After graduating from Florida International University (FIU) in 2024 with a degree in mechanical engineering, Isabella Viera Estrada began her career as an engineer at Boston Dynamics. She is currently involved in field applications for the company’s STRETCH robot, which is designed to automate the unloading of boxes in warehouses.
“I have a passion for learning and growing,” said Viera. “I am loving my job.”
Viera’s journey to Boston Dynamics included internships at several major companies, such as Tesla, GE Appliances, Boeing, and Google. Her first year at FIU was disrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic, forcing her to attend classes online and initially resulting in rejections from every company where she applied for internships.
Despite these setbacks, Viera became active in student organizations and secured a research position while continuing her search for internships remotely. She noted that many students waited until their junior year to begin seeking internships, which she believes makes it more difficult to secure opportunities.
“You don’t have to have it all figured out freshman year, but you should remain open. When it came to internships, I was a bit too picky my freshman year,” she said.
Viera recalled passing up an opportunity with Whirlpool before eventually landing her first internship at GE Appliances. “They have a solid internship program and you own your project,” she said. “I learned so much. I worked in the refrigerator line and helped them introduce a new product line. About 60 percent of my experience was hands-on in the factory. I was doing actual engineering work.”
Her experiences at FIU also included undergraduate research on hydraulic prosthetic devices and founding Coffee Chats with Isa, a free program that assisted over 150 students with resumes and job searches.
Norman Munroe, professor of mechanical and materials engineering at FIU, commented on Viera’s impact: “I have had the privilege of witnessing her maturity and professionalism. Isabella has visited my classroom annually as a guest speaker to share her experiences and insights with the students.”
“She has acquired hands-on experience as an undergraduate research assistant working on the design of novel hydraulic prosthetic devices and has demonstrated leadership as the founder of a student organization. Her impactful efforts to serve the needs of others attests to the substantial contribution she can render to others wherever she goes.”
At Boston Dynamics, Viera entered without prior robotics experience but is now participating in an 18-month rotational development program covering six disciplines within the company. During one rotation, she traveled from Boston headquarters to Arizona to install safety systems on STRETCH robots.
“The box-handling robot is used primarily in warehouses to automate the task of unloading boxes from trailers and shipping containers,” Viera explained. “I’ve been able to see everything from how it is assembled and manufactured to how it acts in the field and functions with the customer. I am learning so much.”
JoJo Winsor, manager of strategic field applications engineering at Boston Dynamics, praised Viera’s abilities: “Isabella brings a rare mix of technical ability, an energized curiosity and true emotional intelligence to her work at Boston Dynamics,” Winsor said.
“Her experiences at FIU, through coursework, internships and her own work as a peer mentor, gave her a strong foundation that she has confidently applied in real-world settings, from manufacturing and testing robots, to fielding them, working with cross-functional teams internally to accomplish goals and helping customers extract value from our robots in their lives and operations.”
