 Kimberly Davis
Software Configuration Management Engineer
Texas Instruments
Dallas, TX
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 B.S. - Computer
Science, University of Alabama in Tuskaloosa |
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Software
Configuration Management Engineers involved in software
development working with the Navigation Software Team. |
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"A good head and a
good heart are always a formidable combination." - Nelson
Mandela |
 
"I wasn't sure my first day of what it was exactly that I was going to do
here at Texas Instruments, because they allow for new hires to come in on
a college pool where, you know, you get to sort of pick and choose the
different things that you do. There's a rotation program that was in place
where you could, you know, try different jobs throughout a limited amount
of time, to get your feel for what it is that you want to continue your
career in."
Working in software configuration management at Texas Instruments,
Kimberly Davis needs to use both technical and people skills every day.
"To do my job well, you need to be competent in different languages
because software is developed in different platforms. Also, you need to be
able to work within a team, because you're not just one on one with
someone: it's a team that you support. You need to have writing skills
because you're communicating with different groups of people -- customers
and suppliers -- regarding the software that you've developed."
In preparation for her career, Davis took courses in "different languages,
operating systems, human interfaces." She also took "some hardware courses
with computers and platforms and boards and things of that nature." Among
the non-technical courses she found helpful were Human Development and
technical writing. She explains that the former course plays "a role in
how I go about my work" and the latter is necessary for dealing with
customers because it teaches "to write technical information in a
not-so-technical way, so that even the most non-technical person can read
it and understand it."
Her extracurricular activities also gave her useful experience in
preparation for work. As an officer of the National Society of Black
Engineers, Davis developed communication skills while working in
conjunction with the officers of the society on other campuses. In
addition, "Coordinating activities for the different groups that we
supported in our area also helped me with my communication skills."
Furthermore, she learned to develop and work with a "network" of people to
whom she doesn't "have personal access on a regular basis" something that
her job requires of her daily. Davis' work requires her to coordinate and
schedule work with people who "are not always available when I'm
available, but getting the information that I need to and from them, in a
limited amount of time, is important." A complement of skills has been
necessary for her career.
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