R A D I O I N N O V A T I O N
Pursuit of new ideas and useful concepts in radio science and RF engineering
Brecken Uhl on Linkedin
Interview Transcript, Fall 2011
> What is your most recent corporate
position and exactly what does your job entail?
My most recent
position is as Executive Fellow,
Engineering Scientist. It is a Director-level position. Much of what the
position entails is also covered under the previous position as Principal
Engineer.
I work with others to perform Systems
Engineering Research and Development (R&D).
Customer functional
requirements are held up against knowledge of physics, system architectures,
and component technologies to address development and implementation
strategies.
Suitable system
concepts are selected for staged development and implementation. An activity
plan is generated that deals with cost, schedule, personnel allocation,
capability gaps, risks, component lead times, and technology transition.
Work commences with
predictive analysis and concept design, computer simulation, modeling, and
tests. These early activities are interleaved with eventual detailed design
from the circuit board component level all the way through system-level and
operational regimes.
Spiral development
activities lead to eventual sub-system and then complete system integration,
with increasingly comprehensive performance evaluations achieved by advancing
along the technology readiness level (TRL) curve until the desired end-state is
met.
Another important
component of the work includes support for business development through
customer meetings, generation of technical and programmatic presentation
materials, formal speaking engagements, research publications, and scientific
and technical trade show attendance.
Finally, internal
support is provided in the form of direct technical management of staff as well
as participation in internal business strategy and policy definition as well as
the generation of intellectual property in the form of patents.
> What are the
educational requirements for the position?
The position requires
formal education in the form of a relevant college degree, preferably an
advanced degree such as a Master of Science or a Doctor of Philosophy.
> What experience
is required or recommended?
More than 15 years of
engineering experience plus previous business development, personnel
management, and research publication experience is recommended.
> What problems
could I expect to encounter in a position of this type?
A broad mix of
technical, management, and business-related content in the position can lead to
the wearing of a lot of hats on any given day. Prioritizing between these
functions can be difficult since they are all critical for overall progress as
an organization. There are typical issues within each of those areas, such as
achieving often entirely novel technical research and development goals
on-schedule and within budget; dealing with interpersonal communication
challenges and providing firm but open leadership to again meet schedule and
cost; as well as taking the time to look forward to new projects through
business development and also to look inside at internal business practice.
> What future
changes do you see in the field?
Many; the most
important one I see is the relationship between knowledge and information.
Information is everywhere, and modern simulation tools can solve astoundingly
complex problems in small amounts of time. The simulation tools, however, only
provide information. Knowledge exceeds mere information, and it seems that
there is an accelerating trend toward increased information and away from
knowledge in the way that both education and execution are approached.
> Describe the
ideal person for an entry level position in the field.
A solid grasp of
fundamental engineering principles, prior experience with an end-to-end project
of some sort, a hunger to learn, strong personal interest in the work, focus on
project goals and not personalities, strong ethics and professionalism.
> What questions
could I expect if I were interviewing for an entry-level position?
What do you know? What
do you want to do? Where are you headed? Give examples of previous successes
and difficulties.