What’s a recent project you’ve worked on that you’re particularly proud of?

One project that stands out is a bridge assessment we’ve been working on in Scandinavia. It’s a historic structure that’s around 100 years old and the aim is to extend its life rather than replace it. I really like the fact that it’s not about throwing away clever engineering and starting again – it’s about understanding what’s already there and finding ways to keep it working for the future.

From a technical point of view, we’ve developed and applied a local modelling approach that takes information from a larger global model and uses it to assess critical parts of the structure in much greater detail. I’ve found it really rewarding to see this approach work not only on this project, but also to see it rolled out successfully on other pieces of work across the business.

When you start a new project, how do you get to grips with the problem?

I firstly try to understand ‘how we got to where we are now.’ So that means looking at the history of the project, understanding what’s already happened and getting a feel for what the client is actually trying to achieve.

I try not to focus solely on the work package in front of me. Even if it feels like a big piece of work for us, it’s often only a small part of a much bigger programme for the client. Understanding that wider context is really important.

Before diving into the detail, I’ll look at timelines, milestones, resources and what’s realistically achievable. I’ve definitely learned that it’s better to lift your head up and think about the direction you’re heading in before disappearing down a technical rabbit hole for two weeks and realising it wasn’t the most effective use of time.

What might surprise people about the kind of work you do day-to-day?

Probably the amount of effort that goes into the calculations and analysis behind the scenes. Most people only ever see the finished structure or the final answer. What they don’t see is the amount of time spent running the numbers, checking assumptions, looking at fatigue life, and making sure every decision is based on sound engineering judgement. There’s a huge amount of work involved in getting to those answers, and I think that’s something people often underestimate. 

Which part of a project do you enjoy the most?

The thing I enjoy most is actually the creative side of engineering. A lot of analysis work isn’t necessarily creative in the traditional sense, but I love finding ways to present complicated information clearly. We process huge amounts of data all the time – and being able to take something complex and make it instantly understandable on a single slide is something I find really rewarding.

I also enjoy the creative side of design – working through ideas, solving problems and finding a solution when you’ve been stuck for a while. Sometimes it feels a bit like writer’s block, but when you finally find a way through a problem, that’s one of the best rewards for me.

How does working across different types of projects affect the way you think as an engineer?

I don’t think it does. Whether I’m working on analysis, design, checking calculations or managing parts of a project, I still tackle problems in a similar way. I break them down into manageable pieces, understand what needs to be delivered and then apply the relevant engineering skills.

The projects themselves can be very different, but the core skills remain the same. It’s more a case of drawing on different parts of your experience depending on the challenge in front of you.

What’s an interesting constraint you’ve had to design around?

One that stands out came from a moving bridge project where an architect wanted the opening angle of the bridge to mirror the angle of a nearby chimney (for aesthetic reasons.)

It sounded like a relatively simple requirement, but it had a big impact on the engineering. Because the bridge opened so close to vertical, the wind loading created forces that reversed the loads normally seen by parts of the hydraulic system. That meant we had to design for loading conditions that wouldn’t normally exist and think very carefully about how the system would behave.

So yes, that was a good example of how a seemingly simple architectural decision can have significant engineering consequences.

What’s something you’ve learned from working closely with clients or contractors?

Probably the importance of understanding where other people are coming from. We’re all focused on delivering our own part of a project, but taking the time to understand a client’s priorities, concerns and pressures is really important. It helps you ask better questions, focus on the right things and ultimately deliver something that’s genuinely useful to them.

A lot of that comes down to listening properly and being empathetic to what other people need from a project.

What’s the most “un-engineering” skill that’s actually useful in your day-to-day work?

Social skills, without a doubt. Some of the biggest improvements I’ve made in my career haven’t come from learning a new design code or running a different type of analysis. They’ve come from better understanding myself, communicating more effectively and learning how to work with other people.

Engineering is obviously important, but being able to build relationships, listen properly and communicate clearly is also really valuable. 

What do you enjoy doing in your spare time?

Well, I’ve got a three-year-old daughter, so ‘spare time’ is a fairly relative term these days! When I do get the chance, I enjoy woodworking and designing furniture. It gives me another outlet for the creative side of engineering. I enjoy working through ideas, developing designs and then actually making something useful.

One of my favourite recent projects was designing a step stool for my daughter. She can move it around herself, climb up and use it to help with things like washing up. Seeing her use something I’ve designed and built is incredibly rewarding – although it does mean I now have to keep the knives further back on the kitchen worktop!