Employee Spotlight: Meet Megan Loy

Megan Loy  |  Manufacturing Engineer, Operation Systems  |  Alameda, CA

Q. What is your current role at Penumbra?

I am on the Manufacturing Engineering, Operations Systems team. My team provides engineering support to all processes occurring outside of the controlled environment room (CER), such as product labeling and boxing, warehouse logistics, and domestic and international product launches. We also work cross-functionally with many different departments, like Regulatory, Logistics, Marketing, and Planning on unique projects usually related to establishing or updating systems in the quality management system (QMS) to ensure product is compliant for all countries.

Q. What drew you to Penumbra?

I previously worked at a contract manufacturing company for medical device components, but I was interested in learning more about design and manufacture of finished devices. Since joining Penumbra, I’ve enjoyed getting to know more about why and how our devices are used, and seeing the positive impact our devices have on patients around the world.

Q. What aspects of your job do you enjoy most?

I like that most of my projects are complex problems that don’t have a clear path forward and I can be creative with how to solve them. The wide range of projects I work on means every day is different and brings a new challenge. For example, some of our projects are related to implementing controls for product distribution that allow us to ship product to different countries or regions that have varying requirements for compliance. Recently, I have been working as part of a team to understand the functionalities of our new Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) system that can be used for ensuring product is compliant for the countries it’s being shipped to.

Q. If you did not pursue your current career, what do you see yourself doing professionally?

I have always enjoyed spending time with animals, but I knew that I couldn’t be a vet because I hate to see or even think about animals being in pain. If I could own a doggy daycare or a cat café so that I could just play with them all day, I would do that.

Q. Before working at Penumbra, describe the most unusual or interesting job you’ve ever had.

My first job after college was at a startup that developed a 3D bioprinter. I fully assembled the printers, which was like building really complicated Ikea furniture. I soldered and connected all the wiring for the printer, then ran test prints using peanut butter and frosting as the “ink” instead of biomaterials.

Q. What would people be surprised to learn about you?

I celebrate my birthday in July, but I might have actually been born in September. I was adopted from China, and they told my mom I was born in July. However, when we got back to the U.S. and she took me to a doctor, they said it seemed like I was 2 months younger. My friends think I’m more of a Virgo than a Leo, so maybe it’s true?