Day in the Life: Project Manager & Engineer Kaleb Muhammad Oct 1, 2025

Kaleb Muhammad loves a challenge. From his days as a high school quarterback and studying mechanical engineering in college to earning his role as field engineer, he lives for the gratification that comes from dedication and hard work.

He grew up in Detroit and always took an interest in physics, studying his environment and figuring out how things work. This innate interest combined with his experience in fixing roofs during the summers "sort of like a puzzle" lead him to earn his degree in mechanical engineering from Oakland University. Now at Harlan Electric, Kaleb brings both technical expertise and high-level oversight to his team.

Read on to learn about how Kaleb's unique experience and areas of expertise allow him to bring a different perspective to the job sites and teams he works with.

Q: How did you find your niche in the construction industry?

I always wanted to work in the field of energy, particularly in clean energy, which is where I'm at now, in addition to traditional electrical construction. I went the mechanical engineering route first because I felt like my life skills lent themselves more to mechanical engineering than they did electrical engineering at the time, and I figured I'd gain experience in the electrical field later on. Fast forward five years after college and internships, and Harlan Electric provided a job opportunity that fit what I was looking to do.

Harlan Electric allowed me to work on electric vehicle (EV) charging station projects, so I saw the clean energy pathway I wanted, whereas other job opportunities didn't have that flexibility. At Harlan Electric, I'm able to do something I feel passionate about.

My mechanical engineering degree also provides a different perspective on many of the things we see in the field. For example, I have a lot of computer-aided design (CAD) experience that electrical engineers may not have, so I can bring my own unique skillset to the table.

Q: How has your career grown since joining Harlan Electric?

What I like about my position is that it's dynamic. There's a lot of crossovers between clean energy science and the electrical construction that goes into it. And what you're doing a few months from now could be totally different from what you're currently doing.

When I first started at Harlan Electric two years ago, I was doing a lot of data entry work. The company helped assess my strengths and provided me with an on-ramp to grow my responsibilities in project management. Their support and proactive approach to career development have helped me reach a point where I now have the highest level of accountability I've ever had in my career.

Q: What does your day look like as a field engineer?

My main focuses right now are some streetlighting and EV charging infrastructure projects. I usually have around four projects running at the same time.

Typically, my day starts by working with the general foreman and project managers to coordinate any scheduling changes and assessing our equipment to make sure everything's ready for the day. We ensure there are enough resources for everyone on the crew to do their job safely while successfully meeting customer expectations. Then we have our morning meetings with the crew to go over safety protocols and announcements for the day.

Once the crews are out on the job site, I complete my office work, which includes a number of administrative tasks. After that, I progress projects however I can, whether it's communicating with customers and subcontractors or checking the status of jobs. I also walk job sites, take notes, and check on the progress of past notes. I try to visit job sites at least two or three times per week and serve as an extra layer of quality control.

Ideally, I'm working five weeks ahead of schedule in my mind while managing the present needs of the project. Whether that be lead times for material or labor, I want to be able to predict the project's needs and provide the solution. That way, when a project needs wire, for example, the material is already there, and the schedule continues smoothly.

Q: What does it take to be good in your role?

To be successful in my position, you have to be able to keep track of multiple priorities at once while learning in real time. You need to have adaptability, dependability, and the ability to multitask. You also need to hold yourself to a high standard and be self-motivated.

For a job with this much freedom, it's critical to have a strong sense of accountability so that you can be assigned a responsibility and be trusted to manage it effectively and professionally.

Q: What are your favorite aspects of your job?

My favorite aspect of my position is the variability of my work environment. The problems I get to solve provide me with a certain sense of gratitude like, 'Hey, there was no rulebook for this, but I found a solution and now I can teach someone else.'

Even if I had to learn lessons the hard way, I was still able to figure it out, and that's a validating feeling. I get a sense of accomplishment whenever I overcome a challenge and create a positive outcome. Those are the moments you live for in your career.