When people think about engineering careers, communication isn’t often the first thing that comes to mind. But for Ryan Jackovich, connecting with people has been just as important as understanding the technology itself.
A self-described social butterfly, his combination of curiosity, strong communication and a desire to keep learning has helped shape his career at SDN Communications, where he recently stepped into a new role as junior network engineer.
For Ryan, the promotion is more than a new title. It’s the next step toward his long-term goal of becoming a sales engineer — a role that combines his technology skills with his natural ability to connect with people.
“I’ve always been more of a people person,” Ryan said. “I really wanted my career to steer toward a sales engineering role where I could implement my book smarts in the tech world but also have the interaction of the sales side.”
A foundation built at SDN
Originally from Phoenix, Arizona, Ryan moved to South Dakota in 2018 to attend Dakota State University, where he played baseball and studied network and security administration.
He had always been interested in computers, from building his own computer to spending time gaming with friends, and he knew the technology field was where he wanted to build his career.
After graduating in 2022, Ryan knew he wanted to stay in South Dakota and took the opportunity to join SDN’s Network Operations Center (NOC) as a data technician. In that role, he gained experience helping build internet circuits, supporting customer services and learning how the network operates from the ground up.
“I came fresh out of college, and I worked my way through learning a lot, growing in that department, and eventually reached a point where I wanted to continue learning and growing,” he said.
That opportunity came when SDN launched its new junior network engineer role.
A role designed for growth
The role was created with career development in mind — offering an opportunity for someone to gain a deeper understanding of SDN’s network, collaborate across teams and build the skills needed for future advancement.
Steven Baltz, SDN’s director of engineering, says employee development has long been a priority at SDN.
“We are very big on that. We always post internally first before we look outside the walls of SDN,” he said.
For Ryan, the position serves as an important bridge toward his long-term goal of becoming a sales engineer, a role that would combine his technical background with his natural ability to connect with people.
“We knew the sales team needed a sales engineer,” Steven said. “But to bridge a person to become a sales engineer, they have to have some larger training in engineering philosophy to prepare them for that role.”
Ryan now works alongside different areas of engineering, gaining exposure to new technologies and a better understanding of how technical decisions impact the organization as a whole.
Steven adds that the experience will help Ryan “develop a broader understanding of the organization, strengthen cross-functional relationships, and identify opportunities for continued professional growth.”
Learning by jumping in
Ryan’s transition into the new role came with plenty of opportunities for hands-on learning. Shortly after moving into the position, he got involved in SDN’s work transitioning management of a Colorado network from a different vendor.
Rather than easing into the role, Ryan found himself helping to understand the network, documenting systems and preparing information that would help SDN’s operations teams support it moving forward.
“It was a little bit of being thrown into the fire,” Ryan said. “It was hectic, but it was good.”
Steven notes that part of why Ryan was picked for the role was his ability to adapt quickly while maintaining a positive attitude and demonstrating resilience in the face of new challenges.
“He came in at a good time,” he said.
The experience gave him the chance to see the bigger picture — not only solving technical challenges himself, but helping others understand and manage those solutions.
That mindset of learning, asking questions and building relationships has been central to Ryan’s growth at SDN. He jokes that one of his greatest strengths might be his tendency as a people-person, more so even than his technical expertise.
“I like to think I’ve talked to everybody in our company,” Ryan said. “If I don’t know what’s going on, I’ll go find somebody and make sure I understand it.”
A culture built around opportunity
For both Ryan and Steven, growth at SDN comes down to a combination of opportunity and initiative.
Steven’s own career journey reflects that philosophy. After joining SDN as a project manager, he grew into roles of increasing responsibility before becoming director of engineering.
“There’s always room for growth with SDN,” Steven said. “Dedication, willingness to learn and commitment — people notice that.”
Those qualities helped Ryan stand out during a competitive internal hiring process. While multiple candidates brought strong technical backgrounds, Steven said Ryan’s approach to learning and connecting with others made him a strong fit.
“We did interview quite a few internal candidates, and it really came down to personality,” he said. “We were very focused on interpersonal interactions, and Ryan’s willingness to learn, positive attitude, and openness to new challenges position him well for future success."
Ryan doesn’t take the opportunity lightly. He says one of the most important things employees can do is communicate their goals and ask questions about how to reach them.
“If you have a goal, bring it up,” he said. “Say, ‘This is what I want to do. How can I get there? What steps do I need to take?’ They’re pretty receptive and want to see everybody grow.”
As Ryan continues developing in his new role, he’s excited for the opportunities ahead — both the technical challenges and the relationships he’ll continue building along the way.
And this year marks an especially meaningful season of new beginnings for Ryan. Alongside stepping into this new chapter at SDN, he’s preparing to marry his fiancée, Sophie, in September, making 2026 a memorable year both personally and professionally.
