From keeping your streaming platforms connected to making sure you have access to basic household utilities, underground infrastructure is vital to everyday modern life.
As the Subsurface Utility Engineering (SUE) Manager in our Albuquerque, New Mexico, office, Ryan McDonough uses his work to protect the underground infrastructure in his community. By gathering all existing utility information, compiling it into Computer Aided Design and Drafting (CADD), and ensuring obstacles are cleared from utility paths, Ryan helps projects move forward in their design safely and without unnecessary complications.
In his free time, Ryan enjoys spending time outdoors, being with his family, and aquascaping to create underwater gardens — including one that is currently in his office with cherry shrimp and an assortment of aquatic plants.
Learn more about Ryan’s work as the Albuquerque SUE Manager and his why by viewing his interview below.
Transcript:
“Hi, my name is Ryan McDonough. As the SUE Manager here, I’m responsible for gathering all the existing utility information, compiling it into CADD, and presenting that to our clients for the purpose of conflict analysis through their design. I also do utility coordination. Originally, what I enjoyed about utility line locating was being able to work outside ... being able to protect the infrastructure of the city. You know, having damaged utility lines can be something as minor as not being able to watch your Netflix that evening online ... all the way to not having running water or gas in the winter. I feel strongly about trying to lift up the community that I grew up in … It’s enjoyable to come into the office and work with people that you know like being there and like the people they’re working with. When you bring a bunch of people together that are happy working together, it doesn’t seem like a forced thing; it just works.”