Captured imagination leads to committed career for engineer Matt

“The design aspects of the work captured my imagination, as did the idea of using cutting-edge technology to improve processes. After university, I assumed I would enter the petrochemical sector because that seemed like the traditional ChemEng path. However, after completing a placement in process safety, I found my imagination unexpectedly captured again by the diversity of the projects I worked on.

“Spanning across several sectors, including nuclear, defence and offshore wind, all were fascinating and great examples of the incredible impact engineering can have.”

Matt’s desire to make a difference through his work and to use exciting technologies at the front end of current science led him to Synergie Environ. Most recently, he and the team have helped a major airport secure funding for a solar photovoltaics (PV) development – this is helping to decarbonise a big piece of infrastructure, providing future energy security and relieving pressure on the local grid.

He said: “As part of my role, I lead site visits and manage projects that range from small, two-engineer pieces of work to multi-project frameworks that involve seven or eight engineers and support from other subcontractors.

“Projects focused on energy strategies for new build developments are my favourite type because they enable you to shape things from the ground up. Being able to accommodate heat networks and on-site renewable generation and design something truly innovative is fantastic.

“There’s always a special kind of satisfaction in seeing a tangible, working piece of equipment and being able to say ‘we helped build that’.”

As a member of the senior team, Matt is a line manager for several team members and oversees their continuous professional development. This part of the job is one he gets great satisfaction from, and Matt described feeling a huge sense of pride watching his team develop and doing his best to help them achieve their personal goals.

Committed to working outside his comfort zone, Matt has also taken advantage of continuous professional development opportunities. He explained: “I was comparatively late with my chartership application but eventually got my act together after I’d got into the flow of things at Synergie. I rewrote my application to include all the new experience I had gained in renewables and passed the interview in 2021. It proved to be a very valuable experience, and I have tried to use it to help colleagues who are working towards their own charterships.”

Over the coming months and years, Matt has a clear idea of what he’d like to achieve next, including making the most of the opportunities on offer at RSK. He said: “Working within RSK gives you the chance to collaborate with experts in various sectors. It isn’t a place where you will get pigeonholed into a narrow role if you don’t want to. I want to continue working towards an associate role at Synergie without losing touch with the technical work that’s the core of any engineering job.

“Several of my colleagues have been on secondment at other businesses across our immediate parent company, PD&MS Group, and that’s something I am interested in too. I am also keen to get involved with projects abroad, now that there are more opportunities within RSK to do so.”