Tag Archives: NDI

Employee Stories: Thomas, NDI Technician

Thomas grew up in Anacortes, Washington, where he spent much of his time on the water racing sailboats. He was first introduced to Janicki through that world, learning the company had built the molds for several America’s Cup boats. That connection left a lasting impression. “I wanted to potentially go into a role that involved building boats,” he says.

Away from the water, Thomas discovered a love for cooking. His journey in the restaurant industry started at just eight years old, working in his parents’ Anacortes-based business, The Best Little Restaurant in Town. He began as a dishwasher and moved into the kitchen by age 15. After graduating high school, he joined the industry full-time. While he appreciated the creativity and fast-paced environment, the long hours and ongoing pressure eventually took a toll.

Choosing a New Course

Looking for something new, Thomas reconnected with a friend serving in the Navy. Inspired by their conversation, he enlisted. He began his military career as an undesignated fireman and later qualified as a rescue swimmer. Eager to expand his skills, he attended Aviation Electronic Technician school, completed the Navy’s cook test and transitioned into the reserves. There he served as air crew and loadmaster on DC-9 aircraft based at NAS Whidbey Island.

That combination of culinary and aircrew training opened the door to a unique assignment. Thomas was recalled to active duty and stationed in Sicily, where he served as a personal chef and flight attendant for a Navy Admiral aboard a Gulfstream private jet. The 18-month assignment allowed him to merge both passions while living and working overseas. Over his career, Thomas completed about five years of active duty and sixteen years in the reserves, including several additional recalls.

After the Navy, Thomas worked in a variety of roles, including sales, before finding a new direction in engineering. He used his GI Bill to enroll in the composites engineering program at Bellingham Technical College. During a school tour of Janicki, he learned they were hiring and decided to apply.

Life at Janicki

He joined Janicki in 2018 as a part-time mill technician while finishing his degree. Working on the floor sparked an interest in Non-Destructive Inspection (NDI), and after graduating, he was hired full-time as an NDI trainee. With Janicki’s support, Thomas completed 600 hours of on-the-job training and was sent to certification school for 40 hours of classroom time to earn his Level I certification. Janicki then sponsored an additional 40 hours of classroom instruction and testing, enabling him to earn his Level I certification in 2020 after another 200 hours of hands-on training.

Today, Thomas is Janicki’s most senior Level II technician and is certified in A-scan, C-scan and phased array inspection. He’s known as the go-to resource for complex inspection work.

Work-Life on the Weekend Shift

“I like that I’m not doing the same thing all the time. I get to work on all kinds of different parts,” he says. “There’s lots of opportunities for NDI roles, both at Janicki and beyond. It was a great career move for me.”

He currently works weekend shifts in Building 9, serving as the phased array inspection expert. With three 12-hour shifts totaling 36 hours, he receives full-time pay while enjoying four days off each week. The schedule gives him time to hike, camp and enjoy the outdoors during the week, avoiding the crowds.

“I love working weekends, it’s like being semi-retired,” he says.

Creativity After Hours

One of Thomas’s passions is night landscape photography, using a technique called light painting. This involves long-exposure shots where a light source is moved during the exposure to illuminate key elements of the scene. The result is a striking, creative blend of natural beauty and artistic lighting. Some of his landscape photography will soon be displayed in Janicki facilities.

From inspecting advanced aerospace parts to creating dramatic night landscapes, Thomas continues to build a life centered around curiosity, hands-on learning and personal passion.

Interested in joining our growing NDI team? Apply on our Job Openings page.

Intern Stories: Luke, 2025 NDI Engineering Intern

Luke is one of Janicki’s engineering interns for summer 2025, specializing in non-destructive inspection (NDI). Originally from Long Beach, California, he attends Iowa State University, where he is majoring in mechanical engineering with a minor in NDI.

Luke was inspired to pursue engineering by his grandfather, a design engineer who worked on aerospace programs similar to those Luke is now contributing to at Janicki.

In his role, Luke works closely with NDI technicians and engineers to define and implement tests that detect material conditions and flaws that could otherwise lead to catastrophic failure in parts. These evaluations are performed in a way that preserves the future usefulness of the object or material. In short, NDI enables inspection and measurement without causing damage.

Luke’s days typically begin on the production floor alongside a technician conducting inspections. Later, he transitions to tasks such as designing a fixture, documenting inspection processes, or adding NDI-related resources to Janicki’s internal site.

His favorite part of the internship so far has been seeing parts transform from start to finish. He also appreciates the opportunity to collaborate with Janicki’s NDI technicians, citing their drive, diligence and attention to detail.

One of Luke’s projects this summer involved designing a fixture to help rotate a part, which helped reduce both labor and time during a specific process. He said he was impressed, and at times, almost overwhelmed by the level of detail involved in every part.

His advice for future interns is simple: talk to as many people as possible.

Back at Iowa State, Luke serves as a teaching assistant for mechanics and manufacturing courses, contributes to NDI research, works on the university’s Prism Solar Car team and participates in intramural sports.

Outside of the lab and classroom, he enjoys biking, swimming and attending outdoor concerts. While in Washington this summer, he completed the Lake Whatcom sprint triathlon. Luke says his friends would describe him as lively, personable and confident.

Looking ahead, he’s excited to graduate, explore both professional and personal goals, and maybe take on another triathlon.

Written by Avery, 2025 Human Resources Intern

Are you interested in becoming a Janicki intern? Visit our Internships page for more information.

Employee Stories: Salma, NDI Technician

Before joining Janicki, Salma worked as a certified nursing assistant at a nursing home. Her empathetic nature made her well-suited for the role, and she enjoyed bonding with her patients. However, despite the fulfillment she found in helping others, the stress of the job was unsustainable, and Salma knew it wasn’t her lifelong career path.

Salma’s brother, who worked at Janicki, suggested she consider applying to the company. Seeking a fresh start outside the medical field, Salma took his advice and applied to Janicki as a production technician.

Exploring New Horizons

In 2018, Salma was hired and started in mold fabrication. She quickly showcased her versatility and eagerness to learn. She transitioned to the controlled contamination area (CCA) team where she honed her skills in laying up, using resin and fabricating production parts. Over time, she moved between various production roles, adapting to the needs of different programs.

Three years ago, Salma’s curiosity was piqued by a new machine with a robot arm in Building 5.

“There was a really small team working with it, and I wondered what those people did,” she recalls. “I ended up helping them with a project and learned a lot about the work they were doing.”

The new machine was a nondestructive inspecting system with a built-in robot arm, called the Kuka Genesis, which sprays water and ultrasonic sounds against composite parts to evaluate structural integrity and fitness of use while keeping them intact.

After that, Salma went out of her way to learn more about nondestructive inspection. She spoke with department members about the different equipment pieces and their uses. She even did some research on the side to better understand the field. One day, Salma saw a job opening for an NDI trainee role on the internal job openings list. Despite her lack of experience in the field, she was eager to learn more and decided to apply. Her interest and drive impressed the department, so they brought her on in 2023.

Janicki provided comprehensive training for Salma to receive her Level I certification in ultrasonics, including practical hours on the job, 40 classroom hours in California, and a test she completed in October 2023. Shortly after that, Salma began training for her Level II certification, and in June 2024, she achieved this milestone. She became qualified to set up and calibrate equipment and interpret and evaluate results according to applicable codes, standards, and specifications.

“Janicki is very generous,” she notes. “They train you on-site and pay for all of your training to get the certification.”

Continuing the Journey

Salma’s journey doesn’t end here. She is eager to continue learning and gaining experience with different devices and techniques as a Level II technician. She aspires to one day achieve her Level III certification, solidifying her expertise in the field.

Life Beyond Work

Outside of her professional pursuits, Salma enjoys a well-rounded life. She loves hanging out with friends and spending time with her dog, Rollo. Recently, she has taken up swimming and camping, even spending several days at Baker Lake this year. She also went camping with her NDI team, strengthening bonds with her colleagues. Additionally, Salma is rediscovering her love for reading.