Co-op/Intern Job Description

SOLTUS is an engineering service company that provides software & hardware solutions.  We work closely with our customers to provide, improve, or retrofit their control & information nervous systems.  The resulting solutions provide seamless, easy retrieval of real-time and historical data which allows them immediate access to the information needed to make critical decisions about their businesses.

Industries that have a manufacturing, production, inventory, or product tracking process constitute the bulk of our customer base.  We adhere to the principals of superior customer service, technical expertise, highly ethical practices, and strive to cultivate a team environment by which our employees may reach their fullest potential. 

Problems we solve

• We work with companies that are tired of not having the right information in a timely manner to make critical business decisions.

• We assist companies that don’t have the resources to implement new technologies like Bar-coding, RFID, web based reporting, & remote monitoring.

• We help companies that are frustrated by not having the product tracking or quality assurance program they feel they need.

The primary duty of this position will be computer programming, together with our engineers, to solve the problems listed above.
 

Required Skills

• Microsoft 2000 Professional or XP Professional
• Visual Basic
• Office Macros (VBA)
• Word
• Outlook
• Excel
• T-sql (transact - SQL)
• Good trouble-shooting skills
• Basic understanding of databases

Beneficial Skills

• Microsoft SQL Server
• 2000 Server, 2003 Server
• VB.NET
• ASP.NET
• Active X
• Networks / Intranet
• HTML
• JAVA
• XML

Location

We are located in the Metropolitan area of Nashville, TN. According to the January issue of Expansion Management magazine, Nashville is the Hottest City in America for Relocation and Expansion. Janet Miller, Senior Vice President of Economic Development for the Nashville Area Chamber of Commerce, states in the magazine, “Nashville is attracting companies because it is a city where people want to be. There is energy and creativity here.” Some of Nashville's living advantages include: low cost of living; unique, affordable residential areas; abundant parks, waterways and recreational areas; lively cultural base; regional hub for health care; higher education; and seasonal climate.

Please send resumes to:  Charlotte@soltus.com

University co-op job leads to China visit for Steve Bradford

COOKEVILLE, Tenn. (Oct. 19, 2007) -- Most university students don't have a job that requires a 14-hour flight to China and offers glimpses of Shanghai skyscrapers, including the ones Tom Cruise swung off in Mission Impossible III. But Steve Bradford, a Tennessee Tech University senior computer science major, spent part of his summer playing an integral part of his company's efforts to set up a client's new plant in China. Soltus, a small hardware and software engineering company in Nashville, provided Bradford with the opportunity for international experience. "The client produces high-end audio equipment used in many vehicles, and we had to test our software on the onsite hardware at the plant, so we went to China to finish programming our software and install it," said Bradford, who, as a TTU co-op student, was the only student who traveled. The challenges Bradford faced on the trip were typical: long flight, long cab rides and a language barrier. He said the best parts were the experience he gained and the time spent at some of the world's most incredible sites.  " Although we spent a lot of time working, we also got to do a lot of sightseeing," he said. "I saw the Great Wall and the Forbidden City in Beijing and went up to the top of the third tallest tower in the world, Pearl TV Tower, in Shanghai." TTU President Bob Bell said Bradford's opportunity is a good example of how the university is more focused than ever on broadening student and community international understanding. "This blend of academic and career experience is a great example of how the university can improve interest, understanding and appreciation of other cultures," said Bell. "We are focusing more on giving all our students, undergraduates and graduates, the knowledge, perspectives and skills they need to succeed in international environments." Bradford said he spent the majority of his time with application programming as well as training the plant engineers how to use the software and configure hardware. A few cultural differences made an impression on Bradford as he traveled through China, but those experiences were also part of his education. "The food was completely different than American food," said Bradford. "As a note, Chinese food is nothing like an American Chinese buffet. Also, the restrooms often were a lot different, with the toilet embedded into the floor. And most public restrooms didn't have toilet paper. "A lot of stores I went to I got to bargain for my price, especially on sidewalk stores," he said. "In retail stores, like in the many malls in China, there is no price bargaining and in restaurants there is no sales tax. I liked this a lot because you knew exactly the amount you were going to spend on everything." Up to 400 students participate in TTU's co-op program each year, finding jobs across the nation and the world. "I think this will be big in getting a job in the future," he said. "I now have over a year experience on real-world projects using modern technology. I also have become a lot more familiar with how the business side of things work. "The best part about the trip I would say was just getting see so much of China," Bradford said.

--Karen Lykins