2021 Ones to Watch: Maia Butterfield, Alan Margolin & Associates

Name: Maia Butterfield

Title: Estimator & Field Engineer

Company Name: Alan Margolin & Associates

How do you keep your team motivated despite conflicts and obstacles?

If I were asked this question 12 months ago, I’d likely have a different answer. NYC has faced some of the biggest challenges and obstacles our team has seen due to COVID-19. We’re ultimately experiencing an industry shift, provoking certain trends to emerge above others in the NYC and Tri-state areas. It’s difficult to predict what corporate NYC will look like in the coming years, but it’s in that unpredictability that we find motivation. We’ve already seen more ground-up construction, as well as projects focused on medical developments. I predict this will continue as we move forward in 2021 and navigate towards defining the new normal.

What led you to your current profession?

I was a senior in college and unsure of next steps. As graduation quickly approached, I applied to positions across the industry that best aligned with my degree. I was given the opportunity to interview with Alan Margolin & Associates and accepted my offer shortly after. I was confident that the role, as well as the location and market demand, were all a perfect fit to begin my profession in engineering.

I think it is important for young professionals entering the field to realize that every opportunity is what you make of it.

What did you want to be when you grew up?

Simply put, I did not know. I was not the type of child, nor am I the type of adult, to set a specific end point in terms of career. Growing up, I was always told that performing well in STEM was the main indicator of an engineering career. After graduating with a BS in Material Science and Engineering, I moved to Manhattan to start my current role at AMAA. I’ve learned that the industry is much more comprehensive than anticipated. I haven’t pulled out a calculator in years, and the science in and itself is neither “here nor there.” My engineering position primarily calls on my skills in critical thinking, project management, and an overall understanding of the work scope from start to finish.