Interview with Bastien, Head of AMEG Engineering

What is your position at AMEG Group?

I'm in charge of the AMEG Engineering design office.

Based in Meylan, this AMEG Group entity specializes in electrotechnical engineering (high voltage, low voltage and low current) for all industrial sectors: chemicals, petrochemicals, nuclear power, research, R&D and the service sector.

What's your background?

Electricity has always been a passion of mine, from an early age.

After graduating with a BAC STI in electrical engineering, I joined a large group's installation company specializing in high and low voltage electricity, to complete a work-study BTS ATI.

After 17 years with the company, including 6 as head of the design office, I agreed to join the AMEG adventure.

What motivated you to join us?

AMEG Engineering has excellent expertise in high-voltage electricity, and a network of highly technical customers.

The development opportunities are very interesting and motivating, particularly the objective of regionalizing the Group's design offices to provide a local solution for our customers.

So, after all those years working for the same company in a large group, I needed a new challenge, to return to a human-scale structure, and to enjoy greater autonomy and diversity in my day-to-day work.

What are the main responsibilities of your job as a design office manager?

Team management is the key element of my job.

I manage a team of four people and several partners (subcontractors) depending on the needs of our projects.

On a day-to-day basis, I see to the success of our projects and take care of the financial management of the business to ensure profitability, while at the same time giving priority to quality expertise.

My day-to-day work involves managing the team, maintaining relations with long-standing customers, developing new customers, overseeing all the different phases of our projects (from the design study through to acceptance of the finished work) and managing the administrative side of the design office.

What qualities are essential for your job?

Several years' experience in a design office are essential for a sound knowledge base. Field experience is clearly an essential asset for understanding all the technical aspects of a project and anticipating problems. This combination enables us to provide relevant solutions and make the right decisions.

You need to be rigorous, have good interpersonal skills and be able to make proposals to meet our customers' expectations.

Applying French standards (NFC15100, NFC13100, NFC13200...), mastering design software (Autocad, Caneco, Etap...) and good writing skills are essential.

What have been your biggest challenges?

As soon as I joined AMEG Engineering, my 1stst short-term challenge was to reassure customers that the retirement of my predecessors would not jeopardize the complex projects underway (ELKEM, CEA...).

Then, to talk about a longer-term challenge, we won a multi-year project in the Nouvelle-Aquitaine region thanks to a great synergy with AMEG Atlantic.

It's a springboard for meeting the objective of regionalizing our design offices.

If you had to give just one piece of advice to a new employee?

Our great added value, over and above our expertise, lies in the outcome and attention to detail that we devote to each project.

We need to be "driving forces" behind all the projects in which we participate.

Shared decision-making is fundamental, and teamwork is the key to our success.

If, like Bastien, you want to achieve your full potential in an innovative industrial engineering company, join us.