Faces of GM

Who’d Have Thought?: Motown Work in Southern California

April 22, 2010 at 9:50 am

Merritt @ the track

Merritt Johnson, Design Release Engineer, X26R Electric Pump AC Cables

 

Vintage designs: Staying true to the engineer in me, I’m really into design and architecture. I purchased this cool mid-century modern house and I’m always looking for vintage furniture designs.

If I only knew then: When I get the chance, I like to read biographies of historical American figures. My dad worked in the Reagan administration, so I like learning about what was going on when I was too young to know!

Busted!:  Aside from swimming and racing (you think I have too many hobbies?!) I like to unwind by sitting on the couch and watching MythBusters. I love watching Adam and Jamie try to disprove the latest myths – especially when they’re auto-related.

My job is amazing. I work for GM but I get to live in sunny, southern California. You’re probably wondering how I got this cushy deal, so I’ll start from the beginning.

I grew up in northern Virginia, near the DC-area. I’ve always had an interest in anything mechanical and science-related so I developed a love for cars early on in life. I went to Kenyon College, a private, Ohio-based liberal arts school but soon transferred to the University of Southern California to study mechanical engineering.

After graduation, I went to work for various aftermarket part manufacturers including AEM, where I created air intakes and electronic management systems and Turbonetics, where I designed turbo chargers and the parts related to the turbo systems. In between my time spent with Turbonetics and AEM, I was a member of a professional race team at the SCCA World Challenge Series.

The World Challenge Championship is a production-based race series in which manufacturers and aftermarket suppliers compete to prove their products. I was a race engineer, helping with suspension set-up and vehicle dynamics. We actually competed against Cadillac! Cadillac won, but it was still a lot of fun.

I loved working on performance parts but I saw that the market was shifting toward advanced powertrains and hybrid and electric motor development and thought it was a good chance for me to learn about these emerging technologies before I was behind the eight ball. I knew performance parts weren’t going anywhere, so I thought I’d give it a shot. I didn’t realize you could even work for GM without being based in Detroit until I saw the job posting.

I started my career with GM in 2008 at the Powertrain Advanced Technology Center in Torrance, Calif., working on the development of electric motors for future concept vehicles. The company began to further expand its hybrid programs and started asking people to spearhead certain projects. I had the opportunity to work on the high voltage cabling for the hybrid vehicles.

I currently work on the second-generation rear-wheel drive hybrid program, which is the system that’s in the GMC Yukon and Sierra Hybrids and the Chevrolet Tahoe and Silverado Hybrids. The system uses a pump in the transmission to circulate the transmission oil. The pump is driven by an electric motor. I am the design release engineer for the high voltage electric cables that transfer the power from the inverter to the motor in the electric pump. Because they’re high voltage, the cables need a lot of attention in terms of safety for the driver as well as service technicians. Shielding for electrical interference is also another important aspect of the design – we need to monitor the heat, temperature and vibrations in the vehicle. So my job is really important for the safety of the vehicle and its passengers.

When I’m not working, you’ll find me in the water. I’ve been a competitive swimmer for as long as I can remember and I still swim as part of the Long Beach Shore Aquatics. In fact, we’re organizing a big swim in Long Beach this year to benefit brain cancer research in honor of Klaus Barth, a local, well-respected swim prodigy who recently succumbed to the disease.

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