James Wiginton

Background

About James Wiginton

I’m an HVAC designer at Engineered Air, where I help create industrial HVAC equipment through CAD design, technical calculations, and close collaboration with sales and engineering teams. Before stepping into design, I spent several months on the factory floor as part of a hands-on training program — rotating through departments such as welding, assembly, electrical, and testing. Coming in with no HVAC experience, it was a steep learning curve, but it taught me fast and gave me a real understanding of how our products come together. It also helped me get to know a lot of great people. I’m someone who learns quickly by doing, enjoys solving problems independently and in a group setting, and thrives when I get the chance to take on new challenges. Lately, I’ve also been helping guide newer designers through the process — something I’ve really enjoyed and take pride in. Before this, I graduated from the University of Ottawa with a degree in mechanical engineering and a minor in entrepreneurship. During school, I worked on team-based projects like designing a Mars rover suspension system and an accessibility handle for a car seatbelt — both of which taught me the power of collaboration, iteration, and simply sticking with tough problems. More than anything, I value being coachable, dependable, and someone people genuinely like working with. I will always show up every day eager to learn, improve, and contribute to something bigger than myself.