Spotlight: Dan Ivan

Learn about Dan Ivan's journey from starting his career in Romania to becoming a leader at AMT, where his passion for learning, mentoring, and delivering engineering excellence makes him a valuable team member.

Where Preparation Meets Opportunity: Spotlight on Dan Ivan

Meet Dan Ivan, a hardware design engineer and engineering design leader at AMT with a passion for learning and helping others achieve their goals. In 2021, Dan was a RISE CORE value award recipient, and it's easy to see why: he embodies the values of respect and integrity, and he strives to maintain AMT's reputation of excellence.

Dan has been serving as the engineering design leader since his promotion in 2021. His job is to provide management and other resources necessary for executing design projects and programs. Dan monitors the progress of his projects, mentors team members, and supports engineering managers by planning resource scheduling and providing input for quoting future design projects.

Dan’s Path with AMT

Dan is originally from Sibiu, a city in Romania, where he earned a bachelor’s degree in marketing/management. Dan started his career as a technician/electrician at a company called Rom telecom of Romania, where he became passionate about the electrical/ design field.

“When I was in my late twenties, I made the life-changing decision to move to the United States,” explained Dan. “Like most people where I came from, I saw the US as a new beginning: a land of opportunities and freedom.”  Five years after immigrating to the United States in 1999, Dan became a proud American citizen in 2004.

Dan was hired at AMT in 2017 as a control engineer. Dan has worked extensively with AutoCAD Electrical and EPLAN, developing electrical control system solutions. One major project he’s proud of was for a manufacturer that makes metal frame structures for heavy and light trucks. Dan authored an article on efficient Hardware Design Using EPLAN Electric P8 and supported the EPLAN design for a DMAX Gantry robotics system. In 2019, he tackled his most challenging assignment as a consultant to another system integrator.  This was a critical project for AMT in which Dan supported the controls design for the system creating battery test assemblies for a luxury car brand.  It was a demanding job and the client loved him; they requested Dan remain at their facility for a period of two years.  In 2022, Dan led the hardware design team working on the drive unit for an electric vehicle (EV) manufacturer.

Back at AMT, Dan was charged with project management in the lab, a critical component of the Automation Academy. The lab is a space to demonstrate capabilities to clients and train new engineers. He's leading a team to integrate a FANUC robot with a 3D vision system using Mujin, Mech Mind, and Liberty Robotics.

“Dan has jumped in and taken the lead on the lab updates,” said AMT Engineering Group Leader Jason Markesino. “He has managed the project with grace and tenacity. He communicates with the team to drive the improvements forward.”

Outside of AMT

Dan lives with his wife and three sons in Washington Township, Michigan.  “Family plays a vital role in my life,” Dan said. “With the love and support I receive from them, I feel like I can achieve all my dreams.”

When he’s not working on projects, he’s watching, playing, and coaching soccer. “I find myself passionate about soccer; soccer is the king of sports all over the world. And, it has been my hobby since I was a little boy. I've been playing it for a long time and most recently I've been coaching for AYSO, which is the American Youth Soccer Organization. That's my fifth year.”

Dan’s team, Galaxy, just finished up their season and he can't wait to be a coach again next year.  “One of the most important things that I learned from soccer: the game is not over until the whistle blows. Meaning, you must work hard and not give up until the last moment.”

When he's not playing soccer, Dan enjoys traveling with his family. He wants to grow from each traveling experience, appreciating how it shapes his understanding of the world. Recently, they traveled to Mackinac, MI, during the Memorial Day weekend. But, his favorite place to travel to is his home in Romania to be with family there, which is the next trip he has planned.

Dan’s favorite quote of all time is from the Roman philosopher Seneca:  “Luck is when preparation meets opportunities.”

Why AMT

Dan appreciates how everyone at AMT is dedicated to client success. He loves the supportive and friendly environment, where his coworkers and colleagues are approachable and willing to help each other. In turn, he’s committed to fostering a positive atmosphere at AMT.

"Working at AMT, my team and colleagues push me to learn and take on new challenging opportunities. There is a collaborative environment that encourages me to learn new things every day. I feel like my work makes a difference."