2026 Ones to Watch - Rising Stars: Jay Polakiewicz, Hancock Associates

“In addition to being a talented engineer who is adept at managing a wide variety of land development projects, Jay is an excellent and highly respected mentor to our engineering staff. We are very fortunate to have him on the Hancock Associates team!”

What accomplishment or project so far in your career are you most proud of? I am most proud of obtaining my Professional Engineer licenses for Civil Engineering in Mass. (2024) and N.H. (2025). Since the start of my career, my goal was to design and oversee projects in the region where I live, the North Shore and New Hampshire Seacoast. Achieving these credentials has allowed me to turn that vision into reality. I am now managing projects that are improving my local communities, fulfilling my goal of delivering high-quality engineering in the area I find most meaningful.

Who has been a mentor or influential figure in your career, and what is the most valuable advice they have shared with you? My late grandfather, a self-taught engineer, inspired me to begin my engineering path when I was young. He taught me to never stop learning, which is advice that remains essential as the engineering industry is constantly evolving. New technologies are created every day that improve project design, construction, and quality of the finished product. His advice reminds me that lifelong learning is the only way to keep pace with an industry that never stands still.