James Walker

Principal Engineer

James' affinity to think outside the box and challenge the way things are or the way things have been done, allows Nevatio to capitalize on unique opportunities to innovate. Along with guiding the overall vision of a solution, James uses his varied technical skills to tackle the most critical and/or difficult challenges of a project, no matter the discipline they are related to.

What is something your clients have to deal with that you want to fix?

Whether or not a customer has the engineering resources on staff capable of tackling automation or upgrade projects, the project itself is not a value-add for the customer's business operations. Our customers make their best revenue when they can focus on what they do best - their business - not designing new automation systems, nor retrofitting old ones.

We absorb the additional pressure of forward-thinking projects, so our customers can concentrate on the details necessary to incorporate these new technologies into their business. Along with handling the implementation details of technology and automation in their business, Nevatio engages in "best for the customer" thinking: we will recommend automation solutions with the highest return, and the details of implementation are based solely on the current and future needs of the customer.

What do you do at Nevatio?

As a founder of Nevatio, I have two roles, as we all must help guide the structure and decisions of the company. My primary technical role at Nevatio is what you could call "the architect".

My affinity to think outside the box and challenge the way things are or the way things have been done, allows Nevatio to capitalize on unique opportunities to innovate. Along with guiding the overall vision of a solution, I use my varied technical skills to tackle the most critical and/or difficult challenges of a project, no matter the discipline they are related to.

What are your credentials/past experience, for working in your position?

I was an early bloomer. In fourth grade, I recognized my love for robotics, and before "mechatronics" degree programs became a popular offering across the globe, I set my sights on Electrical Engineering and Mechanical Engineering. From that decision on, I was teaching myself everything I could get my hands on regarding electronics, mechanics and mechanisms, programming, and system architecture, looking forward to the day I could enter University.

My experience at UNR further reinforced my love for everything robotics, and after working at a leading life sciences robotics company, I decided to gain some experience in the less proprietary environment of industrial automation. With a life of education and experiences which span a breadth of industries, I've developed a clear perspective of technological challenges and automation solutions to address them.

What do you like about working at Nevatio?

This is a difficult question to answer concisely, as the entire business has been structured in such a way as to mitigate issues with current business structures. The core of this different structure is that Nevatio values every team member. If we've decided to hire someone, that means we both need another person to help with the workload, and we've selected someone based on some level of reason. That reason for hiring someone should be foundational to the employment relationship, and it should be always highly valued.

Second, Nevatio values every team member. Yes, that is a repeat. To follow through on the concept of valuing every team member, problems, friction, and shortfalls are not automatically associated to an individual or group. Reality proves that almost nothing is perfect - being flexible enough to adapt to that reality is a much better approach than trying to eliminate "imperfection" based on subjective judgement. Furthermore, Nevatio does not limit their engineers by a "we've always done it this way" mentality, nor by finance-driven exclusive use scenarios for automation solutions. "If you have a new idea, a new implementation of an idea, or just a different approach, let's hear about it, because it might be the best choice for the customer."

What’s your background?

I'm the local guy at Nevatio. I was born and raised in Reno, NV, attending North Valleys High School and representing the State of Nevada at the INTEL International Science and Engineering fair in 2006. I worked at a machine shop building high-performance race engines and later as an intern at a local utility company while acquiring my two engineering degrees from UNR. Post-graduation, I've worked in mining, the life sciences industry, electric vehicle production, and general industrial automation.

What are the values that drive you?

Everyone and I mean everyone, has something to offer, no matter the topic or scale. First, when it boils down to what's really needed, no business can run efficiently without a janitor to clean the toilets. Therefore, the janitor is just as crucial to the company's vision as the CEO or the lead engineer.

Furthermore, too often we are boxed in by the norms of how things have been done, or even our own expertise on a topic. The best thinkers, the best creators, the best innovators, in history as well as those living today, remind us that anyone can be so immersed in their work that they lose sight of the perfect solution right in front of them.

The solution to move beyond a seemingly unsolvable challenge might just come from the janitor, if we are open to hearing it. The keys are honesty and teamwork. To run a business with this reality in mind, I try to foster a strong and open team culture, to think long and hard about every obstacle, ask the difficult questions, and be prepared to listen when thoughts are communicated from other team members.

What do you enjoy doing when you are not working?

When I'm not working, I enjoy year-round gardening, off-road motorsports, snow skiing, and learning about advanced science and technology topics.

Education

University of Nevada, Reno
B.S. Mechanical Engineering, 2012

University of Nevada, Reno
B.S. Electrical and Electronics Engineering, 2012

Licenses

• Nevada Mechanical Engineering License #22884