MEET OUR IEA ALUMNI – Saqib Moosa

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Personal details
First Name:	Saqib
Last Name:	Moosa
Department(s):	Electrical and Electronic Engineering
Academic status (Undergraduate/Postgraduate):	Undergraduate
Course(s)/Qualification(s):	BEng
Graduation year:	2016
Nationality:	Pakistani
Employer details
Job title:	Electr  Electrical Distribution Systems Lead Engineer
Employer name:	Jaguar Land Rover
What does your employer do?	Designs and builds consumer vehicles
Location:	West Midlands – Coventry/Birmingham/Wolverhampton
Industry sector:	Automotive
Website:	Jaguarlandrover.com
About the job
What are your main responsibilities?	Leading a team of engineers in order to develop and deliver the main engine harness, which is the bundle of wires that collect all of the sensors, actuators, and other electrical components to the main Engine Control Unit.
Can you describe a typical day?	I come in fairly early (about 730 AM), review major issues for the day and then look at any urgent requests received. This is followed by a day of working with other team members on finding solutions to issues found on engines and coming up with long term fixes. Sometimes I will go down to the line to see an engine or vehicle and of course, sometimes I get the chance to drive a car.
What is the most rewarding aspect of your current role or your greatest career achievement so far?	The most rewarding aspect of my job is having a design I worked on out on a vehicle that is released and seeing those cars out on the street. I worked on the all-electric Jaguar I-Pace and did some acceleration testing for the car, seeing videos talking about the car’s excellent performance and knowing that I had a part to play in the making of the car is really satisfying.
Are there any challenging aspects? If so, what are they?	Yes, it can be quite hYes it can be quite high-pressured sometimes trying to find a solution with strict time const with strict time constraints and knowing that the company is losing money for every min money for every minute the line is stopped.
What skills/qualifications from your degree or other training do you make use of in your job?	Many of the CAD packages and software used are fairly similar to things used at university. The basic knowledge about how capacitors, inductors, etc. work is also relevant however, the most relevant skills are the soft skills gained in working with a team or figuring out difficult technical concepts. Once you figure out your learning style you can quickly understand many of the things required at work.
How have these skills or your course made a difference in your career?	I think I would really struggle to progress in my role and sell myself further without those skills. Having run meetings etc. during my time at university also means that I am more confident in my role.

University experience
Why did you choose to study at Sheffield rather than another institution?	I chose Sheffield because, in addition to the excellent academic rankings and facilities, it offered a community feeling. The city is very friendly, the people at the career fair in Riyadh were really welcoming, and overall I got the impression that this would be a city I could call my “home away from home”.
Did your time at Sheffield meet your expectations?	Yes it far exceeded them. Sheffield is an excellent place to live and work, and I would never have moved out if I had the opportunity to stay.
What were the best things about studying in the Department?	The facilities in the department, from libraries to laboratories are quite excellent. I particularly love the long opening hours of the libraries and I really enjoy working in the diamond. It feels very cutting-edge and futuristic.
Career information
Please give a brief history since leaving University	I left university and moved down to Coventry. My graduate scheme at Jaguar Land Rover was very interesting and I was able to work on various different projects, including two placements working on electric cars. I then transitioned to a lead engineer role working on the wiring harness for engines, and am pursuing a part time masters through the company focused on electric vehicle technologies.
Where do you see yourself in the future?	I see myself working in a quality focussed role in the future with a focus on electric or hybrid vehicles. I have really enjoyed my time at JLR and think I still have a lot to learn and opportunities to grow within the business.
Advice to students
If you could give one piece of advice to current students or recent graduates, what would it be?	Take as many opportunities as possible to do various different things, university gives you the opportunity to meet a huge amount of people and try lots of things, and it is the skills and experiences that you pick up through extra-curricular activities that are most valuable to you.