Making the transition from military to engineering isn’t just about skills.. it’s about mindset, persistence, and knowing when to take action.

In this episode of The Modern Engineer, Joseph Francis shares his journey from serving in the military to becoming a Technical Implementation Manager working with major utility clients.

He breaks down the real challenges he faced, including early career setbacks, being laid off, and learning leadership the hard way and what ultimately helped him grow into a leadership role.

If you're navigating your engineering career or transitioning out of the military, this episode gives you a practical, honest roadmap.

• How to transition from military to engineering roles
• The role of networking in career breakthroughs
• Why servant leadership beats micromanagement
• How to recover from early career setbacks
• When to pursue leadership (even if you don’t feel ready)

00:00 – Introduction 01:00 – Joseph’s current role as Technical Implementation Manager 02:30 – Military background and RF communications experience 05:00 – Transition into engineering role 07:30 – Moving into leadership and management 10:00 – Servant leadership vs micromanagement 13:00 – Career pivot and relocation decision 16:00 – Advice for military transitioning into engineering 19:00 – Lessons learned and career advice 22:00 – Final thoughts

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What does an EMC engineer actually do, and what does the career path look like after engineering school?

In this episode of The Modern Engineer, Syed Ishaat sits down with Lead EMC Engineer Afzal Fazal to break down the real-world journey from RF testing to leading compliance engineering teams.

Afzal shares how he started his career after engineering school, working in RF network testing before transitioning into electromagnetic compliance (EMC) engineering. He explains how engineers test products to ensure they meet strict regulatory standards and how design modifications help companies bring compliant products to market.

The conversation also dives into the realities of engineering careers, long hours early on, learning through audits, navigating challenges during COVID, and the importance of continuous learning.

Afzal also shares practical advice for engineers early in their careers on how to grow professionally while staying focused on personal development.

• What EMC engineers do in real-world engineering environments
• How compliance testing works
• Career lessons from a lead EMC engineer
• The importance of engineering audits and regulatory requirements
• How engineers can grow through strategic work and continuous learning
• Why personal growth matters just as much as career success Timestamps

  0:00 Introduction 1:02 What a Lead EMC Engineer Does 3:10 Starting an Engineering Career After College 6:05 RF Testing and Early Career Work 9:20 Career Changes During COVID 12:40 The Audit That Changed His Career 16:05 Engineering Teamwork and Professional Growth 19:30 Hard Work vs Strategic Career Growth 22:10 Advice for Early-Career Engineers 26:00 Personal Growth vs Corporate Success 28:10 Closing Thoughts

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