The life of a Design Development Engineer

Have you ever wondered what it’s like to be a Design Development Engineer? We think it’s one of the most diverse and rewarding jobs out there (but then as a design consultancy we would, wouldnt we!). This week we had a chat with one of our Design Development Engineers, Phil Sampey, who has been at Haughton Design for nearly 3 years, to find out what he thinks of the job.

What does a typical work week look like for you?

A typical working week for me normally starts with a team meeting where we all talk about the projects we have on for that week, if anyone needs any help from the team, or if we need to borrow anyone for a brainstorm or design sprint. I will then go off and get stuck into the projects I have on, which can range from medical device design to industrial production line equipment design!

What made you get into design and engineering?

I was always interested in the way things worked and were put together. I guess my first exposure to creative design was constantly playing with Lego as a child, building all sorts of things for hours! The first subject I actually really enjoyed at school that piqued my interest was product design. This opened my eyes to the world of design and engineering as being an enjoyable and rewarding career path that I could follow.

How does the diverse range of projects, clients and sectors at HD suit you?

The diversity of projects and sectors we work in here at HD is one of the main reasons why the job is so enjoyable. There’s never a dull week stuck on a boring project. As a team we have such a diverse range of projects going through the design studio that it keeps your creative mind working, thinking up innovative, smart solutions to our client’s design issues. Even taking things we’ve learned from one sector and applying aspects of that technology in a design for a completely different sector. The range of different work we are exposed to really helps broaden the way you think about how to generate that next design solution.

How does the consultancy style of HD benefit your way of working, and your projects?

The way we quote projects in such an itemised way, helps me break down the work into manageable chunks that I can assign time to. This means I can pretty much plan my whole week. I’m led to believe I’m quite organised, so this structured way of working suits me very well. It helps me be more efficient with my days. Breaking time up to work on different project stages, or even taking part in the other guys brainstorm sessions, gives me a chance to momentarily change my focus onto another task, which is refreshing.

What would you say to someone wanting to become a Design Development Engineer?

I would recommend it! Especially if you’re looking for a bit of variety in your working life. Working for a design consultancy is, for me, the most rewarding and refreshing job I’ve had as a design engineer. I’ve worked in other sectors in my career as a design engineer, and at times it can feel very closed in with not much scope for learning and progressing, both in my career and knowledge base. If you want a job in design and engineering that keeps you thinking outside of the box, and keeps things fresh, I would 100% recommend a design consultancy (especially Haughton Design as we’re the best out there!).