Jake Krapes

Jake Krapes started their career as a Manager at Marcos Pizza, where they quickly rose to the position within 4 months. Jake was responsible for the day-to-day operations of the store, including opening and closing procedures, customer service, and team management. Jake then moved on to work as a Fixture Vendor Specialist at Thorne Sales and Distributing, where they were responsible for assembling fixtures for various grocery stores in the Rocky Mountain region. After that, they worked as a Receiving clerk at Colorado School of Mines, where they sorted and delivered mail throughout the campus. Jake then joined General Motors, where they had two roles. First, they worked as a Studio Design Engineer, and later as a Performance Parts Design Release Engineer. In these positions, they designed parts boards, led cross-functional design approvals, and managed ordering and delivery of parts. Jake also performed design analysis, implemented engineering changes, and released parts and subsystems for production. Jake represented Chevrolet Performance Parts as a technical expert at trade shows. Currently, Jake is working at United Launch Alliance (ULA) as a Solid Rocket Booster Major Development Mechanical Engineer and Operations Integration Lead. In this role, they are responsible for the mechanical and operational integration of Solid Rocket Boosters, as well as managing project execution, assessing and mitigating risks, and resolving technical issues.

Jake Krapes completed a Bachelor of Science (B.S.) degree in Mechanical Engineering from the Colorado School of Mines in the years 2010 to 2013. Afterward, they pursued a Master of Engineering (MEng) degree in Global Automotive and Manufacturing Engineering with a specialization in Chassis and Advanced Materials at the University of Michigan from 2015 to 2018. In terms of additional certifications, Jake obtained a DFSS Black Belt certification in May 2015, and became an Engineer Intern in Training through the NCEES in April 2013.