Scotchman Industries Blog - Metal Fabricating Solutions, Iron workers and saws

Employee Spotlight - Matt Carriker

Written by Scotchman Industries | Aug 13, 2025 9:18:50 PM

Employee Spotlight: Matt Carriker

Job Title: Engineer / Head of Engineering
Department: Engineering
Years at Scotchman: 11yrs

What He Does:

As the Head of Engineering, Matt Carriker wears many hats. He's involved in developing new products, improving internal processes, updating technical documentation, supporting customer service and sales, and engineering custom solutions for clients. In addition to hands-on engineering work, Matt leads a team of four, ensuring that projects are well-managed, and priorities are met across the department.

A Day in Matt's World:

No two days are the same for Matt. His mornings usually start with wrapping up any unfinished tasks or emails from the day before. Once the office comes alive, he balances his own projects with shop support, phone calls, customer service, sales inquiries, and team brainstorming. It's a fast-paced juggling act—and he thrives in it.

What He Loves About His Job:

Matt appreciates the variety in his role. With constantly changing tasks and challenges, his work never feels stale. From one week to the next, he's tackling new problems and driving innovation forward.

Biggest Challenge:

Finding uninterrupted time for deep project work. Some days, he's at his desk just 30-40% of the time—always on call for whatever needs solving.

Accomplishments He's Proud Of:

  • Redesigning both of Scotchman’s 50-ton models
  • Introducing process-based systems into the engineering department
  • Leading the development of the FI 125 machine, a project that Matt calls a true labor of love

Outside the Office:

Matt is a fiction reader, history podcast enthusiast, and an adventurer at heart—he loves hiking, especially through national parks and historic landmarks. He’s also fascinated by unexplored bits of history and dreams of revisiting New Zealand.

Goals & Aspirations:

  • Buy a house
  • Spend quality time in national parks
  • Help solve real-world problems through engineering
  • One day, he’d love to test vehicles in an R&D environment or have a job with endless variety

Fun Facts:

  • Dream Car: A decked-out Ford Raptor (minus the repair bills)
  • Current Car: 2023 Toyota Camry
  • Favorite Song: The Middle – Jimmy Eat World
  • Favorite Book: The Martian – Andy Weir
  • Favorite Movie: The Emperor’s New Groove
  • Favorite Podcast: Hardcore History – Dan Carlin
  • Celebrity Picks: Weird Al Yankovic, Keanu Reeves, Mike Rowe
  • Dream Vacation: A return trip to New Zealand
  • If King for a Day: End civil asset forfeiture or make Election Day a national holiday
  • Superpower of Choice: Time control
  • Next Big Invention Wish: Cures for Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, and dementia
  • First Lottery Purchase: A mountain property with creek frontage
  • Background Image on Computer: Windows landscape slideshow

This or That:

  • Beach or Mountains: Mountains
  • Pizza or Tacos: Pizza
  • Dogs or Cats: Both
  • Books or Video Games: Books
  • Camping or Hotel: Hotel
  • Cake or Pie: Pie
  • Muscle Car or Jeep: Lifted Jeep
  • Coffee or Tea: Hot Chocolate
  • Summer or Winter: Summer
  • Android or iPhone: Android

Matt’s commitment to solving problems, his passion for innovation, and his leadership in engineering make him an invaluable part of the Scotchman team. We’re proud to spotlight someone who brings so much energy, knowledge, and creativity to everything he does.

Matt, thank you for your relentless problem-solving, leadership, and the passion you bring to Scotchman. We couldn’t do what we do without you and we're proud to have you on the team!