Aaron Buchanan, P.E.
About Aaron Buchanan, P.E.
Aaron Buchanan, P.E. is a Safety Engineering Activity Manager at the National Institutes of Health, specializing in safety engineering for high and maximum containment laboratories. He has extensive experience in biocontainment engineering and real estate, having worked in various engineering roles and as a real estate agent in Maryland.
Current Role at National Institutes of Health
Aaron Buchanan serves as the Safety Engineering Activity Manager at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) since 2020. In this role, he manages safety engineering activities specifically for high and maximum containment laboratories. His responsibilities include reviewing and updating campus safety requirements and regulations in collaboration with safety officials and facility management. Buchanan conducts validation and certification of support systems in BSL-3 and BSL-4 laboratories to ensure biocontainment. He also simulates failure scenarios of electrical and mechanical components to validate the maintenance of negative pressure conditions in these laboratories.
Professional Experience in Laboratory Biocontainment
Buchanan has extensive experience in laboratory biocontainment engineering. Prior to his current position at NIH, he worked as a Laboratory Biocontainment Engineer at North Wind Group from 2019 to 2020. He also held a similar role at Council Rock Consulting Inc. from 2016 to 2019. During these positions, he focused on ensuring the safety and compliance of laboratory environments, particularly in high-containment settings. His work involved conducting assessments and implementing safety protocols to protect personnel and the environment.
Education and Expertise in Engineering
Aaron Buchanan holds a Master's Degree in Structural Engineering with an Emphasis in Project Management from the University of Utah, which he completed from 2006 to 2007. He also earned a Bachelor's Degree in Civil Engineering with an Emphasis on Structural Engineering from the same institution, graduating in 2006. His educational background provides a strong foundation in engineering principles, which he applies in his current role and previous positions in safety engineering and biocontainment.
Previous Engineering Roles
Before his current role at NIH, Buchanan held various engineering positions that contributed to his expertise. He worked as a Structural Engineer at Reaveley Engineers + Associates from 2007 to 2010. He also served as an Engineer at TransCore from 2005 to 2007. Additionally, he spent six years at Big-D Construction in various roles, including Project Manager, QC Manager, and Design Coordination Manager. These experiences have equipped him with a diverse skill set in engineering and project management.
Real Estate Career at Equity Real Estate, LLC
Since 2018, Aaron Buchanan has also been working as a Real Estate Agent at Equity Real Estate, LLC in the Montgomery County area of Maryland. In this role, he utilizes his analytical skills and knowledge of the local market to assist clients in buying and selling properties. His dual career in engineering and real estate demonstrates his versatility and ability to manage diverse professional responsibilities.