What made you want to join Ciel & Terre?
My background is in polymer science, and I have worked as material expert for more than a decade. Ciel & Terre got me the chance to work on products along with materials which made me excited about this role.
Moreover, I have always worked in companies who were leaders / pioneers on their market. They were at the top of the ladder and so is C&T.
What is your role within Ciel & Terre?
I hold the position of Validation Manager, responsible for
- validating material, ongoing projects, and new products’ development tests.
- handling new material development projects with global R&D team.
In terms of missions, we are
- setting up a testing lab to validate the products whose commissioning work is going on,
- validating external labs for speciality test requirements,
- building a validation team comprising of test and material engineers to support global requests,
- supporting global team in new product development topics coordinating with different subsidiaries.
Can you describe your typical day?
We start with a quick team meeting to list out important deliverables for the day / week and assign the responsibilities to individuals and set up the target date. The day after, we revise the status of previous day work and plan new activities.
In terms of work, I take care of material selection, discussions with raw material manufacturers and localization of child parts.
As a team we do report review, follow-up with external labs on ‘ongoing test’ status check, test initiation, protocol preparation and order generations.
I also coordinate with the construction team to check the status of lab building.
What drives you at work? What do you particularly appreciate in your job as engineer?
Trust and cooperation from higher ups and team members are the main key factors which drive me to work more effectively and thrive for better results.
I appreciate the freedom provided by our management, which in turn increases our responsibility, motivates to take decisions, and achieve goals on time with precision.
What do you consider your biggest achievement?
I would mention:
- My growth in terms of learning and getting exposed to new concepts is a good achievement even after spending 10 years in polymer industry
- In-house validation lab set up
- Building validation team.
What is the most memorable moment for you since you joined the company?
I have lot of memories in the span of one year! Since, we accomplished number of things, dealt with various topics and most of them were done from scratch: making budget plan for the lab and test bench, finalizing lab space choice, developing new parts, creating protocol for the same and working with consultants to gain the vast knowledge of the industry.
When I saw the lab building after the second lockdown relaxation, it was built from 30% accomplishment to 80%. I could collect all my memories of doing soil test where we were setting up the lab, till we finalized the layout and construction plan along with the sign-off.
Another good recollection is the day I could convince my manager in getting a team member with whom I had already worked, he trusted me, and this man is now one of the validation’s team key assets.
What is the most important thing you’ve learned from your experience in Ciel & Terre?
Time is Money – If it takes much time to analyse the success rate of the concepts, invest little money to assess the ideas to bring them into concept stage! it is debatable but in most of the cases, we will stop after few steps if we are convinced that it will not work. We lose little portion of money but save time which can be invested for new ideas. Spend effective time in doing work. Approach management with possible solutions in crunch situations when you are taking advice to move ahead in the project. It makes easy for management to take decisions, and enables to learn lessons and gain experience.
According to you, what are Ciel & Terre’s spirit and most important values?
Equip well for tomorrow’s mission but focus more on today’s deliverables.
At Ciel & Terre, we have a strategic vision for the future and handle business scenario with a bottom-up approach in order to adjust to the dynamics of the market and execute plan accordingly.
The risk-taking appetite is very good at Ciel & Terre. The amount of R&D investment management done at the scale of the company is appreciable. This has made us pioneers in floating solar and I am sure these investments will continue to benefit both the company and the floating solar market.
The risk-taking appetite is very good at Ciel & Terre. The amount of R&D investment management done at the scale of the company is appreciable. This has made us pioneers in floating solar and I am sure these investments will continue to benefit both the company and the floating solar market.
What do you think the future will be like in 10 years?
In my last decade of experience, I have seen the big shift in automotive industry with the rush of electric cars and this created lot of turbulence in the sector and changes in the companies’ approach. I see a similar scenario in renewable sector but in a positive direction! Looking at the changing climate and environmental conditions across the globe, it is a chance being in solar industry and contribute to the greening of energy.
Opportunities will also bring a lot of competition and challenges to be on toes to develop disruptive products to the market. So, be focused and be in the present to create great history…
All the best for different groups and teams. Thanks for giving opportunity to share my experience, thoughts, and views.
Interested in joining the Ciel & Terre teams? Apply here.
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