Mechanical Engineering · Aerospace · UBC
Ajay Sharma
Building high-powered rockets, exploring liquid propulsion, and engineering autonomous aerial, underwater, robotic and automotive systems.
01 — Origin
About me
I began my educational journey at Langara College, where I took several science courses and explored a number of disciplines. After two years of study, I earned my Associate of Science in General Science. Following graduation, I worked full-time in retail as an Assistant Manager at 7-Eleven. While this role strengthened my leadership, problem-solving and customer service skills, I eventually realized my true passion was in engineering.
In 2022, I made the decision to leave my full-time job and return to Langara College to pursue engineering. A year later I graduated with distinction and earned my Engineering Certificate. Shortly afterward, I gained hands-on industry experience as a full-time intern at the International Hellenic University.
In 2023, I transferred to the University of British Columbia to pursue a Bachelor of Applied Science in Mechanical Engineering with a specialization in Aerospace. At UBC, I have become an active member of the engineering community and currently serve as the Mechanical Lead for the UBC Subbots design team. I have thoroughly enjoyed my educational journey, especially the opportunity to apply what I learn through hands-on engineering projects that continue to strengthen my passion for mechanical and aerospace engineering.
11
Engineering projects
UBC
BASc Mechanical, Aerospace specialization
02 — The system
Projects
SAKAND-1
OngoingHigh-powered rocket · L1 certification
A high-powered rocket designed with the Edmonton rocketry club for my Level 1 certification — full CAD assembly in Onshape and CFD analysis in OpenFOAM.
Balloon Sat
UpcomingUltralight helium-balloon satellite
An ultralight satellite hung from a small helium balloon, powered by two tiny solar panels and flown on a Raspberry Pi Zero — the smallest Raspberry Pi computer.
Aerial Climate Monitor
CompletedDrone-mounted indoor climate sensing
A DJI Tello drone fitted with an Arduino Uno, Wi-Fi shield and DHT22 sensor to map temperature and humidity across indoor spaces in real time.
ROUV
CompletedRemotely operated underwater vehicle
A Blue Robotics ROV-2 rebuilt with waterproofing, leak sensors, GPS, sonar, depth and water-quality sensing, plus a custom 3D-printed camera mount.
Rough Terrain Vehicle
CompletedRemote controlled off-road platform
A small-scale RC vehicle with a three-speed transmission, custom independent suspension and steering, designed in CAD and fabricated in-house.
UBC Subbots
CompletedAutonomous underwater vehicle team
Machine learning object detection, trajectory optimization and custom IMU sensor circuits for an AUV competing in RoboSub.
Fire Extinguishing Vehicle
CompletedRemotely operated firefighting prototype
A sustainable RC ground vehicle built from wood and recycled bottles, with a pressurized water system and a laser-aimed two-axis turret.
Dodge Charger Rebuild
CompletedWrecked 2019 Pursuit to road-ready
A personal rebuild of an auction-wrecked Dodge Charger Pursuit: suspension and subframe repair, full airbag replacement, new front fascia and civilian conversion.
Magnetic Levitation Device
CompletedClosed-loop electromagnetic levitation
A MagLev device combining milling, lathe work, welding, sheet metal forming and waterjet cutting with a feedback control circuit that levitates small metallic objects.
Strain Gauge Weight Scale
CompletedOp-amp instrumentation · UBC Mech 368
A kitchen-style digital scale built from a load cell: an MCP6002 instrumentation amplifier, offset stage and Arduino-based readout with stability filtering, calibrated in MATLAB.
Optical Distance Sensor
CompletedOp-amp filters & photonics · UBC Mech 368
A photodiode-based distance sensor with a photoamplifier, active filters and rectifier, read by an Arduino and verified with FFT analysis in MATLAB.
03 — Trajectory
Skills and Experience
Education
University of British Columbia
BASc in Mechanical Engineering, Aerospace Option (Year 4)
Anticipated 2028
Langara College
Engineering Transfer Certificate, with Distinction
Conferred 2023
Associate of Science — General Science
Conferred 2019
Technical skills
Engineering Software
Programming
Machining & Fabrication
Instrumentation
Experience
Seaspan Corporation
May 2026 — Present
Vancouver, BC — On-site
Ship Management Intern — Fleet Operations
May 2026 — Present
- Support ship management across a 180-vessel fleet with the Fleet Director and 8 Fleet Managers, improving maintenance visibility, reliability and operational readiness.
- Conduct failure and root-cause analysis on auxiliary-engine incidents from 2020–2026, reviewing approximately $9M in unexpected damages and identifying manufacturer/model risk trends.
- Maintain DNV compliance records for 85 vessels while supporting fleet cost analysis, budget tracking, overdue-maintenance prioritization and regulatory traceability.
UBC Subbots — Autonomous Underwater Vehicle Design Team
Aug 2023 — Present
Vancouver, BC — Hybrid
Lead Mechanical Engineer
Apr 2026 — Present
- Lead mechanical design, manufacturing, assembly and integration of the autonomous underwater vehicle — structural frames, pressure-rated enclosures, sealing, subsystem packaging and battery/BMS design.
- Coordinate mechanical development with software and electrical teams, support design reviews and underwater testing, and represent UBC Subbots at RoboSub; the team reached the 2026 semi-finals.
Mechanical Engineer
Sep 2024 — Apr 2026
- Designed structural components, sensor mounts, mechanical assemblies, waterproof enclosures and high-pressure sealing solutions for reliable underwater operation.
- Designed and integrated a pressure-resistant battery/BMS enclosure rated to 100 m depth with a removable drawer-style architecture that improved serviceability and safe battery removal.
Software Developer
Aug 2023 — Sep 2024
- Developed machine-learning and object-detection models using COCO and custom underwater datasets to improve target recognition in subsea environments.
- Implemented vision-based path-planning and trajectory-generation algorithms; earlier testing estimated navigation-time reductions of up to 25%.
- Prototyped gyroscope and magnetic-field sensor circuitry, integrating hardware and software for better orientation tracking and closed-loop control.
International Hellenic University — Laboratory of Energy Systems
May 2023 — Aug 2023
Sindos / Thessaloniki, Greece — On-site
EVAE Lab Intern — Drones & EVs
May 2023 — Aug 2023
- Designed, manufactured and 3D-printed custom drone sensor housings for reliable sensor integration and environmental data collection.
- Programmed, wired and calibrated 5+ multi-sensor systems with average measurement error below 3%; ran 10+ flight tests and improved flight stability and data quality.
Department of Industrial Engineering — ROUVs
May 2023 — Aug 2023
- Rebuilt and optimized a water-damaged Blue Robotics ROV-2 with sonar and GPS modules, upgraded camera mounts, leak detection and improved penetrators; underwater navigation accuracy improved by 40%.
- Programmed and integrated 4 environmental sensors (temperature, pressure, pH, conductivity) for real-time data collection with 95%+ accuracy.
Boring Tutors
Sep 2024 — Aug 2025
Delta, BC — On-site
Tutor — Permanent Part-Time
Sep 2024 — Aug 2025
- Taught individuals and groups in high-school through second-year university physics, chemistry and mathematics, adapting explanations to different learning needs.
Tutor Doctor
Jan 2017 — Sep 2024
Surrey, BC — Hybrid
Private Tutor — Self-Employed
Jan 2017 — Sep 2024
- Provided long-term one-on-one tutoring in mathematics and science, developing individualized lesson plans and strengthening independent problem-solving skills.
- Tracked student progress, prepared targeted practice and homework support, and communicated progress with students and families.
UBC Engineering Undergraduate Society
Jan 2024 — Apr 2024
Vancouver, BC — On-site
Career Fair Volunteer
Jan 2024 — Apr 2024
- Checked in students and recruiters, assisted with company-booth setup and directed students to recruiters, supporting efficient event operations.
Langara College — Department of Physics & Astronomy
Jan 2023 — Apr 2023
Vancouver, BC — Part-Time / Hybrid
Physics Peer Tutor
Jan 2023 — Apr 2023
- Guided students through complex physics concepts with one-on-one support, group study sessions and targeted problem-solving strategies.
Marker
Jan 2023 — Apr 2023
- Evaluated assignments and exams for 50+ students, provided constructive feedback and maintained accurate performance records.
7-Eleven
Mar 2017 — Sep 2022
Surrey, BC — On-site
Assistant Store Manager
Mar 2017 — Sep 2022
- Supported day-to-day store operations including shift coordination, staff training, cash handling, merchandising, inventory control and customer-service resolution.
- Maintained store standards, product availability, safety and efficient front-line service while balancing operational priorities.
Awards
- RoboSub 2026 Semi-Finalist
- Problem of the Month Grand Prize Winner — Langara College, 2023
- Dean's Honour Roll — Langara College, 2022
- Indian Association of Physics Teachers Olympiad, 2015
- Silver Zone Mathematics Olympiad Stage II, 2014
- Silver Zone Science Olympiad, 2013
Certifications
- BC Class 4 Driver's Licence
- UAS Remote Drone Pilot A1A3
- Basic Security Training Certificate
Memberships
- Edmonton Rocketry Club
- Canadian Association of Rocketry
Interests
- High-power rocketry
- Flying drones
- Automotive repair
- Chess — 1000+ Elo on Chess.com
- Languages — 1500+ day Duolingo streak
04 — Testimony
Reference Letters
Prof. Theodoros I. Kosmanis
Director, Laboratory of Energy Systems — Dept. of Industrial Engineering & Management, International Hellenic University, Greece
Read the letter →
Prof. Dimitrios Tziourtzioumis
Vice Director, Laboratory of Energy Systems — Dept. of Industrial Engineering & Management, International Hellenic University, Greece
Read the letter →
06 — Play
Asteroid Destroyer
Asteroids close in on Earth from every direction. Aim with your rocket cursor and click to launch fireballs. Three hits on Earth and the mission restarts.
Score
0
© 2026 Ajay Sharma