Prior to returning to graduate school, Dr. Cripps worked for a small company doing research and development on Stirling cycle engines. His responsibilities included instrumentation, engine modeling for control design, and electronics design. Dr. Cripps also worked at Boeing Commercial Airplanes in the Mechanical Systems Division on flight control electronics for the 757 and 767 airplanes.

While completing graduate school, Dr. Cripps was one of six founding members of the local company Autonomous Solutions, Inc.(ASI), which specializes in large and small autonomous ground vehicles. Dr. Cripps completed his Ph.D. while working at ASI and returned to USU to teach in January of 2007.