Marignane /Engineer / Development Department

Hello,

My name is Julie. As I like both aeronautics and sun, it was a pleasure when I joined Eurocopter’s team in Marignane more than 2 years ago. I didn't realize how fast time has gone by.
I work in the design office, developing and optimising the maintenance of each helicopter.
There are 2 parts to this work:

• to define the necessary tests and monitoring for operative maintenance of the embedded system. (For example, the automaticpilot).
  They are integrated in the helicopter and can be displayed for the pilot.
  
  
• to define internally the tools needed for the maintenance. The production of these tools are then externalised. These tools are not integrated in the helicopter but they are connected to the equipment memory after the flight. They can localize defects (For example if a power supply board or a communication link is out of order)

Our goal is to define a universal tool/PC which could be used for each helicopter with different modules/softwares. It is a big challenge. It concerns both civil and military.

My beginning

I began with a 2 year study, in France, a so-called short and operative study in the "physical measures". And I specialised in other topics like "traitement du signal" to achieve my engineering diploma in the IUSPIM, a department of the polytechnique school of Marseille.
I applied at Eurocopter firstly for a 6 month internship. I worked on maintenance questions,
cost estimations, so called DMC "direct maintenance cost". At the end of this time, I had the opportunity to be employed. So I did.

What I like in my job

• to have a lot of contact with other departments like sales, customer support, production, or directly with the supplier or customers when we develop something new.
  
  
• to have direct contact with the product. I can often touch the helicopter in my daily work.
  
  
• to get a general knowledge of the helicopter’s system.
  
  
• to learn within a autonom entity : I have to evaluate the cost and the time needed for a project, to "sell my project", to negotiate with a supplier, to report after etc.

What is important for me

• to know exactly all about the topic I am working on
  
  
• to get in touch with mechanics, technicians to hear their feedback and their experience
  
  
• to get in touch with customers, to better know their needs. It is a general goal of Eurocopter to have a close relationship to our customers.

For example, I visited a customer for a delivery’s product and spoke with him and his worker
and I enjoyed it. It helps to respond better to their needs.

As women in a design office

I am not the only one. There are other ladies in the department. I have no problem with that.
On the contrary, we can use it as advantage, and the colleagues appreciate working with us.
But I think, both because I am a women and because I am communicative and friendly.

What after

Maybe I will prepare the flight licence for private planes.
I can imagine working abroad in a couple of years, or working in another departments.
That’s the advantage of working in a big international company like Eurocopter: Internal mobility makes career development possible.
I will require to change the day I am not learning anymore in my current mission. But it is not the case at the moment.

My advice to students

• The design office is a good place to start learning a lot about the company and the entire product. Don’t think there is no communication, negotiation etc.
  
  
• Be aware that the first job or internship can determinate a career.

There is no special personality required for design office and another for customer support.
All departments need all type of characters. That makes a team work rich.