Palatine, IL ⇄ Fairfax, VA
Derek Nagel.
See what I've been working on.
I’m a Mechanical Engineering student at George Mason University concentrating in Aerospace. I co-founded an EV repair shop, and I spent last summer qualifying aerospace hardware at Astronics. Here is the work.
About Me
I’m a Mechanical Engineering student at George Mason University with a concentration in Aerospace and a minor in Aviation Flight Training and Management. I learn by building. I rebuilt the battery pack on a 260,000-mile Tesla, built an ADS-B rig that points at passing aircraft, and draw whatever electronics a project needs.
I spent summer 2026 as a Mechanical Engineering Intern at Astronics Connectivity Systems & Certification in Waukegan, IL. I worked on aerospace LRU design, structural modeling in SolidWorks, HALT qualification testing, and a robotic riveting cell for hardware that flies on certified aircraft. I finished the summer with a return offer. The summer before, I interned at Tesla doing pre-delivery quality inspection. I also co-founded Midwest EV, a Chicago-area shop where a few of us repair electric vehicles and build the parts those cars never got. I hold a Private Pilot certificate, single and multi-engine, and I play Division I volleyball for George Mason.
Here are a few technologies and tools I work with:
- SolidWorks
- MATLAB
- Autodesk Inventor
- Embedded Systems
- Mechanical Design
- 3D Printing
- HV Electrical Systems
- Python & Automation
Where I’ve Worked
Mechanical Engineering Intern @ Astronics
May 2026 – Aug 2026 • Waukegan, IL • Return offer received
- Supported aerospace LRU design for in-flight connectivity and entertainment systems flying on Airbus and Boeing aircraft at Astronics Connectivity Systems & Certification (ACSC)
- Converted a 4-MCU ARINC 600 tray assembly into a structural model in SolidWorks for modal analysis, working to qualification requirements under DO-160G and AS9100 QMS procedures
- Led recovery of a Qualmark Typhoon 3.0 HALT environmental test chamber from an extended outage; root-caused the fault and returned accelerated-life testing to service
- Designed a robotic riveting cell for the antenna adapter plate that carries a large broadband LEO satellite constellation’s hardware on certified aircraft. The cell cuts squeeze time from 40 seconds per rivet to 8 across the 136 rivets in a plate, holds the flush tolerance the rivet spec requires, and logs a force signature on every rivet for traceability the hand process cannot produce
- Designed production tooling and test fixtures in SolidWorks within AS9100 PLM/ERP-driven quality processes
Summer Internship @ Tesla
May 2025 – Sep 2025
- Ran pre-delivery quality inspection on new vehicles: systems verification, build-quality inspection, and defect documentation before handover
- Worked daily on EV systems: battery and charging behavior, drivetrain, thermal management, vehicle software, and driver assistance
- Studied battery production, electric motor assembly, and assembly-line quality control at a Tesla manufacturing facility
Volleyball Coach @ Pipeline Volleyball
May 2024 – Aug 2024 • Schaumburg, IL
- Coached youth volleyball athletes on technique, positioning, and game strategy
- Planned and led practices, drills, and scrimmages for players at varying skill levels
- Mentored players daily and managed the team through the season
Event Coordinator @ Salt Creek Park District
May 2023 – Aug 2023
- Coordinated and executed community events, managing logistics, scheduling, and on-site operations
- Worked with staff and vendors on event setup and teardown
- Talked to residents about the programming and brought their feedback back to staff
Things I’ve Built
Featured Project
Tesla Model S P85 Battery and Drivetrain Rebuild
- HV Electrical
- ·
- Mechanical Disassembly
- ·
- Corrosion Treatment
- ·
- Systems Integration
In Progress
Plane Pointer, Automated Aircraft Tracking System
- Embedded Systems
- ·
- Servo Control
- ·
- ADS-B / RF
- ·
- Mechanical Design
Education & Background
George Mason University, Fairfax, VA
B.S. Mechanical Engineering, Concentration in Aerospace · Expected May 2028
Minor: Aviation Flight Training and Management
GPA 3.65 / 4.0 · Presidential Academic Scholarship
Coursework: Thermodynamics, Solid Mechanics, Dynamics, Statics, Differential Equations, Air Transportation System Engineering, Human Factors
Aviation, Private Pilot Certificate
Single-Engine & Multi-Engine Rated · Licensed Summer 2023
Licensed to fly single and multi-engine aircraft. Trained at multiple airports across Illinois and Virginia.
Division I Athlete & Leadership
George Mason University Men’s Volleyball · #17
Plays Division I volleyball for George Mason. President of Athletes in Action at GMU, where I run community service and mental health outreach for student-athletes.
05.What’s Next?
Get In Touch
I’m back at George Mason for the year and looking for a summer 2027 internship. I’m always up for talking aerospace, EVs, or aviation. Email is the fastest way to reach me.