Sr Engineering Manager | Project Manager | Prin Mechanical Engineer | Researcher | Fluent in French Language

CAREER SUMMARY

Spanning more than 12 years, I carry a successful professional career with an intriguing diversity of a broad exposure to the European and multicultural environment. Encompassing excellent transferable skills along with state of the art technical competencies with dynamic and efficacious experiences in senior engineering management, system engineering, technical project management and monitoring, core mechanical/aeronautical engineering and research activities, mainly in the domain of spacecraft in the aerospace industry. All these high-profile attributes, with an ‘intrapreneurial’ attitude, make me exceedingly appropriate fit, both professionally and culturally, for a vastly dynamic and challenging role.

KEY COMPETENCIES

Strong Leadership & Team Management | Advanced Project Management | Work Package Management| Risk Management |Stakeholder/Customer Management | Installation & Commissioning | Contract Management | Effective Communication |Mechanical Design & Development | Space Standards (ECSS) | Thermal Design & Analysis | Excellent Negotiation |Thermal Design & Analysis | Mechanical Integration & Validation | Sound Judgement & Conflict resolution |Precise Strategy Development | Trouble Shooting & Preventive Maintenance|Active delegation| Procurement & Logistics | Organisational Savvy | French Language-Fluent

MAJOR ACCOMPLISHMENTS

General Manager:   SUPARCO (Pakistan Space and Upper Atmosphere Research Commission), Karachi.  2013-Date

Coordinated a cost-benefit in the tens of millions of USD and an overall project benefit through efficient communication and successful negotiations on work packages with the Chinese space contractors for the development of PRSS (Pakistan Remote Sensing Satellite), along with significant improvements in the technical specifications, they initially offered.

Achieved a cost-benefit in thousands of USD and a successful project delivery within a critical timeline and budget, by strong cross-functional stakeholder/customer management & effective negotiations with another Govt. agency for the allocation of their operational aircraft (Cessna) for structural modifications, to install and test ABSAR (Airborne Small Aperture Radar) system. The initial plan of SUPARCO was to buy a Cessna aircraft for the same purpose.

Saved cost in millions of USD and triggered a technology benefit, by the successful indigenous development and delivery of solar panel deployment mechanism based on the thermal knife system for PAKTES-1 (Pakistan Technology Evaluation Satellite) to replace the planned procurement of the same system based on Pyro-Technique by the Chinese space contractors.

Technical Manager:  SUPARCO (Pakistan Space and Upper Atmosphere Research Commission), Karachi. 2008-2013

Orchestrated the space qualified in-house development of CFI (Customer Furnished Instruments), installed in PAKSAT-1R (Pakistan’s Communication Satellite) developed by the Chinese contractors. Initially, the Chinese pace contractors were highly reluctant to accept CFI due to quality risks, but after successful demonstration of its space-worthiness, it is now functional in Space fully conforming with the requirements of all the stakeholders.

Succeeded in saving cost in millions of USD and a technical facility, by bringing back an old and obsolete TVC (thermal vacuum chamber), to operational life by effective troubleshooting and maintenance. All CFI and PAKTES-1 subsystem and unit level thermal vacuum tests were then conducted on the TVC. Otherwise, tests were planned to be outsourced.

Managed a successful reconfiguration and development of the PAKTES-1 satellite’s STM (Structure, Thermal qualification Model) with the mass optimisation from 700 Kg to 300 Kg to fit the Chinese launcher needs, within a critical timeline and budget satisfying all the customers including the Chinese and South African space contractors.

PROFESSIONAL EMPLOYMENT SNAPSHOT

General Manager:     SUPARCO (Pakistan Space and Upper Atmosphere Research Commission), Karachi.  2013-Date

Technical Manager:  SUPARCO (Pakistan Space and Upper Atmosphere Research Commission), Karachi.   2008-2013

Researcher:                ICA-Albi (Institut Clement Ader-Albi), Ecole de Mines d`Albi,                            France.   2005-2008

Assistant Manager:  SUPARCO (Pakistan Space and Upper Atmosphere Research Commission), Karachi.   2000-2003

PROFESSIONAL EMPLOYMENT HISTORY

General Manager: SUPARCO (Pakistan Space and Upper Atmosphere Research Commission), Karachi.    2013-Date

Key Responsibilities:

Heading a division, comprised of 40 personnel, in SRDC-K (Satellite Research and Development Centre-Karachi), responsible for carrying out projects and tasks related to all mechanical/aeronautical system engineering activities mainly of Remote Sensing and Communication Satellites.

Providing cross-functional management and enthusiastically leading my team of project managers, senior/junior mechanical engineers, sub-engineers, technicians and administrative staff, and keeping them motivated and enthused to bring out their optimal professional and organisational demeanour.

Conducting project management/monitoring, system engineering, concurrent engineering and product assurance activities of the PRSS and the PAKTES-1 satellites as per ECSS standards (European Cooperation for Space Standardization).

Coordinating with the Chinese and South African space contractors regarding contract monitoring activities of the PRSS and PAKTES-1 satellites.

Accelerating organisational long/short term space vision by making and conducting strategic plans for technical facility development, large-scale procurements, TNA (Training Need Analysis), budget forecasting, intellectual property policy and technical recruitment.

Key Achievements:

Successfully planned and executed the strategic goals to upkeep the long/short term space vision of SUPARCO by playing lead roles in developing project proposals, RFP’s (Request for Proposals) for international space contractors, recruitment plans, in-house and foreign training plans, procurement of critical components and global financial management plans.

Spearheaded the development of a centre of excellence for mechanical subsystems of satellites, including a design centre, a clean room, an AIT (Assembly, Integrating and Test) facility and a mechanical workshop within the timeline, budget and conforming with the requirements of all stakeholders.

Played a major role in convincing Govt. agencies to allocate budget for different ongoing and future projects of SUPARCO, e.g. PAKTES-1 and PNSSP (Pakistan National Student Satellite Program).

Effectively conducted PDR/CDR (Preliminary/Critical design reviews) of the PAKTES-1 project at system/subsystem and unit level, including all technical documentation, including functional/performance specs, following ECSS standards, satisfying all the internal/external customers/stakeholders including the Chinese and South African space contractors.

Efficaciously lead the project management, design, development, installation and testing activities of ABSAR (Airborne Small Aperture Radar) and housings for its support electronics on a small aircraft (Cessna), within the timeline, budget and scope.

Technical Manager:  SUPARCO (Pakistan Space and Upper Atmosphere Research Commission), Karachi. 2008-2013

Key Responsibilities:

Managed a section, comprised of 18 personnel, to carry out mechanical/aeronautical design/analysis & system engineering activities for the development of a remote sensing satellite and subsystems of a communication satellite.

Directed a team to carry out project management, system engineering, design, development, integration and test activities of CFI for the PAKSAT-1R satellite project following ECSS standards at each step.

Organised and executed in-house training sessions in different areas of satellite technology for the orientation of junior engineers.

Acted as a configuration control board member and managed product assurance activities across the satellite projects.

Handled large-scale procurement from international sources in compliance with quality, delivery and price.

Lead a group to carry out research activities to investigate the utilisation of carbon nanotubes in satellite structures and to examine the factors, e.g., thermal control design to reduce the lead time for the development of a small to medium range satellite.

Key Achievements:

Proficiently lead the preparation of detailed definitions of all the phases from mission planning phase, system engineering up to the utilisation phase of the PAKTES-1 satellite project as per the requirements of internal and external stakeholders including international space contractors.

Efficiently reduced NCR’s (Non Compliance Reports) up to 50 % by re-implementing a comprehensive product assurance plan as a configuration control board member and by leading product assurance team and enforcing critical reviews of manufacturing inaccuracies, incoming materials, assemblies, test procedures and MIPs/KIPs (Mandatory Inspection Point/Key Inspection Point), for the PAKTES-1 satellite and CFI projects.

Creatively directed the development of a technical facility for in-house tests of solar panel deployment mechanism on a zero-G simulator and other technical facility based on an ejector-diffuser system to test satellite thrusters, within the timeline, budget and scope.

Productively supervised my team as a technical lead to carry out structural configuration and thermal control design, analysis, development and tests for all mechanical housings of electronic subsystems of CFI and PAKTES-1 satellite, keeping in view the mass budget constraint and geometrical constraints provided by the Chinese space contractors for CFI and the system engineering team for the PAKTES-1 satellite.

Published two research articles in the Journal of Space Technology, based on the successful research activities carried out during this period in the areas of structural analysis and the cold gas satellite thrusters. Further details of these publications are given in the ‘Selected Publications’ section of this resume.

Researcher: Institut Clement Ader-Albi (ICA-Albi), Ecole de Mines d`Albi, France.                                             2005-2008

Key Responsibilities:

Prepared a research proposal regarding the investigation on the thermo-mechanical behaviour of a steel alloy, by thoroughly reviewing the research material available online and by coordinating with the researchers of the same area both locally and internationally.

Organised monthly progress review meetings with the research advisors, including the director of ICA-Albi, and prepared minutes of meetings to distribute and to keep track.

Demonstrated and defended my results and progress in yearly/half yearly seminars in front of a local and international audience composed of external researchers/professionals (mainly from AIRBUS, THALES, CNES, DASSAULT, CNRS etc.) and students.

Participated in all local/international seminars/conferences held in ICA-Albi and presented my article in the international tooling conference in Turin, Italy.

Coordinated with the suppliers and handled the procurement of research material’s specimen and its manufacturing.

Managed technicians in ICA-Albi to carry out required experimentation.

Prepared and defended my PhD dissertation in front of an international jury.

Key Achievements:

Successfully carried out the numerical simulations of all the previous experimentation on various iso-thermal and non-iso-thermal loading conditions (LCF and TMF: Low Cyclic Fatigue and Thermo-mechanical Fatigue) using two different types of constitutive behaviour mathematical models.

Effectively identified the missing parameters/variables in the models to predict the material’s behaviour under certain LCF and TMF loading conditions.

Inventively developed two novel types of loading conditions (variable temperature and variable strain amplitude) and a test bench to conduct these state of the art tests and a complete time-temperature-strain history was presented regarding the application of these models to observe the behaviour of the material under complex loading conditions.

Precisely characterised these behaviour models under the complex experimental database and further applied the models to a structural thermo-mechanical fatigue test specimen to analyse their pertinence and limitations under several complex and severe working conditions in the tooling industry.

Submitted and defended the PhD dissertation with honours in Albi, France, on 19th December 2011, in front of an international jury composed of a professor from Karlstad University, Sweden, a professor from Ecole Politecnico di Torino Italy, along with other professors from France.

Assistant Manager: SUPARCO (Pakistan Space and Upper Atmosphere Research Commission), Karachi.  2000-2003

Key Responsibilities:

Participated in six months on the job training at IST (Institute of Space Technology), Islamabad, Pakistan, from June 2000 to December 2000, in the areas of Aerospace management, Aerospace engineering mainly related to mechanical design and development of aircraft and satellite components, assemblies and units.

Prepared technical specifications for the procurement of CNC Lathe, Milling and supporting machines for a mechanical workshop at SUPARCO, Lahore, Pakistan.

Lead a mechanical workshop and managed day to day machining/manufacturing jobs.

Carried out structural design, analysis and development jobs for a prototype satellite structure.

Participated in the restructuring and reorganisation program of SUPARCO.

Participated in SUPARCO’s human resource development program.

Participated in continuing professional development programs of SUPARCO.

Key Achievements:

Distinctively completed six months on the job training in Aerospace Engineering and Management.

Played a significant role in the development of a mechanical workshop at SUPARCO, Lahore, by defining civil infrastructure and procurement of required machines.

Actively participated by giving valuable input in the development of a computerised performance evaluation system, procurement system, inventory management system and human resource management system of SUPARCO.

Indigenously carried out the design and development of a prototype satellite structure based on honeycomb sandwich panels. The one-shot fabrication technique was used, and sine sweep testing was performed to validate the manufacturing criteria.

Conducted compressive strength testing of honeycomb sandwich panels to determine in plane and out of plane compressive strength of aluminium and glass fibre face skins to compare their mechanical properties.

Secured top position and got selected for the training/higher studies abroad to support SUPARCO’s human resource development program.

Services Engineer: Plastipack Machines Private Limited, Karachi, Pakistan.                                                1999-2000

Key Responsibilities:

Carried out Installation, maintenance and troubleshooting of plastic packaging and processing machines in private and multinational companies of Pakistan.

Coordinated, on day to day basis, with the European OEMs (original equipment manufacturers), whenever required, regarding installation and maintenance of the machines.

Conducted marketing of plastic packaging and processing machines and sales of their spare parts, as required.

Key Achievements:

Pursued training vigorously and obtained expertise in a short period, about installation and maintenance of plastic packaging and processing machines like blow moulding, injection moulding, shrink wrapping, labelling and stretch wrapping via in-depth coordination with the European OEMs of these machines.

Successfully installed and maintained these machines, up to the customer satisfaction level, in Caltex Pakistan Limited, Shell Pakistan Limited, Clariant Chemicals Pakistan Limited, Habib Oil Mills Private Limited, etc., all with the OEM base in Europe.

Effectively increased sales of spare parts by a right margin by efficiently implementing an optimised preventive maintenance plan for customers as per the recommendations of the European OEMs.

Thoroughly participated and played a key role in executing marketing strategy of the company for the customers all over Pakistan.

EDUCATION HISTORY

PhD (Doctor of Philosophy): Materials Science and Engineering, Country of Study- France.               Jan 05-July 08

MINES ParisTech, Ecole Superieur des Mines de Paris, France.

Title: An investigation on Thermomechanical Behaviour of a Tool Steel X38CrMoV5/AISI H11.

http://www.mines-paristech.fr/Formation/Doctorat/Annuaire-docteurs/Detail/Zeeshan-AHMER-2011/20829

MSc (Master of Science): Aeronautical Engineering, Country of Study- France.                                              July 03-Jan 05

ISAE/SUPAERO, Institut Supérieur de l’Aéronautique et de l’Espace, Toulouse, France.

BEng (Bachelor of Engineering): Mechanical Engineering, Country of Study- Pakistan.                            Jan 95-May 99

NED University of Engineering & Technology, Karachi, Pakistan.

COMPUTER SKILLS

Operating systems: Unix, Linux, Windows, Mac OS.

Office Tools: MS Office Suite (MS Word, MS Excel, MS PowerPoint, MS Project, MS Visio).

CAD Tools: PRO/E, Solidworks, AutoCAD.

Finite Element Analysis (Structure/Thermal/Mechanism): MSC Nastran/Patran/Adams, ABAQUS, Ansys.

Programming Languages: Matlab, Fortran.

LANGUAGE SKILLS

English: Fluent in Reading, Writing, Speaking and Comprehension.

French: Fluent in Reading, Writing, Speaking and Comprehension.

Urdu: Native Language.

PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIPS

Scientific Expert Evaluator/Scientific Evaluation Committee Member at UniverSud Paris (Université Paris-Sud), France for the European RBUCE-UP project, 2014.

Positively assessed as a Professional Engineer, Mechanical, ANZSCO code: 233512 and as a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Materials Science and Engineering, by Engineers Australia.

Lifetime membership as a Professional Engineer (Mechanical) with Pakistan Engineering Council.

AWARDS AND ACCOMPLISHMENTS

Excellent Performance Award by SUPARCO, Pakistan in 2015.

Awarded scholarship in 2003 to carry out Master of Science studies in ISAE/SUPAERO, from Société française d’exportation des ressources éducatives (SFERE), Paris, France.

Awarded scholarship in 2005 to carry out PhD studies, from Ecole de Mines d’ Albi, France.

Captained SUPARCO Pakistan Cricket team from 2013 to 2017 and lead the team to victory in a Corporate Tournament in 2016.

President, SUPARCO Regional Sports Committee in Karachi, Pakistan.

SELECTED PUBLICATIONS

Z. Ahmer, A. Shah, Design optimisation through numerical simulation and testing of a 5N cold gas thrusters.’ Journal of space technology, issue June 2014.

http://www.ist.edu.pk/jst/previous-issues/july-2014

Y. Ayub, Z.Ahmer, S. Riffat, M. A. Shah, Mechanical behaviour characterisation of aluminium-based honeycomb structure by optimised modelling and numerical simulations, Journal of space technology, issue June 2011.

http://www.ist.edu.pk/jst/previous-issues/july-2011

Z. Ahmer, V. Velay, F. Rezai-Aria, G. Bernhart, An updated version of the paper, Cyclic behaviour simulation of X38CrMoV5-47HRC (AISI H11) tempered martensitic hot work tool steel, International journal of microstructure and material properties, issue 2008, Vol 3.

http://www.inderscienceonline.com/doi/abs/10.1504/IJMMP.2008.018738

Z. Ahmer, V. Velay, F. Rezai-Aria, G. Bernhart, Cyclic behaviour simulation of X38CrMoV5-47HRC (AISI H11) tempered martensitic hot work tool steel, 7th International tooling conference 2006, Turin, Italy.

Z. Ahmer, M. Danish, M.A. Shah, Strength assessment of various insert joints of space grade honeycomb sandwich structures, in press for publication in Journal of space technology, issue June 2018.

Z. Ahmer, I. Hussain, J. Khatri, Effectiveness of embedded heat pipes in enhancing satellite thermal design, in press for publication in Journal of space technology, issue June 2018.

REFERENCES

Available upon request.