The Keeping It Real series is your chance to hear from Allen & Shariff staff on life, lessons, and leadership, straight from the trenches. Sometimes literally.

Adam Majsak

Name and Title: Adam Majsak, Mechanical Designer
Office location: Pittsburgh North
Years at Allen & Shariff: Three years



What’s the one skill that you would say is essential to being a great mechanical engineer? 

The ability to take a complex problem and break it down into several small and manageable pieces.

What is the most innovative advancement you’ve seen since you first started your career? How has it affected the industry?
While I have not been in the industry long, the use of Revit and 3-D building modeling has become more prevalent. The technology allows for and sets the expectation of a high level of coordination amongst all the trades.

Describe something from your past (school, work experience, a mentor) that most influenced you to become a mechanical engineer?
I would describe my father as a “tinkerer” or “DIY” kind of person. There always seems to be some project he is working on, whether it be fixing the car or renovating the house.  I have spent a lot of time watching and helping him work, and that exposure captured my interest in engineering.

Favorite sports team?
Manchester United F.C.

Allen & Shariff recently celebrated its 25th anniversary. What do you think has given this organization its staying power?
The staff. Everyone here is dedicated to getting the job done and getting it done right. They take pride and ownership in their work and I believe it is the reason we have been so successful.

What’s the coolest Allen & Shariff project you’ve been part of?
The University of Pittsburgh Chiller Plant Upgrades project. The project consisted of upsizing the existing chilled water plant from 10,000 tons to 15,000 tons. The sheer scale of the project made it quite complex and I was able to learn a lot by being a part of the design team.

What’s the #1 “rookie mistake” you see in those just starting out their career in your field? Explain.
As someone who is still considered a rookie, one of the items I struggle with is visualizing the space constraints of a project. Understanding how a design goes from a paper drawing to something that can be installed in the field can be challenging.

If Allen & Shariff were a car, what kind of car would it be and why?
Allen & Shariff would be like my first car: A 1997 ford escort. Even as the going got tough, it still got me where I needed to be. 

What book(s) are on your nightstand right now?
Sandworm by Andy Greenberg

What show are you currently binging and/or what’s next up in the queue?
The Mandalorian

The Keeping It Real series is your chance to hear from Allen & Shariff staff on life, lessons, and leadership, straight from the trenches. Sometimes literally.

Adam Majsak

Name and Title: Adam Majsak, Mechanical Designer
Office location: Pittsburgh North
Years at Allen & Shariff: Three years



What’s the one skill that you would say is essential to being a great mechanical engineer? 

The ability to take a complex problem and break it down into several small and manageable pieces.

What is the most innovative advancement you’ve seen since you first started your career? How has it affected the industry?
While I have not been in the industry long, the use of Revit and 3-D building modeling has become more prevalent. The technology allows for and sets the expectation of a high level of coordination amongst all the trades.

Describe something from your past (school, work experience, a mentor) that most influenced you to become a mechanical engineer?
I would describe my father as a “tinkerer” or “DIY” kind of person. There always seems to be some project he is working on, whether it be fixing the car or renovating the house.  I have spent a lot of time watching and helping him work, and that exposure captured my interest in engineering.

Favorite sports team?
Manchester United F.C.

Allen & Shariff recently celebrated its 25th anniversary. What do you think has given this organization its staying power?
The staff. Everyone here is dedicated to getting the job done and getting it done right. They take pride and ownership in their work and I believe it is the reason we have been so successful.

What’s the coolest Allen & Shariff project you’ve been part of?
The University of Pittsburgh Chiller Plant Upgrades project. The project consisted of upsizing the existing chilled water plant from 10,000 tons to 15,000 tons. The sheer scale of the project made it quite complex and I was able to learn a lot by being a part of the design team.

What’s the #1 “rookie mistake” you see in those just starting out their career in your field? Explain.
As someone who is still considered a rookie, one of the items I struggle with is visualizing the space constraints of a project. Understanding how a design goes from a paper drawing to something that can be installed in the field can be challenging.

If Allen & Shariff were a car, what kind of car would it be and why?
Allen & Shariff would be like my first car: A 1997 ford escort. Even as the going got tough, it still got me where I needed to be. 

What book(s) are on your nightstand right now?
Sandworm by Andy Greenberg

What show are you currently binging and/or what’s next up in the queue?
The Mandalorian