From intern to project manager: Felix on nine years of building an aviation career

Felix, a Project Manager and Professional Engineer based in Austin, on choosing aviation, the flexibility that kept him here, and the digital future he’s helping build for one of the country’s largest airport systems. 

Felix joined AtkinsRéalis as an intern in his junior year of college, working around 16 hours a week through the school year. Nine years later, he’s a Project Manager and licensed Professional Engineer leading civil aviation projects for major airport clients across Texas, including San Antonio, Houston, and Austin. 

I started out in a civil engineering group, but when I got a full‑time offer I took a chance on the civil aviation team in Dallas, he says. I was drawn to aviation, and I haven’t thought about changing industries since. 

That path took him from Engineer I to Engineer II to Senior Engineer and on to Project Manager, and he passed his PE exam early so he’d be licensed as soon as he met the experience requirement. Alongside his project work, he leads the Emerging Professionals Network for the Austin office, mentors a senior engineer on his team, and stays active with the American Society of Civil Engineers. “At this stage I still feel there are many opportunities for growth and development for years to come.” 

What keeps him here: flexibility and people 

Ask Felix what stands out about working at AtkinsRéalis, and two things come up first: flexibility and the people around him. 

Over nine years he’s relocated from Melbourne, Florida, to Dallas, to Orlando, and to Austin, all without changing employer. That work‑sharing culture and connected leadership across the country made a huge difference to my ability to stay with AtkinsRéalis while managing my personal life, he says. Flexible hours and the option to work from home matter just as much day to day. It’s had a real impact on my morale. I’m genuinely happy working here. 

The people are the other constant. Most everyone I work with is solid and easy to get along with. There’s no micromanaging and no toxic culture, he says. The work has become progressively more challenging at a good rate, and I’ve had chances to jump into projects that were struggling and help turn them around, which taught me a lot. 

The work: a digital future for Houston’s airports 

Right now, Felix is leading one of the more forward‑looking initiatives in his portfolio: a Building Information Modeling (BIM) governance roadmap and digital twin strategy for the Houston Airport System. 

It’s a multi‑year plan to guide the client from their current design and asset management practices toward more advanced, technology‑driven approaches, he explains. The work defines the standards and frameworks for how BIM is delivered going forward. Ultimately it will help the client manage assets more effectively, improving operational efficiency, infrastructure performance, and the overall passenger experience across the airport system. 

It’s a good example of where he sees the industry heading. “Aviation will change with the rapid advance of technology: more 3D, more BIM, more AI in how projects are designed and delivered. AtkinsRéalis has a chance to be one of the pioneers in that shift.” 

Looking ahead

Closer to home, Felix is focused on building a relationship with his local airport, Austin Bergstrom. A recent project gave him the chance to show what the team can do. I’d love for us to win more work here and build our reputation to the point where we’re one of the primary consultants they want to work with. 

And outside work 

There’s a discipline behind all of this. Felix spent most of his life training seriously for a sport, and has recently channeled that same dedication into his career. A lot of the lessons and attributes from my sport translate really well into becoming a better project manager and engineer.

His advice to anyone considering the team is simple. AtkinsRéalis is a great company to work for. It has everything you could ask for from a consulting firm, and I’d recommend it to any of my colleagues. 

We’re growing our Aviation team across the US. Explore job opportunities at AtkinsRéalis.