PEOPLE OF XYLEM: Baxter McCoy, Product Security Engineer
“My proudest moment was definitely the one where I found out I got the job.” Xylem colleague Baxter McCoy, on advancing his career within Xylem
A career fair at Baxter McCoy’s high school sparked his first interest in Xylem, and he joined the company after finishing school almost 10 years ago. “I got a glimpse of what Xylem does and immediately thought this is pretty interesting, I want to work here!” Baxter has since transitioned from the paint shop to the electrical department to Xylem’s cybersecurity team where he works as a Product Security Engineer, responsible for analyzing and protecting Xylem’s critical systems and applications.
Highly ambitious and curious by nature, since joining Xylem, Baxter has stayed up to speed with company updates and industry trends, always looking for opportunities for growth. During his time in Xylem’s electrical department, he learned about the link between pumps and cybersecurity. This desire to challenge himself, coupled with his keen interest in technology, led Baxter to pursue a bachelor's degree in information technology while at Xylem, with a cybersecurity defense concentration, from Rowan University.
During his first semester at Rowan University, Baxter took advantage of Xylem’s Tuition Reimbursement program. It was after he finished his last semester of college, and with the support of his managers and HR, that he then applied for a role within the cybersecurity team. “That’s definitely my proudest moment, finding out I got the job,” he recalls.
“The opportunity to get a degree and pursue a career in something that I enjoy doing and something that relates to me personally is amazing.”
Today Baxter works as a Product Security Engineer, carrying out risk analysis and threat modelling, pen testing products and applications, and making recommendations to ensure Xylem’s products and systems are fully secure. His work supports Xylem in gaining the trust of customers globally, as they continue to seek out more advanced cyber resilient technologies and solutions.
Baxter’s role exposes him to the whole testing cycle. “We identify issues, explain why it needs to be fixed to align with cybersecurity standards and advise how to remediate the issue,” he explains. “This is done continually to ensure there is minimal exposure to risk.”
Baxter reflects that his earlier role in the electrical department working in the field has armed him with unique and valuable experience. He has a practical understanding of how the pumps and connected systems he and his cybersecurity colleagues are focused on keeping secure actually operate in the real world.
The opportunity to continually learn and grow, and in turn share your perspective with others, is what motivates Baxter.
“I like to learn as much as possible; the more I learn the better… I really value the inclusive and diverse learning culture”
“Xylem encourages continuous study and promotes learning inside and outside of Xylem,” he explains. As well as support with his formal education, Baxter has also turned to Xylem’s webinars, training and internal resources to further expand his knowledge and progress his career. He adds that he, “values the inclusive and diverse learning culture” and the opportunity to interact with different teams, across many areas of the business, to learn how different functions work and understand how everybody works together.
“At Xylem, there is plenty of opportunity to grow and advance and challenge yourself. I’ve been here 9 years, and I love working here.”
As well as the growth opportunities, Baxter is also motivated by the impact of his role within the company and in society. Since working in cybersecurity, he has gained an insight into some of the potential risks facing businesses and individuals.
“The fact that I can help Xylem and help people out there stay safe from cybersecurity issues is a great feeling.”
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