HELLO, I'M
Zion Felder
Aspiring Product Design Engineer
Major: Mechanical Engineering
Minor: Engineering Design
University: Rice University
Location: Houston,Tx
Personal
Statement
As a curious and creative mechanical engineering student, I am passionate about design and 3D CAD. With a desire to create innovative solutions to today's most challenging problems, I am constantly seeking opportunities to expand my experience and knowledge. Through my education, internship, and personal projects, I have developed a strong foundation in design principles and engineering practices. I approach every challenge with determination and enthusiasm, and I am excited to bring my skills to a workplace that values creativity and innovation. Being an aspiring product design engineer, I am eager to apply my abilities to projects that push the boundaries of what's possible. I'm excited to collaborate with talented and motivated teams to create innovative solutions that have a genuine impact on the world.
Education
Academice Projects
WHAT I’VE LEARNED
EXPERIENCE I'VE GAINED
2017 - 2021
Manvel High school – Manvel, Tx
Class of 2021
Class Rank: 19/520
GPA: 6.42/6.0
National Honor Society
2021 - 2025
Rice University – Houston, Tx
Class of 2025
Major: Mechanical Engineering
Minor: Engineering Design
GPA: 3.4/4.0
Aug. 2024 - Present
Five Axis Printer Attachment​
Designing an extruder mechanism that attaches to an existing 3D printer, adding two additional rotational axes to convert a commercial FDM printer into a five-axis system.
Serve as Lead Mechanical engineer for the design and manufacturing of this extruder mechanism.
Jan. 2023 - May 2023
Water Leak Detection
​
Collaborated to design a water leak detection and alert system—enabling Rice FE&P staff to fix leaks across campus
​
Developed alert system with Arduino code, calculated thresholds for FSR, acoustic, and flow rate sensors
Pertinent Courses
* Engineering Design (3 years)
* Industrial Processes
* Mech. Engineering Design Tools
* Rigid Body Dynamics
* Statics and Materials
* Stress Analysis
* Thermodynamics
* Prototyping and Fabrication
* Fluid Mechanics
* Heat Transfer
* Fundamentals of Control Systems
Sep. 2022 - Dec. 2022
Finite Element Analysis​
​
A three-part project detailing the processes of finite element analysis (thermal, stress, and vibration analysis)
​
Employ CAD Software (Solidworks)
Experience
WHERE I’VE WORKED
Aug. 2023 - Present
Engineering Design Mentor
​
Managed a design team on the engineering design process and helped them come up with an ergonomic dashboard for an electric van.
May 2024 - July 2024
University of Oklahoma
NSF - REU Unmanned Aerial Systems Intern
​
* Focused on the design and fabrication of 3D-printed frames for drones.​
* Contributed to creating a lightweight drone design that was much more cost-effective and enhanced performance.​
* Created a database of information about material properties and optimal drone arm design
​
* Created a Bill of Materials (BOM) and performed a cost-benefit analysis
May 2022 - Present
Founder & Lead Designer | Digital Palette
​
* Founded Digital Palette LLC, a design consultancy
* Digitally design graphics, logos, and websites for individuals and small companies
Skills & Proficiencies
WHAT I BRING TO THE TABLE
Technical Skills
3D Printing
Laser Cutting
Vinyl Cutting
Water Jet Cutting
Wood Working
Welding
3D CAD (Solid Works)
Graphic Design
FEA (Solid Works)
Light Microscope
Interpersonal Skills
Communication
Collaboration
Teamwork
Campus Involvement
Leadership
Engineering TA: Mentored four different engineering design teams
Athletic Liaison: Rice Black Men's Association
Wide Receiver: Division1 Football - Rice University
Eboard Member: Rice NSBE Chapter (Publicity Chair)
Interests
Personal Life
Personal Projects
Graphic Design
Fashion Design
Computer Aided Design
Learning new skills
Watching Movies
Listening to Music
Analyzing Art
Bowling
Golfing