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Walter Tizzano, Mechanical Project Engineer

1. What’s your professional background and how did you first become interested in this field?
I graduated with a degree in Mechanical Engineering, and, after an MSc in Design & Production, I started working for a company designing and manufacturing high speed trains and driverless underground trains. There I worked in a department called ‘Industrial Engineering’ that received the completed design of the train and had to plan how to manufacture it in the safest and most time and cost effective possible way. I was one of the engineers designing tools and machines that would be used in the assembly phase.

I always liked science and technology, so when I had the opportunity to apply for a job at Diamond I was eager to do so, because it’s a facility where world-class scientific research meets really advanced engineering.

2. Can you walk us through a typical day?
Engineers at Diamond don’t really have a ‘typical day’, our job has a lot of variety and this is one of the things I enjoy the most about this place. Our projects can be really big, so engineering at Diamond is a team effort: we have many meetings with scientists, other engineers and technicians to discuss concepts or proposed designs. We use computers to create 3D models and 2D drawings, and to simulate the behaviour and performance of the equipment before actually producing them. Before and during the procurement phase, we are in constant contact with our suppliers, and we support the assembly and commissioning phases.

3. What do you enjoy about your job?
I love my job because it allows me to learn a lot and work on a variety of completely different projects. Moreover, it is a pleasure to work in a world-class facility that is at the forefront of scientific research. I really appreciate the fact that this is a very diverse and inclusive company. 

4. What advice would you give to someone wanting to get involved in your field?
I think that curiosity and willingness to learn a lot on a variety of different topics are important attributes to succeed in this field: an inquisitive mind can think of more innovative solutions and spot errors before it is too late. This job also requires one to interact a lot with other people (internal customers, colleagues, suppliers, etc. ), so it’s really important to have good social skills and to be good communicators.