Hardware · Field work · Making

Hi, I’m Ara. I like work I can get my hands on.

I’m happiest doing practical, physical work: soldering boards, building PCs, checking power networks out in the field, and modelling parts in CAD. I’ve done two summers of field and network work at Northpower, three years helping run hands-on STEM workshops, and a year of engineering study.

See my work Get in touch
6,000+ Power disconnections confirmed safe through on-site and digital inspections. 1,000+ Network assets checked in the field and updated in ArcGIS. 3 years Helping run STEM workshops: RC car builds and computer teardowns.
Ara's brown rose and gear profile image

What I’m into

Gaming, oil painting, soldering, hackathons, Minecraft server hosting, and a steady supply of Monster.

Gaming Oil paint Soldering Hackathons CAD

Now playing

  • Battlefield 6
  • CoD: MW2
  • GTA V
  • Meccha Chameleon
  • Resident Evil 2
  • Resident Evil 4
  • RE Requiem

Hands-on experience

Out in the field, at the bench, and in the workshop.

All experience

Northpower · 2024–2025

Engineering Intern

Checked network assets in the field and in ArcGIS, estimated asset lifespans with engineers, and helped the chief engineer with the annual stock take.

Northpower · 2023–2024

Network Intern

Confirmed 6,000+ power grid disconnections through on-site and digital inspections, and talked hundreds of customers through the process.

QRL · 2021–2024

Volunteer Teaching Assistant

Three years helping school students build RC cars, take computers apart for e-waste, and try practical science activities.

Projects

Things I’ve built and modelled.

All projects
Placing a surface-mount LED on a green PCB with tweezers

Soldering

Green LED PCB build

Placing surface-mount LEDs onto a green PCB with tweezers, then soldering every joint by hand.
The Resident Evil Requiem axe modelled in Fusion

CAD · Fusion

The Resident Evil Requiem axe

A work-in-progress Fusion model of the axe from Resident Evil Requiem, heading for the 3D printer next.
Ara's rose and gear logo

Web

This website

My personal site, built with plain HTML, CSS, and a little JavaScript.

Sidequests

What I get up to off the clock.

Everything else
Ara's team at GovHack

Hackathons

GovHack, Kiwi Jam, and more

Team competitions where you design and present a technical solution against the clock.
Battlefield 6 cover art

Games

What I’m playing

Battlefield 6, MW2, GTA V, Meccha Chameleon, and a lot of Resident Evil, plus clips and screenshots.
One of Ara's oil paintings

Painting

Oil paintings

What I make when I want to create something that isn’t on a circuit board.