FROM INTERN TO ELECTRICAL ENGINEER – THE EVOLUTION OF SOPHIE BULATOVIC'S CAREER AT OCEANIT

When Sophie Bulatovic arrived at Hawaiʻi Pacific University from Jersey City, New Jersey, her plan was to study marine biology. By the time she graduated in the spring of 2026, she had added engineering as a second major, spent nearly three years interning with Hawaiʻi-based technology company Oceanit, helped mentor other HPU students, and secured a full-time position as an electrical engineer.

While her path was not the one she had initially mapped out when she started college, it developed through a series of opportunities that allowed Bulatovic to test her interests, take on more responsibilities, and apply what she was learning outside of the classroom.

Taking on two disciplines

Bulatovic’s passion for marine biology is what attracted her to Hawaiʻi and HPU, particularly the university’s location and research facilities, making it a natural choice for her college education.

But once she arrived on campus, she decided to pursue engineering as well. It was a decision that was driven by an interest she had in technology long before college, participating in programs such as Girls Who Code and robotics while growing up.

While they were two demanding programs, Bulatovic persevered and completed both over the course of her five years at HPU.

“Marine biology and engineering may seem like two very different subjects, but they’re actually pretty interdisciplinary,” she explained. “There’s an element of problem solving that applies to both.”

By entering HPU’s tight-knit engineering program, Bulatovic was able to work closely with the faculty and get direct support on her coursework. The project-based nature of the program also gave her experience moving beyond theory and figuring out how to make an idea work. 

One of her most significant projects combined both of her areas of study. Over the course of roughly a year, Bulatovic helped develop a sonde, an instrument used to test water quality. Working with marine biology professor Olivia Nigro, Ph.D., engineering professor Suketu Naik, Ph.D., and HPU alumni Katie Marvin, Ellie O’Brien, and Anuj Pawar, the team took the project from its earliest stages through deployment.

“Doing something in theory and then actually implementing it is so different. Going through all those steps taught me how to do what I’m doing in my career now, just on a smaller scale,” she said.

An unexpected introduction to Oceanit

While Bulatovic was an undergraduate, she also worked in the technology department at Target. A conversation with a customer turned to HPU, her studies, and her interests. The customer happened to work at Oceanit and offered to help set her up with an initial internship interview.

Bulatovic was only a sophomore at that time and knew she did not have an extensive resume behind her. What she could offer was a willingness to work and learn and was persistent about it.

“I just kept reiterating that I’m a really hard worker. I remember calling them over and over again asking them when my next interview was, and they eventually hired me,” she said.

Oceanit ultimately brought her on outside of its typical summer internship cycle, allowing her to begin in the fall. She stayed with the company for nearly three years while completing her degree.

The internship opened up other professional avenues for Bulatovic. She contributed to a vehicle security project that eventually resulted in a published paper. She also handled smaller technical assignments, including soldering work, that allowed her to build practical skills and confidence while balancing a full undergraduate courseload.

From intern to full-time engineer

Oceanit also exposed Bulatovic to how a professional organization operates. Rather than moving directly from college into an unfamiliar workplace, she gradually took on more responsibilities.

That made the transition after graduation considerably more natural. Oceanit offered her a full-time position in May 2026, and today, Bulatovic works as an electrical engineer specializing in radio frequency technology, including work involving satellites.

“As an intern, I was given opportunities in small pieces over time. By the time I was a full-time employee, I felt really comfortable settling into that role,” she explained.

Her current position centers around the same kind of project-based work she enjoyed at HPU. She works on small teams where individual contributions have a visible impact and where research, problem-solving, and building are part of the job.

“I’m really excited to honestly just be creating things. I really enjoy doing research,” she said.

Building leadership through peer mentoring

While her technical coursework prepared Bulatovic for a career in engineering, another part of her HPU experience helped develop skills that translate differently to the workplace. 

Bulatovic served as a peer mentor and later as a senior peer mentor through HPU’s academic success programming, in addition to her work with the Success Coaching Program. The roles gave her an opportunity to guide students through many of the same academic and personal adjustments she had experienced herself.

By the time she reached her senior year, she had learned which habits mattered: attend class, build relationships with professors, do the additional work, and ask for help when needed. As a mentor, she wanted newer students to benefit from those lessons earlier than she had.

“When I finally learned all of those things myself, I realized it pays off later. I was really happy to tell my students that,” she said.

The experience required Bulatovic to listen, communicate clearly, and understand that different students entered college with very different levels of preparation. Some were  encountering independent coursework or college-level exams for the first time.

Her goal was not simply to tell students what to do, but to help them adjust faster and develop habits that would make the rest of their college experience more manageable.

Bringing personality into the professional world

For Bulatovic, that ability to work with people is just as relevant to career preparation as technical competence. Her own path to Oceanit began, after all, with a conversation during which she was willing to talk openly about what interested her.

That experience shapes the advice she now gives students preparing to pursue internships and jobs. Professionalism matters, but she does not believe that students need to remove their personalities from the process.

“A lot of times these interviewers want to find someone that they actually want to work with. And so it’s okay to inject a little bit of your personality in there, especially if you’re really passionate about something,” she said.

For Sophie Bulatovic, that combination of curiosity, persistence, and willingness to keep learning turned an unexpected internship opportunity into a nearly three-year professional experience, and ultimately into the first-time position of her engineering career.