Harley R. Schneider was born on 1 July 1909 in New Ulm, Minnesota. In 1933, he earned his degree in petroleum engineering from the University of Minnesota School of Mines and Metallurgy. After graduation, Schneider worked as a surveyor and engineer for the city of New Ulm, the Works Progress Administration (WPA), Northwest Airlines and North Atlantic Constructors.
From the guide to the Harley R. Schneider papers, circa 1930-1933, (University of Minnesota Libraries. University of Minnesota Archives [uarc])