Profile
Leah Edwards
Ready to answer some questions! :) Ask me about robots, my job, mechanical engineering, making things...
Curriculum Vitae
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Education:
I went to Rugby High School from Y7-Y13, then Loughborough University with an exchange semester at the National University of Singapore.
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Qualifications:
GCSEs, A-levels (Music, Maths, Further Maths, Physics), Masters in Mechanical Engineering (MEng)
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Work History:
I’ve tried a bunch of things! After A levels I worked at a company that repairs electric generators for a year. Then I did a placement year as technical support for some engineering software, and wrote some software for a startup while at uni.
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Current Job:
Process Development Engineer for Optical Encoders
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Employer:
Renishaw
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About Me
I like to cook ridiculously fancy vegetarian meals and run through the woods.
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I live in the countryside near Bristol with my boyfriend – we met at uni. For 1 semester I studied in Singapore and I never stop talking about it.
In my free time I like to cook ridiculously fancy vegetarian meals – I make a *mean* bean chilli. I also like to run through the woods near my house. Podcasts are life.
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My Work
I help engineers make 'encoders', which are the sensors that robots use to know what position their arms are in!
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My job is to develop the process for manufacturing products on a production line, so I am a ‘Process Development Engineer’. The products that we make are called ‘optical encoders’ – these are precision measurement devices used in things like the robots that make electronics and TV screens.
Part of my job is designing tests to check that the products meet our high quality standards after each step during production. I also help create the manufacturing process for new products that the design team have come up with.
It’s quite a varied job – at the moment I am programming a massive oven to heat up and cool down parts and log data about them. My desk normally has lots of measurement instruments, electronics and cables on it.
Probably the coolest thing that ever happened at work was when we bought a machine from Asia to go on our production line to make the encoders, and when we opened it up it had some of our encoders inside it from the same production line! So they had been made in the UK, travelled to the other side of the world and then come back again to help make more encoders. Cool huh?
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My Typical Day: The first thing I do when I arrive at the office is make a cup of tea and catch up with the rest of my team about what they're going to work on today. Then I'll stick my headphones in and write some code, for example to log data. Once I've made some progress, I would go lab to test it. At lunch time I eat in the cafeteria then a group of us go for a walk together. In the afternoon I would analyse some data and perhaps go to a meeting about an upcoming project.
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I get to work at 7am – sometimes I run there!
The first thing I do is make a cup of tea and catch up with the rest of my team about what they’re going to work on today. Usually with Marmite toast, haters gonna hate.
Then I’ll stick my headphones in and write some code, for example to log data on the production line. Music helps me focus and block out distractions! Once I’ve made some progress, I would head over the road to the lab to test my code out on the test production line.
Sadly I can’t show you that because it is top secret.
I have my lunch in the cafeteria, and then go for a walk with my colleagues. The site that I work at is in the countryside so it is very relaxing. The ducklings are the cutest.
In the afternoon I would analyse some data about the products that we have produced and perhaps go to a meeting about an upcoming project. I go home at 3.45 so plenty of time to relax after work.
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My Interview
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How would you describe yourself in 3 words?
Imaginative. Inquisitive. Thoughtful.
What's the best thing you've done in your career?
Made a musical instrument that makes sound from dry ice!
What or who inspired you to follow your career?
My dad is a Mechanical Engineer too.
What was your favourite subject at school?
Music and maths.
What did you want to be after you left school?
A violinist or an engineer.
Were you ever in trouble at school?
Nope, I was a total goodie two shoes!
If you weren't doing this job, what would you choose instead?
I'd like to have my own business... perhaps a high tech lettuce farm?
Who is your favourite singer or band?
Metronomy.
What's your favourite food?
Chinese food.
What is the most fun thing you've done?
Went on study exchange to Singapore for 5 months.
If you had 3 wishes for yourself what would they be? - be honest!
1) That I never had to drive a car ever again (driving is boring). 2) That I could invent something really cool that would help the world. 3) That I was super good at piano.
Tell us a joke.
This is my step ladder. I never knew my real ladder.
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