This week in our ‘5 questions with…’ series, we put the spotlight on Elliott Beauchamp, Systems Engineer.
Q.1 – Tell us a little about what you do at Gill.
I’m a Systems Engineer, so I work across a range of areas, from requirements and system testing through to hardware, firmware, software and automation. A big part of my role is making sure all those pieces come together into a system that actually works and can be properly verified.
Q.2 – Tell us what interests you most about the industry?
I’m particularly interested in the move from measurement as a standalone activity towards connected measurement. It’s no longer just about producing an accurate number. It’s about getting that measurement reliably from the physical environment, understanding its context, communicating it, storing it and ultimately using it to make decisions.
That brings together sensors, electronics, communications, software, data and systems engineering, which is exactly the sort of intersection I find interesting because it creates a lot of opportunities to solve problems in ways that weren’t previously possible.
Q.3 – What’s one thing that makes Gill a good place to work?
I think one of the best things about Gill is that it’s a close-knit, cross-disciplinary team. People are very open to sharing ideas and getting involved outside their immediate area, whether that’s improving something we already do or exploring a new product or technology. I think that openness creates a lot of opportunities to learn from each other and try new things.
Q.4 – What’s the most useful skill you’ve picked up in your career, and did you expect to need it?
I’d probably say learning how to use software as an engineering tool. I was already coding before I started my career, but I didn’t expect that knowledge to apply so widely to my job. It’s become useful not just for software development, but for system design, automation, analysing problems and changing how I approach my day-to-day work.
More recently, learning how to work productively with AI has been another extension of that. It’s changed what I can do myself and how quickly I can explore and solve problems.
Q.5 – What’s something you’re currently learning, inside or outside of work?
I’m currently learning DXL scripting to automate our existing test records in DOORS, combining it with Python and other tools to better integrate our test documentation with automated test runners. I’m also about to undertake a week-long Systems Engineering course in Eindhoven, which I’m hoping will build on what I’ve learned so far and give me some new approaches to requirements and verification.
Outside of work, I’ve recently become a dad, so I’m learning a whole new set of skills there! I’m also exploring home automation and experimenting with sub-millimetre-wave sensor to see how it could be used in new applications, such as contactless monitoring of heart and breathing rates.
