, and the times that have been most successful for me is when I can immediately apply that training material to my day-to-day job. KDP has given me the opportunity to tailor training to what is most important for me and my role.