Embracing Unconventional Career Paths: Gary Furphy’s Story

At Jacobs, we operate at the forefront – helping our clients solve some of the world's biggest challenges with solutions that will shape generations and communities to come. 

In 2024, we're showcasing how our people deliver on our strategy by embedding a digital-first way of thinking across Jacobs. 

We connected with Dubai-based Gary Furphy, director of engineering, to learn how his career at Jacobs has taken him around the world, introduced him to thousands of people and created endless opportunities for continuous growth and development. 

Hi, Gary. What does it mean to be a director of digital engineering? 

My role includes anything from delivering on digital requirements within our contracts and encouraging innovation to develop mature digital solutions across markets, to developing and maintaining relationships with our clients and fostering a culture for our people to drive change. Our projects are some of the largest in the world and we operate in an extremely competitive environment, so developing new ways of delivering work and at the pace, scale and complexity necessary is crucial for success. 

How did you get into this field? 

Originally, I wanted to be an architect, but I ended up studying design and construction. I was also very interested in technology – having built my own computers in the late 1990s. I began working as a mechanical contractor in life sciences and on shopping malls, where I had gained exposure to construction sites. At the same time, personal computers and AutoCAD had just been introduced, which I was challenged with learning until becoming a specialist in the technology. 

When I joined Jacobs as a mechanical coordinator, I remained interested in the technology side of the business and the convergence between engineering and tech. From then on, I have worked in both IT and project-based roles – which is how I got to where I am today. I’ve had a very unconventional career path. 

How do you stay current in this area? 

Forming a great network is important to help filter the latest trends. Attending conferences is also a good opportunity to see something new and learn what others are doing. This is a rapidly evolving field and an exciting time for the industry. Technology continues to change, but the first principles don’t. It's crucial to embrace change and always be on the lookout for new and better ways to deliver. 

What do you like about working at Jacobs? The people I've worked with, the opportunities and the emphasis on doing things right. There are many people that have mentored me over the years that I am forever grateful for, and the spectrum of projects I've worked on – from datacenters to giga programs – has been incredible.