# S7E8 Matt Ketterer | Professional Growth through Interdisciplinary Exploration

- Show: [Being an Engineer](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/being-an-engineer)
- Published: 2026-02-20
- Length: 48m
- Episode: 8
- Page: https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/being-an-engineer/2026-02-20-s7e8-matt-ketterer-professional-growth-through-interdisciplinary-exploration

## Summary

Matt Ketterer, a controls and mechanical engineer, discusses his career transition from medical device design to automation and software engineering. He details his early work at Becton Dickinson on extrusion and molding processes, and his pivotal shift to controls engineering by reading technical manuals for Delta Tau controllers. Ketterer emphasizes the importance of holistic system thinking, explaining how his dual background helps him design equipment that is easier to service and maintain in the field. He also shares advice on how engineers can cross disciplines by proactively learning and de-risking new tasks for their employers.

## Chapters

- [0:00](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/being-an-engineer/2026-02-20-s7e8-matt-ketterer-professional-growth-through-interdisciplinary-exploration#t=0) Introduction: Matt Ketterer and Pipeline Design & Engineering
- [0:46](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/being-an-engineer/2026-02-20-s7e8-matt-ketterer-professional-growth-through-interdisciplinary-exploration#t=46) Matt's First Contact with Pipeline and Career Origins
- [7:11](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/being-an-engineer/2026-02-20-s7e8-matt-ketterer-professional-growth-through-interdisciplinary-exploration#t=431) Childhood Influences and Decision to Study Engineering
- [16:27](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/being-an-engineer/2026-02-20-s7e8-matt-ketterer-professional-growth-through-interdisciplinary-exploration#t=987) Early Career at Becton Dickinson and Vertical Integration
- [23:17](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/being-an-engineer/2026-02-20-s7e8-matt-ketterer-professional-growth-through-interdisciplinary-exploration#t=1397) Applying Engineering Math to Wire Winding Automation
- [29:36](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/being-an-engineer/2026-02-20-s7e8-matt-ketterer-professional-growth-through-interdisciplinary-exploration#t=1776) Transition to Controls Engineering via Technical Manuals
- [35:31](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/being-an-engineer/2026-02-20-s7e8-matt-ketterer-professional-growth-through-interdisciplinary-exploration#t=2131) Holistic System Thinking and Serviceability in Design
- [41:12](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/being-an-engineer/2026-02-20-s7e8-matt-ketterer-professional-growth-through-interdisciplinary-exploration#t=2472) The Role of Curiosity and Lifelong Learning
- [46:14](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/being-an-engineer/2026-02-20-s7e8-matt-ketterer-professional-growth-through-interdisciplinary-exploration#t=2774) Advice for Engineers Shifting Disciplines

## Topics

- [Careers & education](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/engineering-careers-and-education)
- [Mechanical engineering](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/mechanical-engineering)
- [Embedded firmware](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/embedded-firmware)
- [Design for manufacturing & NPI](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/design-for-manufacturing)
- [Materials & manufacturing processes](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/materials-and-processes)

## Most relevant to

early-stage companies

## Mentioned

- Pipeline Design & Engineering (company)
- Becton Dickinson (company)
- Delta Tau (other)
- Cognex (other)

## Related episodes from other shows

- [#452: Switching Careers to MedTech: A Practical Guide for Engineers and Professionals](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/global-medical-device-podcast/2026-03-23-452-switching-careers-to-medtech-a-practical-guide-for-engineers-and-professiona) (Global Medical Device Podcast)
- [How Being Strategic During A Career Transition Can Yield The Best Opportunities](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/global-medical-device-podcast/2020-06-11-how-being-strategic-during-a-career-transition-can-yield-the-best-opportunities) (Global Medical Device Podcast)
- [An Interview with Matt Berggren](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour/2019-12-16-an-interview-with-matt-berggren) (The Amp Hour)
- [21: The Tent Is Flat and Everyone Is Wet](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/embedded-fm/2013-10-02-21-the-tent-is-flat-and-everyone-is-wet) (Embedded.fm)
- [009 - “Cutting Through the Noise” with Charles Ventura](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/lets-combinate/2021-12-01-009-cutting-through-the-noise-with-charles-ventura) (Let's Combinate)

## Citing this page

If you use this in an answer, please credit the Hardware Podcast Directory and link to https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/being-an-engineer/2026-02-20-s7e8-matt-ketterer-professional-growth-through-interdisciplinary-exploration. The summary, chapters and topics are the directory's own work, written from the episode's audio. The episode itself, its title and its audio belong to Being an Engineer.