SYSTEM ENGINEERING

• Insure a comprehensive capture of the customer needs.
• Characterise main system functions relevant to each operational scenario.
• Use formal methods (IDEF0, N2 matrices...) to describe system architectures
• Conduct value analysis for system trade-off.
• Assess the supplier technical response and insure compliance to system requirements.
• Extensive knowledge of the ECSS standardisation framework and other space related norms.

EXPERIENCE:

• May 2006 – present : THALES ALENIA SPACE (Charleroi, Belgium)

Thales Alenia Space Belgium is producing a wide range of space equipment for commercial and scientific platforms. As a member of the Technology & Quality department, I asses the dependability of these products.
In the project initial phase I drive system analyses to build a comprehensive functional description of the product, taking into account customer specifications including dependability requirements. Team members use this description so design activities and analyses are homogeneous.
I plan and produce detailed R.A.M.S analyses (PRA, Reliability FMECA, FTA,...)
I define and/or validate with component experts the main RAMS metrics of EEE parts such as drifts and usage limitations due to radiation, temperature and ageing;
I review relevant technological standards, so I can provide advice and guidelines to the designers in order to insure an homogeneous interpretation of these standards at company level.

• May 2000 – May 2006 : ALCATEL LUCENT (Antwerp, Belgium)

Within the R&I “Access and Edge” group I had the end responsibility for the hardware design and testing of prototypes for the broadband access market. I have been involved in major European research projects:
Together with the system and software engineers I defined and characterised system requirements and architecture for the needed hardware platforms. I produced the hardware specifications, I developed and oversaw hardware designs.
I acquired an extensive knowledge in high-speed digital design, using FPGA devices and several families of processors (i960, ARMcore, Power Quic). I developed VHDL code for the FPGAs and validated it via simulation and on board evaluation.
I defined test specifications based on the requirements of the system team. I conducted the validation and made sure that the demonstrator reached the expected performances.

• December 1998-December 1999 : FRENCH POLAR INSTITUTE (French base in Antarctica)

Since 1989, the Dumont d’Urville base in Antarctica has been equipped with a lidar (Light Detection And Ranging) which is used to measure the vertical concentration of ozone as well as the nature and temperature of aerosols in the stratosphere. As person in charge of the lidar my duties included :
Training : The lidar is a complex and potentially dangerous experiment as it requires to operate 2 high power lasers. I trained my 4 colleagues to operate the lidar efficiently and safely, and establish a comprehensive procedure based on check lists.
Measurement : The lidar can only operate at night so its operation was part of the duty which my 4 colleagues and I had to conduct in shift. I processed the collected data.
Servicing : I maintained the LIDAR as it required preventive maintenance which was of prime importance due to the isolation of the base. Also at the beginning of my yearly duty I had to proceed with the complete retrofit of the 2 lasers in use.
 

PROFESSIONAL SKILLS:

• System engineering

Act as interdisciplinary team moderator in order to collect and sort user needs. Capture customer requirements and objectives of each mission phases. Assess project and external constraints.
Define and characterise the relevant service functions (Main and Constraint functions) for each operational scenario, adding performance targets and other metrics; consider the project constraints and produce the need specification.
Propose system architectures and technical solutions using standard methods (IDEF0, FFBD, N² matrices,...) in response to requirements. Provide rationale for the proposed solutions and via value analysis, evaluate the concurrent designs for their performance, cost and robustness.
Assess the supplier response and insure that requirements are met. Assess impact in case of performance deviation and maintain top-down and bottom-up communication links in order to insure an effective and homogeneous development.

• Dependability and risk management

Assess and analyse dependability requirements of customer and plan needed activities jointly with  project management. Insure traceability of the RAMS requirements throughout the project.
Initiate functional analysis and system engineering in order to insure that dependability requirements are considered and effectively implemented by the design team. Validate together with designer the functional architecture from the RAMS point of view. Record the potential critical items with relevant rationale for later justification
Conduct the dependability analyses such as PRA reliability analysis, FMECA or fault tree, for each project phases and maintain dialogue with the design team so the dependability activity is implemented as an inherent part of the design.
Support the design teams with all dependability aspects. Conduct specific reliability estimation at part level (impact of SEE). Help them with interpretation and implementation of standards and normative frameworks such as ECSS, MIL-HDBK-217,...

• Digital hardware design

From system level specifications, develop the hardware design applying state of the art digital design techniques (ASIC, FPGA, LVDS...); produce the detailed hardware description insuring function traceability.
Define functional and hardware requirements at component level (processors, FPGA...); analyse concurrent solutions and implementations.
Provide test and validation plan; supervise or conduct the test activities until the whole hardware is qualified. When required, develop VHDL test code for component and system validation
Skilled with a very wide range of test equipment

SPECIFIC STUDIES:

• Analysis of technical potential for run time FPGA reconfiguration (2006 Alcatel)

I conducted a comprehensive analysis of pros and cons of RTR architectures and proposed possible applications : FPGAs are widely used in modern digital designs. Yet they are operated like ASICs in the sense that while the systems are ON, the FPGAs run a static set of functions. It is possible nonetheless to implement dynamic and adaptive architectures in which the FPGAs are Run Time Reconfigured in order to be always optimised for the very task to be achieved at the very moment.

• Technological memo on 3D visualisation systems for robot guidance (1998)

This memo surveys the different 3D visualisation systems developed either for indoor and supervised operations or for outdoor and mostly autonomous navigation : Guidance of an autonomous robot is a complex problem as the robot knows its location, targets its destination and selects a safe route to reach it.

• Feasibility study for an attitude sensor for nano-satellite (1998, CNES)

This feasibility study was about a sun sensor for nano-satellites. The sensor had to be cost effective, and to have a low consumption (1 W) as well as a reduced weight (100-200 g). The proposed solution was a pinhole (100 µm diameter) in front of a CCD matrix. Achieved performances were confronted to expected requirements.
 

EDUCATION:

• 1993-1998 :

Master degree in optronics engineering at Université Paris XI, Orsay, France,

• 1991-1993 :

Optronics degree Lycee Fresnel Paris, France

• 1991 :

Baccalaureat : High School Diploma G.S.C.E "A" level


Languages

• French mother tongue

• English fluent (speaking, reading & writing)

EXTRA INFORMATION:

• Personal profile

Nationality & passport:    French
Marital status :                   Single
Driver's license:                A & B,
Pilot's license:                   VFR, constant speed propeller

• Hobbies and Interests

Kendo and Iaido practice; vintage motorbike restoration, kite flying, drawing, creative writing
Member of the volunteer fireman team in my present company