Jen Baker, Project Specialist, Denver Service Center Transportation Division

Jen Baker stands on Shoshone Point at Grand Canyon National Park during sunset.

NPS

Behind many of the National Park Service’s (NPS) most impactful projects are dedicated engineers working to preserve and enhance our nation’s landscapes. As part of this year’s Engineers Week theme of “Designing a Brighter Future” we are highlighting the remarkable professionals who shape the future of our parks.

One of those engineers is Jen Baker, a Project Specialist with the Denver Service Center (DSC) Transportation Division, whose work ensures that visitors can safely access and experience the beauty of our national parks.

Jen’s path to engineering wasn’t a conventional one. While earning her undergraduate degree in biology at a college in Alaska, she struggled to find a clear career direction. It wasn’t until Jen took an internship where colleagues encouraged her to explore engineering, that she considered a new path. Taking the advice of her colleagues, Jen pursued an engineering degree and went on to complete a graduate program a few years later.

Jen’s passion for the NPS began during her visits to a close friend working in Grand Teton National Park. Learning about his role in the park opened her eyes to the impact that engineering could have on protecting and improving the places she loved. So, when that same friend later sent her an NPS job posting, she applied without hesitation.

At NPS, Jen plays a critical role in ensuring that transportation infrastructure within national parks is both functional and sustainable. One of her most rewarding projects was a wetland restoration effort at Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area, where she helped restore wetlands and the natural function of an adjacent stream. Seeing the completed project and watching the “landscape come to life" reinforced her passion for engineering solutions that balance infrastructure needs with environmental preservation.

Jen believes that engineering is shaping the future of conservation and heritage preservation within the NPS in several important ways. Namely by integrating data-driven approaches to inform and build critical infrastructure and enhance its resiliency, all through an interdisciplinary, collaborative approach.

Jen’s Advice for Future Park Engineers

For those considering an engineering role at the NPS, Jen’s advice is simple: “Be flexible!”

“The projects that we work on require finding a balance between meeting design standards while protecting our resources. This requires thinking outside the box in many instances and collaborating with a multidisciplinary team to ensure the project meets the functional needs with the least impact.”

Jen’s work exemplifies the many impacts of engineering within the NPS – from preserving fragile ecosystems to restoring critical transportation. This Engineers Week, take a moment to celebrate professionals like Jen, whose passion and creativity are fueling a brighter future for our national parks.