Many kids dream of being a doctor, president, or veterinarian; often overlooking “grounded” jobs like being an inspector. Growing up, Devin Severson was one of those kids, but today he loves being an inspector at KLM Engineering, Inc. He says it’s “pretty awesome.”
Devin has worked for KLM for almost nine years now, and travels across America to inspect a wide variety of water storage tanks. He says it’s been nearly a decade of “living the dream.” Of all the tanks he’s worked on, his favorite by far is a single pedestal water tower in Shakopee, Minnesota. It’s a unique tank because most single pedestals have the ladder on the inside. This tank has a ladder on the outside.
When asked to comment about his favorite parts of the job, he said the views are amazing and he really enjoys tank cleanouts. Knowing a community’s drinking water quality is going to improve once the cleaning and chlorinating is complete is the best part of the job.
Prior to working at KLM, Devin worked for a factory. “I didn’t feel like I made a difference there, but here, not only do people know me by name, I know that when I get done the community has clean drinking water because of what the crew and myself accomplished. It’s nice to know we’re making a difference.”
The day starts with coffee and stretching. Devin noted it’s important to stretch because you don’t want to get halfway up a tank and have a leg cramp! Then it’s off to the shop to make sure everything is set up for the day, travel to the site, and meet with the client. Depending on the scope of work that day, they might inspect multiple tanks in one day before heading home, or even further away to another community.
For those looking to get into the field, Devin has a little advice: “don’t look down.” While that’s mostly a joke, he said it’s important to take your time and stay aware of your surroundings and situation. Always put safety first to ensure everyone is happy and goes home to their families at the end of the day.
The job itself comes with great perks, but so does the company. Scott Kriese (Project Field Supervisor), Rodney Ellis (Co-Owner/COO) and Shawn Mulhern (Co-Owner/CEO) are great to work with, Devin says.
At the end of the day, finding a job and company that fits is essential to being happy in a career. If you’re interested in a career change or just a company change, head to our career page to see what’s available.