How did you get into engineering?
My journey into engineering began in my parents garage designing and making steel and composite recumbent bicycles. These projects required a significant element of planning, researching and calculating various things to achieve the right outcome and I learned to enjoy that. The shoestring budget that these kinds of projects involved was helpful because it made me think about ways to make things myself without paying someone else to do it for me. This often stretched my creativity in using tools and machines in inventive ways to get the right result.
What do you enjoy most about mechanical engineering?
Coming to the simplest solution that satisfies the requirements of an engineering problem is the most enjoyable feeling. So concept development work is my favourite area of design, but there are many things that feed into that which I also enjoy a great deal—creating mathematical models to assess a concept, speeding up design work by programming VBA or python, understanding or developing manufacturing processes to make certain parts.
Where / what did you study?
I earned a Bachelor of Engineering in mechanical engineering at Canterbury (1st hons)
What engineering experience did you have before you came to Caliber?
After doing some hands-on work in a fabrication workshop, I began my first design job at an industrial centrifuge manufacturer, providing support for existing products and designing new machines for a diverse range of industries. Following that I worked for a bespoke machine designer, involved primarily in the food and beverage industry. I have benefitted from being a part of small companies since it is in roles like these that you are given exposure to a bigger picture view and are given an understanding of all levels of the design process.
What makes working for Caliber different from the other engineering companies you’ve worked for?
The wide variety of design work that a Caliber engineer is involved in really sets Caliber apart from other companies I have worked for. The secondment model is very helpful to ensure that there is good communication with the client throughout the project. Also, Caliber is invested in the wellbeing of its staff through regular social events which I greatly appreciate. Additionally, there are frequent opportunities to hear about the interesting design work of others in the Caliber team. This has helped widen my view of engineering.
Why did you want to work at Caliber?
I saw the diversity of experience on offer when working with Caliber as invaluable. There is opportunity to be stretched beyond what you know with a support network to ensure you are not completely out of your depth along the way.
Is there a particular project that’s been a highlight of your career?
One of the most rewarding projects was completing the conceptual and detail design of an industrial centrifuge. Gathering sufficient understanding of the manufacturing techniques involved, modelling and analysing the physics of the machine and bringing innovative concepts through to detail design were very rewarding. Being part of a commercially successful product like this is a great experience and I am very grateful to have been given opportunities like this.
What would your dream project be?
A project which stretches my abilities with a fair amount of calculation, analysis and conceptual design work is a close-to-perfect engineering problem for me.
What do you enjoy doing when you’re not working?
Too many things. Pulling an engineering design problem out of the too hard basket to wrestle with and figure out possible solutions has been rewarding in my time away from work. Aside from engineering, I love getting out and about in Christchurch’s Port Hills with our three kids and, when time allows doing some trail running.