From having family members who studied engineering to taking drafting, math, and physics classes in high school, the decision to choose a path in STEM felt like the right one to Tjaden. As his interests and passions started to align, Tjaden made the move to attend Iowa State University, obtained a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering, and the rest is history.

Throughout his career, Tjaden has worked on numerous unique projects, but a couple have had a profound impact on his journey. The Omni PGA Resort project in Frisco, Texas, was the first large-scale campus project that he has been a part of. With the size and scale of this magnitude, the project was initially complex; however, as the design progressed, Tjaden realized how monumental this project had become for not only the state but also for the game of golf. Another project that has played a key role in his career was the Waterline in Austin, Texas. Not only a super tower, but this mixed-use tower is also the largest in Texas. The project was a collaborative effort with thousands of people coming together in a way that he had not seen before in his career. From seeing a project broadcasted on national television to seeing another rise to new heights, these projects have helped shape the engineer that Tjaden is today.

Tjaden has been impacted by many throughout the years—clients, coworkers, teachers, and mentors. As a leader and project manager, he wants to share his experiences and knowledge to help give back to his community and the next generation of engineers in a way that was helpful to him.