3 Aug 2022
Meet Monique Cooper, an Auckland-based Product Development Engineer at Fisher & Paykel Healthcare.
I describe my role to non-engineers as…
Coming up with multiple technical ways to solve healthcare needs.
The part of my job that always surprises people is…
That I’m encouraged to use the state-of-the-art workshops for home projects.
The best thing I’ve introduced at my workplace is…
Baking afternoon tea. It’s a fantastic way to network and to understand what’s happening in different teams.
In my role, I always challenge…
What is at the root of the problem.
At work, I’ve never been afraid to…
Ask questions and voice my opinion.
In the past year, I’ve pushed boundaries by…
Becoming Auckland University of Technology’s first Rhodes Scholar; I will continue my studies at the University of Oxford University in England later this year.
I admire engineers who…
Have built in intuition for decision making.
At school, teachers always described me as…
Enthusiastic, well-rounded and conscientious.
My luckiest break was…
Meeting the people at the start-up Thought-Wired while volunteering for a youth programme. From there I got involved in their socially conscious work.
The bravest thing I’ve done to get where I am today
Moving to Taiwan to work in a robotics lab.
Best career advice I’ve received…
Doors open through relationships – ensure you invest in people as much as the work itself.
I’d advise other people interested in my type of role to…
Put in the mahi, ask for help and apply for something that will challenge and engage you.
3 things I love about my job:
- I get to learn about different aspects of engineering and design work each day. I understand customer problems, technical problems, the trade-offs in design, manufacturing at scale, intellectual property protection, partnering with other organisations, how design affects people and the environment… the list goes on.
- As I get exposed to so much, I get the opportunity to find out what I enjoy and where I excel.
- Knowing the product I am designing will make the lives of healthcare professionals easier, provide therapy for patients and has sustainability advantages.
2 reasons why I chose to study engineering:
- I wanted to understand the world in a scientific way and to be able to put this understanding into practice creatively.
- As a volunteer firefighter for approximately five years in Tamaki Makaurau, I was using technology, such as the jaws of life and water pumps. I wanted to understand the intersection of helping vulnerable people and technology.
1 thing I wouldn’t change about my workday:
- Each day I'm learning and being challenged.
