Adam L.
About me
| Adam L. | |
| Electronics | |
| Electronic Engineering with Digital Media Systems | |
| Undergraduate | |
| 2011 | |
| United Kingdom |
My employment
| Project Engineer - Chassis Suspension System Tuning | |
| Jaguar Landrover | |
| United Kingdom | |
| Engineering and manufacturing |
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A day in the life of a Project Engineer - Chassis Suspension System Tuning in the United Kingdom
My career history
This is my second major role since joining JLR. During the 2 year Graduate Programme I was working as a Systems Engineer in the Chassis Electronics Department. 6 months after the scheme finished, I applied for an internal vacancy and moved into the Chassis department, more specifically to Suspension Systems Tuning.
Where I hope to be in 5 years
Having recently moved into this role 6 months ago, there is still a lot for me to learn and a lot I can put into the job. I am aiming to improve the safety case process in my department and will then look to engage in more vehicle development work.
My advice to students considering work
Be sure to keep your CV up to date and concise. It should be easy to read and clearly lay out your skills.
Also, interview practice is crucial. Have as many practice interviews as you can, prepare yourself to be questioned as well. An interview for a job can be daunting so prepare as best you can, including reading up about the company you are applying to. It would surprise you how many people turn up for an interview with no knowledge about the company or its products at all!
Jaguar Land Rover and the automotive industry in general is on the up and it is an exciting time to work in this field.
You do not have to be a mechanical engineer who can design engines to work in this sector, it is open to so many different areas. Marketing, advertising, infotainment systems, electrical design, design, PR, HR, Finance, Purchasing there are so many options.
The future in the automotive world looks to be hybrids and electric vehicles, however with the amount of research in the industry, there are always possibilities.
If you are interested in working in the sector I would recommend trying to get an undergraduate summer placement or year in industry. Any insight will help you when it comes to graduate jobs. An interest in cars is certainly beneficial in the engineering teams but is not a requirement by any means.
My advice about working in my industry
Jaguar Land Rover and the automotive industry in general is on the up and it is an exciting time to work in this field.
You do not have to be a mechanical engineer who can design engines to work in this sector, it is open to so many different areas. Marketing, advertising, infotainment systems, electrical design, design, PR, HR, Finance, Purchasing there are so many options.
The future in the automotive world looks to be hybrids and electric vehicles, however with the amount of research in the industry, there are always possibilities.
If you are interested in working in the sector I would recommend trying to get an undergraduate summer placement or year in industry. Any insight will help you when it comes to graduate jobs. An interest in cars is certainly beneficial in the engineering teams but is not a requirement by any means.
What I do
My role is as the functional safety engineer for the whole Suspension Systems Tuning (SST) department. This means I am responsible for making sure we meet all the safety requirements for our systems, including things like Variable Damping, Air Suspension and Active Roll Control.
The job takes on a few different strands, including project management, technical analysis, documentation and vehicle testing.
To meet the international automotive standard ISO26262, there is a functional safety process to follow. My job is to complete the required deliverables with the help of the technical experts for each system. For example, I would have to draw up a safety plan for a new system, analyse the hazards involved with the system, derive safety requirements for the system, then plan and carry out the validation of those safety requirements.
Ultimately, I am responsible for signing off SST systems as safe for use by the general consumer. I have to ensure that all our systems, even if they have a fault, are controllable and safe for all drivers. This means vehicle testing a system in all of its failure modes and assessing whether it is controllable or not. The results of this then close the validation loop of the safety process.
Skills I use and how I developed them
Extracurricular skills:
Some key skills for my role include:
- Project management
- Time management
- Process Management and Development
- Team work and liaison skills
- Technical Documentation
- Advanced driving skills
University projects help a great deal in preparing for time and project management in the workplace. Meeting deadlines is the same whether in University or Industry, however in industry you are under more pressure and often have to work with other more in order to achieve your goals.
University also helps to develop some team working skills however this is something that I have developed even more since joining JLR. For example, to plan a test trip, I have to co-ordinate with many different people. I would have to organise the proving ground I wish to use, get access to a car, arrange for it to be shipped to the test site, order parts for the vehicle, arrange flights and hotels, get financial approval for the trip and more. Each task involves at least one other person.
Due to the serious nature of my work, I have had to learn how to write technical documents that would hold up in court. This isn't something I ever imagined having to do however all the internal training I needed was available to me.
My driving skills have developed massively while in my job, progressing through the levels of driver training available here. However, if somebody is interested in this line of work, there are things you can do to help. Track days, or motor racing are a great start to getting involved in test work.
What I like most
Testing vehicles across the world can mean very long and tough hours but is extremely enjoyable and rewarding.
What I like least
I have to attend lots of meetings in order to make sure deliverables are signed off correctly. It is often very difficult to get the right people together as we are such a busy company!
Next steps...
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