Employee Spotlight: Devin Oehler

How long have you worked for APTIM?

My journey with APTIM and its predecessor companies began nearly 17 years ago.

What does a typical workday look like for you? Any big projects you are working on that you can tell us about?

A typical workday for me involves providing a variety of coastal monitoring services as an Environmental Scientist for the Louisiana Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority as part of the Coastal Estuary Services joint venture.

Most of my time is spent working on the Coastwide Reference Monitoring System (CRMS), Wetlands and System-Wide Assessment and Monitoring Program (SWAMP), and Water Quality projects which keep me very busy. My responsibilities on these projects range from being in the field operating project boats including mud boats and airboats, to collecting water quality, vegetation cover/composition, tree growth, soil property, land accretion/subsidence, and hydrologic data, to analyzing and validating this data for delivery to our client.

What do you like most about your job?

I am a Louisiana native who was raised from a young age to enjoy, appreciate, and respect the plentiful natural resources available to us, especially within the coastal environment. These natural resources have and continue to be threatened by a plethora of issues largely stemming from coastal wetland loss. I am proud to know that I have been able to dedicate my career to playing a small but important part in protecting and restoring these resources.

What do you like most about working at APTIM?

My answer to this has surely changed over the years, but to answer this now as a parent, it would be the scheduling flexibility and APTIM’s understanding of the need for a proper work life balance. Our responsibilities as a parent are just as important as our responsibilities as an APTIM employee.

What is the best career lesson you have learned so far?

One person can’t do it all. While we should strive to do our best and contribute as much as possible, it takes a team to be successful, always. This is true for any project one might tackle on the job or at home.

What inspires and motivates you?

The underlying inspiration and motivation for me over the course of my career has been the appreciation of our natural resources instilled in me at a young age. The main driving force of my motivation today is undoubtedly being a husband and father and providing for my family. A loving and supportive family is priceless.

What would you do for a career if you weren’t doing this?

If I had not taken this career path, I would most likely have been a veterinarian. I was fortunate enough to have worked as a veterinary assistant during my undergraduate studies. This was an incredibly educational and rewarding experience.

Any interesting facts about yourself you could share with us?

While working as a veterinary assistant during my undergraduate studies, I received a call to assist with an emergency C-section on a Rottweiler. During the C-section one of the puppies was recovered completely non-responsive. I felt this puppy just needed a chance, so I proceeded to administer CPR by giving it tiny breaths and chest compressions on a heated towel. After what must have been a good 5 minutes the puppy finally began whining and moving. To know those 5 minutes gave this puppy a second chance at life is a rewarding and cherished memory.

What do you like to do when you’re not working?

Without a doubt it is spending time with my family. I have two school age children and I know how quickly these years will and have flown by. With or without my family I prefer to be outside enjoying mother nature, be it gardening, hiking, fishing, etc.

Do you have a favorite quote?

In short, it is the “Golden Rule” of treating others as you want to be treated.

We should conduct ourselves toward others as we would have them act toward us.” – Aristotle, Greece (circa 350 BC)

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