Engineer
Today, our featured career is ‘Engineer’. Engineering is an incredibly diverse field. Generally speaking, engineers manipulate materials and physical space to make systems work better. This can range from designing tiny tools to huge aeroplanes, creating apps and electronic systems, or understanding how construction will impact vast landscapes. In a world where governments and business have developed more advanced systems than ever, engineers can expect to work alongside professionals from other fields in energy, transport, materials, IT and public health to design systems that make life better for humanity and decrease our impact on the environment.
Simon Banfield
Current Role: Director at Ramboll UK, Structural Engineering Consultant
Undergraduate Degree: MEng in Engineering Science, St John’s College, University of Oxford
Brief Biography: After completing his Masters degree in Engineering Science, Simon Banfield worked as a Senior Structural Engineer at Arup in London, alongside working as a Site Engineer for construction projects at Gatwick Airport (Vinci Construction PLC). Following these roles, Simon Banfield worked as a Senior Structural Engineer at Webb Yates Engineers, a structural and civil engineering design practice who emphasise taking a creative approach to structural design.
While at Webb Yates, Simon Banfield progressed to an Associate Structural Engineer, leading a team of engineers on multiple construction projects, both historic (such as making major alterations of historic town houses, and sensitive conversion of a famous Grade II* listed Art Deco building) and modern, such as building a new 150 room hotel.
After his time at Webb Yates, Simon Banfield moved to work at Ramboll, first as an Associate Structural Engineer, and then as a Director in the Buildings Division. Here, Simon Banfield leads on both structural and multidisciplinary projects, managing a team of engineers and collaborating with a wide variety of experts.
Zoë Clark
Current Role: Mechanical Design Engineer
Undergraduate Degree: MEng in Engineering Science, St Hilda’s College, University of Oxford
Brief Biography: Zoë Clark is currently completing a graduate trainee scheme at the Rutherford Appleton Laboratory in Didcot near Oxford. The Rutherford Appleton Laboratory has specialist facilities used by a broad range of engineers and scientists experimenting in areas such as particle physics, scientific computing, laser development, space research and technology. Zoë is currently seeking chartership with the Institution of Mechanical Engineers which is a way of gaining recognition for her training and experience in the field.
Fluid Dynamics
Engineers are tasked with applying their theoretical knowledge of the way materials and forces interact in real-world scenarios to solve problems and make systems more efficient. Today you will look at some theoretical information about the behaviour of fluids and will then work through an example of how engineers use this to solve problems.
Want to know more?
To find out more about working as an Engineer, take a look at the following explore-a-career pages:
- Oxford University Careers Service: Engineering
- National Careers Service: Engineering and Maintenance
- Institution of Mechanical Engineers: Careers Information
- PROSPECTS: Engineering and manufacturing job profiles
To explore other career options that might interest you, there are lots of tool available! We recommend starting by exploring job sectors and occupations on the following websites:
Talking to people who are currently doing a role you are interested in, organising some work experience where you can shadow someone doing this role, or reading first-hand accounts from people working in the area you are interested in can all help you find out more about a particular job!
To find out more about studying a subject at University, you can also talk to current St John’s students using Inspire Chat by clicking here!