Sustaining our warfighting advantage requires a dedicated team of experts committed to Fleet readiness. Among these experts is Mechanical Engineer Alex Read, a standout employee known for his work ethic, positive attitude and deep expertise in robotics and rapid prototyping.
A Poulsbo, Washington native, Alex first became passionate about engineering during his senior year of high school, after taking part in a Keyport STEM outreach event in which he built underwater remotely operated vehicles.
“We put together some PVC pipe and had some people from Keyport come over and show us how to build a basic motor,” said Alex. “I just remember thinking that it was awesome that we got to build something hands on at school. It kind of got me hooked into engineering. It made me realize engineering is fun and it's different than a couple of the other things I was looking at.”
After completing high school, Alex earned a Bachelor of Science in mechanical engineering with honors from Montana State University, followed by a certificate in computer programming from Colorado State University Global.
In 2014, Alex began working as a contractor at Keyport, where he helped design the largest steel structure the command had fabricated to date. Two years later, he started his civilian career as a design mechanical engineer in the Test and Evaluation Department. In the years since, he has held a variety of mechanical engineering roles in the Test and Evaluation and Undersea Systems and Sustainment Engineering departments.
Along the way, Alex also earned his professional engineer license, secured two patents and deployed multiple times to Operation Ice Camp to support research, testing and evaluation of operational capabilities in the Arctic region.
Alex’s colleagues praised his engineering skills and upbeat personality.
“Alex’s greatest strength is his positive, can-do attitude,” said his supervisor. “He has a unique ability to pair a great sense of humor with a relentless work ethic. He moves fluidly between mechanical and electronics engineering, which makes him a cornerstone of our team culture.”
A former supervisor added, "He's an impressive young engineer who has been involved in many high-profile, successful projects. He loves to get involved in exciting work and jumps in to assume leadership. He's always doing great work that people are really pleased with, but he also just likes to make people laugh and smile.”
Outside of work, Alex enjoys time with his wife, an elementary school music teacher, and their one-year-old boy. He is also a runner with a goal of completing marathons in all 50 states. His other hobbies include backpacking, fishing, hunting, sailing, beekeeping and raising chickens.