Erin Eaves’ career started with an interest in architecture and interior design. But when she began tinkering with a computer-aided design (CAD) program in college, a friend introduced her to fire protection, a field she wasn’t previously familiar with. She jumped right into 3D modeling with her first job five years ago, and in late February she joined Harrington Group, Inc. as a Fire Protection Designer.

Her primary role will involve taking two-dimensional CAD plans and building 3D models and egress models, allowing engineers to add in smoke control systems and create realistic simulations.

“I get the satisfaction of getting to be creative while still being very technical and doing architectural components,” Erin says of 3D fire modeling. “It’s definitely a little niche that somehow I lucked into, and I really love it.”

Located in Wentzville, Missouri, Erin spends most of her time outside of work with her husband, three young sons and two dogs. When she isn’t chasing the kids around the park or exploring the nearby St. Louis Zoo with the family, she enjoys anything creative and artistic, like drawing, calligraphy, and redesigning and redecorating her home room by room. She also has a knack for organization, and one of her latest projects was designing and organizing her new home office — an especially satisfying task now that she’s working remotely for HGI.