Location: Dublin, Ireland

Current Gig: ‎Lead Physical Digital Implementation Engineer at Adesto/S3 semiconductors

One word that best describes how you work: juggling

Current mobile device: Sony Experia (Android 8.0)

Current personal computer: MacBook Pro (old 2012)

Work Computer: Windows 10 laptop, No machine to unix workstation (vpn) and Grid engine to submit various tools jobs.

A little about my background and how I got to where I am today. Studied Physics in Clermont-Ferrand, France, followed on by a master in Microelectronics which I finished with a work placement in small company in Grenoble (Dolphin Integration). After that I decided to go abroad, and landed in Ireland on the west coast, there I transferred from Analog Layout to digital Physical Implementation. I work in Integrated Circuit design for a couple of companies, alternating between my two areas of expertise: analog and digital physical implementation, until I join my current employer.

On a Typical Work Day

• Wake up at 7:00AM:
• get myself dressed.
• wake up kid, get them dressed and let have them breakfast.
• prepare lunch box for the kid.
• Bring kid to school by car, walk in the park (unless my wife does it).
• Due to covid lockdown, working from home, so setup and start logging in from my kitchen.
• Once at my desk:
  • List/review tasks and priorities for the day on my work notebook.
  • Check email/Jira tickets and email replies
  • Start on first task of the day and move on. Usually start with analysing results from overnight runs / review logs and reports
  • Loop over
  • Multiple breaks (lunch/coffee) so i don't spend all day sit at my desk, I actually need to stand up and move every so often.
  • 10 minutes before end of the day:
  • Review tasks status, write next day task in notebook.
  • Email progress and issues found.
  • List additional tasks for following day.
• My wife usually does the after-school pickup, but I might do it.
• Coloring with the kid
• Prepare dinner, family time, dinner all together.
• 19:00 to 20:00 kid bedtime routine (brushing teeth, wash face, story time, quiet time).
• Reading after that for me.

Appps, software, or tools I use

• Notebook - draft paper.
• Apps/Software:
  • Google Keep for quick capture on my phone.
  • vi/gvim still for me the best editor. NotePad++ on Windows, and been slowly converted to MS Visual Code on Mac.
  • Python whenever I can.

My workspace setup

In the office i have dual screen, with one always on the linux workstation connection, and the other alternating between Chrome(online documentation),outlook(email) and Onenote. Beside this I have my earphone, and a notebook open. Reduced to single external screen at home ( dual with the laptop one )

My best time-saving shortcut

Reduce and Prioritize and focus on only one single task at a time for 10 minutes. Basically blocked focused session. Be intentional with my time and the time of others. Took me a long time to get it, and I still fall behind sometimes. Besides my phone and computer, I could not live without a notebook and pen.

On good meetings

Good meetings are rare those days, I am missing a clear outcome announced ahead of the meeting, however meetings do not tend to last too long.

Listening habits while at work

Depending on the tasks:

• mostly podcasts (Freakonomics, Planet Money, Rationally Speaking, ....)
• if needing more concentration:
  • Online Radio: BBC 6 recommends especially Mary Ann Hobbes.
  • Jazz Playlist.

My Key Strength

Most other engineer are (much) better than me on very specific tasks/areas, but I have a broad array of knowledge in IC design, more fox than hedgehog.

Relaxing and recharging

Getting better at this through the years, I only need a simple walk in nature. What’s your sleep routine like? Are you a night owl or early-riser? Go to bed around 9PM-10PM and read a book. I am more of an early-riser, I feel much better when I can wake up and start the day early. I usually slump in the afternoon.

Best advice I have ever received

One received recently: Do not hesiate to voice your unhappiness about stuff at work, don't wait until you reach meltdown to ask for help or voice your concern and issues.