Gilberto Ruiz

Job Title: Electrical Engineer

Company: Cleary Zimmermann Engineers

Location: San Antonio

Age: 22

Years on the Job: 2

Interests: Walking and talking with his partner, powerlifting, and going out with his friends to dance halls, escape rooms, or airsoft events

Gilberto Ruiz gained exposure to the electrical industry through his father, a master electrician in San Antonio.

“I worked under him and saw how equipment was installed, but at the time, I did not fully understand what was actually happening behind the systems and designs,” he said. “That curiosity led me to electrical engineering, where I wanted to deepen my knowledge and understand how electricity truly works. The more I learned, the more rewarding it became.”

To gain hands-on experience in the field, he served as an electrical apprentice. His internship showed him how much he still had to learn about electrical engineering. He then attended the University of Texas at San Antonio to study electrical engineering and landed an internship with Cleary Zimmermann.

“Combining field experience with engineering education helped me better understand both the practical and technical sides of the industry,” he said. “Working as an electrical apprentice exposed me to what equipment looks like in the field and how it is installed. That experience helped open the door to my internship because I already had practical experience with construction and electrical systems.”

As an electrical engineer, he responds to RFIs and submittals, reviews the project scope and applicable codes, and performs research on the systems to be installed as well as the calculations required for those designs.

“Since starting, my responsibilities have steadily increased,” he said. “I now take on more day-to-day project responsibilities, research, coordination, and design work.”

He’s currently handling the day-to-day work, coordination, and research for an elementary school project, and supporting several smaller projects with similar responsibilities, including design work, code research, and system coordination.

In five years, he hopes to earn his PE license, and further down the road, he wants to understand not only electrical systems, but also mechanical and plumbing systems, so he can manage full MEP projects.

“I plan to reach those goals by continuing to ask questions, researching areas where I still need improvement, and staying committed to continuous learning throughout my career,” he said.

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