Rémi, new R&D engineer at Ciel & Terre

What is your professional background?

Right after my Baccalaureat in 2012, I started to study at the Université de Technologie de Compiègne (UTC), in Picardie. I spent 5 years studying mechanical engineering, with a focus on product design and development. During my scholarship, I also had the chance to realize an Erasmus exchange for one semester in Tampere, the second biggest town of Finland. I really loved this country, both the culture and the landscape. I think this is where my passion for travelling comes from.

After an internship, I continued for a few months in Faurecia, a Tier 1 automotive supplier, as a Product Design Engineer. I was especially in charge of designing interior parts for automotive, which means I had to modelize them in 3D, taking into account all the constraints related to the customer, to the fabrication process and also to assembly. I learned a lot of things during this job, especially on plasturgy and CAD fields.

Then, I started to work at the CETIM as a Project Engineer, in Senlis (France). I was responsible of leading a few projects to assist industries in their studies/requests, related to the power transmission elements (sizing of gears, shaft and bearings, failure analysis, …).

Then I had another opportunity in the automotive industry, so I quit my job to go to Plastic Omnium, another Tier 1 supplier, in Compiegne There, I worked as a Mechatronic Systems Design Engineer, globally a product technical leader. I was responsible for the complete technical part of a project: definition of the first product concepts and product architecture, customer and supplier relationships, sizing of components, technical lead of other engineers and technicians to make the project move forward, taking important technical decisions, ... I had the opportunity to work on a great variety of products: depollution systems for Diesel vehicles, new energy vector systems and lately battery pack systems.

It was a very technical and challenging job, in which I learnt a lot, both technically and personally speaking. I worked mostly with international teams with different cultures and nationalities. As a mechatronic engineer, I had also to deal with both pure mechanical components and electronical components, which made the systems very complex.

I evolved in Plastic Omnium, working at first on series product. After 1 year, I moved to R&D topics and products, and I finally moved to work on RFQ programs, being responsible for the technical proposal made to customers on different projects.

However, all good things come to an end, and after 5 years in PO, I decided to move apart from the automotive industry.

I was looking for another sector, totally different from the automotive industry. I wanted also to have a positive impact on the environment.

What are your missions going to be in Ciel & Terre?

I’m part of the R&D team, and especially the team assigned to floating systems. As an R&D Product Development Engineer, I’m in charge of designing new floating systems and their subcomponents. This means realizing the sizing computations, 3D modelling, simulations and also taking technical decisions to make the products on which I’m working answer the technical internal and external specifications.

Another part of my job is to answer the technical questions and requests that are raised by the different subsidiaries all around the world, to assist them in the deployment of Ciel & Terre solutions on new projects.

Finally, the last part of my job is inherent to R&D and consists in enhacing and developing Ciel & Terre technical knowledge and process, in order to always improve daily technical tools used by the team and be always more efficient in our work.

Why did you want to join the company?

My first wish was to see a field completely different from the automotive one, as mentioned earlier. I almost spent all my work experience in the automotive industry and even if it is a really good way to grow up in terms of knowledge and responsibility, it can also be really stressful and highly time consuming.

I was also looking for a job in which I could have a positive impact on the environment, since the question of the environment is becoming more and more critical every day.

Also, I had been working since the beginning in very big companies and wanted to see how it was to work in smaller structures. I knew that SMEs tend to be more human and closer to their employees, which is something I was looking for.

I wanted to stay in the R&D field, since I have a natural curiosity for creating things and investigating new topics.

Finally, I was looking for an opportunity to work closer to a big city, and Lille was a city I loved for years.

Ciel & Terre allowed me to fill all these criteria. That’s why I decided to join the company.

Tell us about you: hobbies, favorite whatever, places you have been…

I have several hobbies, but my first one is travelling. Since my Erasmus semester, I really love discovering new landscapes, cultures, food. I don’t have any preference between wild nature and big cities, both bringing their part of things to discover for me. I’m also familiar with big road trips, organizing everything from A to Z. So far, I have been to almost everywhere in France (of course), but also Belgium, Netherlands, Finland, Russia, Estonia, Italy, Portugal, Spain, Ireland, England, Malta, Scotland, Germany, Austria, Czech Republic, Slovenia and Denmark. Next step is Romania.

I have also great interest in automotive, and especially Formula 1. I’m very diligent when it’s race week and try to never miss a Grand Prix.

I really enjoy cooking, both salty and sugary stuff. Each weekend I spend time preparing meals and desserts and even if there can be simple recipes, it is always a pleasure to follow them (and then to eat the results of course!).

Well, my latest hobby is related to the previous one. Since I don’t want to gain weight, I’m regularly doing sports, especially cardio and muscular reinforcement. I do one sport session every morning, before going to work, which is a good way for me to wake me up (and also to get aches everywhere all day).?