UA_Engineer_25_FINAL_spreads (1) - Flipbook - Page 29
Wilson scuba diving in the Maldives.
Crystal Palace at the Javits Center
in New York City built out for a
presidential victory speech.
What inspired you to pursue a career in the U.S.
Secret Service, and how did your engineering
background play into that decision?
Through a friend of a friend—those networking skills
the career center tries to teach you really do matter—
I heard about the Technical Security Division of the
U.S. Secret Service. Unlike the special agents you see
on TV, TSD works behind the scenes dealing with what
I call “environmental security” of a protectee and the
geeky technical side of investigations. TSD covers
a wide variety of disciplines, including chemical,
biological, explosives, intrusion detection, access
control, cyber, electronics, technical surveillance and
the ability to mitigate those issues. In other words,
TSD makes sure the building that the president of
the United States is about to walk into is safe. My
electrical engineering background provided experience
in electronics from Adtran, power systems from
Georgia Power, and even the marine survival and
昀椀re昀椀ghting training from Schlumberger. Those
credentials showcased my ability to adapt and apply
critical thinking skills, which appealed to TSD, so it
was a good match.
Wilson with Mariska Hargitay on
the set of “Law & Order: Special
Victims Unit.”
What does a typical day look like for you in the
Secret Service?
There is rarely a typical day at the USSS, and I have
had many mini careers within TSD. After 19 years on
the job, I am now an instructor at a training facility
where I research new and emerging technologies,
assess their vulnerabilities, develop methods to
counteract those vulnerabilities, and teach those
methods to students. Earlier in my career, I lived
in New York City. I provided the special agents
investigating a counterfeiting crime with the technical
tools they needed. Some days, I was placing a body
wire on a con昀椀dential informant or installing a covert
camera. On other days, I was making sure the access
control or video management systems were fully
functioning. In yet another mini career, when I wasn’t
traveling on a protective advance, I was purchasing
and maintaining equipment with over a million-dollar
budget. I enjoyed some of these mini careers more
than others, but I loved the variety of the job and the
lack of typical days.
FALL 2025 | CAPSTONE ENGINEER | 29
