Nicholas Taylor Begley: Engineer & Innovator
Nicholas Taylor Begley: Engineer & Innovator
Nicholas Taylor Begley (born January 4, 1979) is an American electrical and software engineer known for pioneering hardware-driven power systems, working within medical‐device industry teams, and preferring a private life outside the Hollywood spotlight. Despite being the son of actor/environmentalist Ed Begley Jr., Nicholas has carved his own path in engineering, technology, and innovation. This detailed profile explores his upbringing, education, career progression, technical achievements, personal approach—and why his name deserves recognition.
Personal & Family Background
Birth & Family
Born in Los Angeles, California, on January 4, 1979, to actor and environmental advocate Ed Begley Jr. and special effects artist Ingrid Taylor, Nicholas Taylor Begley is the second of two children from that marriage—his older sister is Amanda Begley (born 1977).
His parents were married from October 1976 until their divorce in 1989.
Childhood & Public Appearances
Although born into a public family, he was raised largely out of the spotlight. As a young child, Nicholas accompanied his family to high-profile events such as the premiere of Transylvania 6‑5000 in October 1985 and the 39th Emmy Awards in September 1987.
He is occasionally referenced in a father’s social media post: Ed Begley Jr. once tweeted a proud selfie with “Nick Begley” and his siblings.
Privacy & Lifestyle
Nicholas maintains a quiet personal life with no known public social media presence. He appears rarely, if ever, in media or social postings beyond these occasional family mentions.
Education
College & Major
After high school, in 1997‑98 he attended Reed College in Portland, Oregon, studying physics for one year.
Electrical Engineering Degree
He later transferred to Portland State University, earning a Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering (BSEE), graduating in 2011.
Professional Certification
While working, he completed his Engineer‑in‑Training (EIT) certification via the National Council of Examiners for Engineering and Surveying in 2012.
Career Path & Timeline
Timeline Overview
| Period | Role & Employer | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 2007–2010 | Engineering Technician at Cooper Bussman | Entry-level role |
| June 2010 | Engineering Technician at Azuray | Moved from Cooper into hardware |
| July 2011 | Promoted to Hardware Engineer | At Azuray |
| Dec 2011–2015 | Electrical & Software Engineer at Eaton | EIT certification in 2012 |
| 2019–present | Staff Engineer at BIOTRONIK | Medical device R&D environment |
Cooper Bussman (2007–2010): Began his engineering career as a technician, supporting hardware and power-electronics development for industrial components.
Azuray Technologies (mid‑2010 to late 2011): Continued in a technician role before being promoted to hardware engineer, focusing on more advanced electronic systems.
Eaton (December 2011–2015): Joined as an Electrical Engineer, transitioned into software engineering by March 2012, and took on multi-disciplinary embedded engineering tasks in industrial power systems. He earned his EIT recognition in late 2012. He left Eaton around 2015.
BIOTRONIK (2019–present): Employed as a Staff Engineer within a leading medical‐technology company, working on implantable and external medical devices that require rigorous systems engineering, power safety, and security standards.
Technical Contributions & Innovation
Patents & Inventorship
Nicholas is co‑inventor on at least one U.S. patent (No. 9,802,493), granted October 31, 2017. The patent covers a multi‑phase bidirectional DC‑to‑DC power converter system with transient stress control—used in managing power between battery and system loads in a controlled and efficient manner.
Patent Abstract Summary
The patented innovation describes:
Parallel connection of multiple converter phases.
A compensator module generating control signals for current regulation.
A saturation function to guard the compensator during disabled states.
This ensures smooth transient behavior and reliability under high‑stress switching conditions.
Engineering Domain Expertise
His role at companies like Cooper, Azuray, Eaton, and BIOTRONIK suggests expertise in:
Hardware design for power electronics.
Embedded firmware/software for power-control systems.
Cross-domain engineering—integrating electrical systems with software.
Systems design in safety‑critical medical device environments.
Personal Philosophy & Life Outside Work
Low-Profile Lifestyle
Nicholas exemplifies a preference for technical rigor over public recognition. He keeps his career behind the scenes and lets the quality of his work speak for itself.
Family Legacy and Private Identity
Though his father advocates for environmental causes and appears in media, Nicholas has not leveraged his family name publicly. Interview quotes from Ed Begley Jr. mention his pride in Nicholas as an engineer working in renewable and sustainable fields—but without speculating on Nicholas’s personal interests beyond that.
Hobbies & Interests (Inferred)
Public sources provide no clear detail on his non‑engineering interests. Given his employment with companies in energy and medical sectors, it’s possible he favors engineering challenges, safety and reliability testing, system integration—and perhaps environmental impact of technology, echoing his father’s values.
Public Exposure & Media Relations
Media Mentions
All published profiles are cursory: outlets like Amomama or NewsCooper summarize background facts, employment history, and parentage—without interviews, quotes, or direct statements from Nicholas himself.
No Direct Interviews Available
There are no known interviews or authored articles by Nicholas. Sources rely largely on public records, patent filings, and secondary reporting.
Social Media Absence
He appears to have no public social or professional profiles (e.g. LinkedIn, Twitter, etc.), regardless of naming conventions. No way to confirm firsthand statements.
Overviews
Career Timeline (Tabular View)
| Year(s) | Role | Employer | Key Focus Area |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2007–2010 | Engineering Technician | Cooper Bussman | Power electronics, hardware support |
| Jan–May 2010 | Engineering Technician | Azuray | Hardware modules, technical support |
| Jul–Nov 2011 | Hardware Engineer | Azuray | Circuit design, multi-phase systems |
| Dec 2011–2015 | Electrical & Software Engineer | Eaton | Embedded systems, EIT certification |
| 2019–Present | Staff Engineer | BIOTRONIK | Medical-device power and system R&D |
Biographical Snapshot
- Full Name: Nicholas Taylor Begley
- Birth Date: January 4, 1979 (Los Angeles, CA)
- Education:
- Reed College (Physics, 1997–1998)
- Portland State University (BSEE, 2011)
- Professional Certification: EIT (2012)
- Key Patent: U.S. Patent 9,802,493 – Multi-phase bidirectional DC/DC converter (granted Oct 31, 2017)
Key Contributions & Legacy
Electric Power Engineering
His patent work demonstrates significant contribution to power-conversion reliability, an important issue in battery-based systems, renewable energy interfaces, and medical devices where fault tolerance and safety are paramount.
Cross-domain Engineering
Transitioning from hardware technician to software-enabled embedded roles reflects versatility—valuable in complex system design lifecycles common in advanced industries.
Medical‑Device Expertise
Since 2019 at BIOTRONIK, Nicholas’s work likely influences implantable devices, external systems, and regulatory-compliant engineering in health-tech—bringing sophisticated power design into life‑saving technologies.
Why He Matters (Even Without a Public Profile)
Engineering under shadow of Hollywood: Unlike many celebrity children, Nicholas avoided the entertainment sector, choosing technical rigor.
Published innovation: Co-inventor on a granted patent in power electronics is a rare technical credential in publicly associated biographies.
Long-term technical career: Over a decade of engineering work in industrial and medical fields.
Alignment with sustainability: He operates in sectors that tie to his father’s environmental values—from power efficiency to medical device longevity.
Limitations & Unknowns
- No media interviews: We lack direct quotes, philosophy or personal commentary from Nicholas.
- Unverified academic honors or extracurriculars: No known publications, conference attendance, or community outreach.
- Personal lifestyle: No public disclosure of hobbies, community contributions, or personal interests beyond work.
- Current status beyond staff role: It’s unclear whether he holds leadership, patent portfolio expansion, or company‐wide influence at BIOTRONIK since publicly known details cap around mid‑2025.
Further Research Avenues
To deepen this profile, one could:
- Search USPTO database for any other patents or applications listing him as inventor.
- Monitor BIOTRONIK publications or engineering team pages for staff spotlights involving Nicholas.
- Explore academic conference proceedings or IEEE articles under his name for technical publications.
- Check professional licensing boards for updated status beyond EIT (e.g., PE status).
Conclusion
Nicholas Taylor Begley is a technically accomplished, privately minded electrical engineer whose career spans power electronics, embedded systems, and medical-device engineering. Born into the public family of Ed Begley Jr., he created his own track—earned through education, certification, innovation, and sustained technical contributions. Though little noticed by mainstream media, his expertise, patents, and cross-domain experience make him notable in engineering circles and searchable by those seeking his full biography.
