This month, we spoke to Engineer I, Miles Newton. Miles has been an integral part of SLPE's team for two years and has been involved in several high-profile offshore renewables projects, including Inch Cape Offshore Wind Farm, Hollandse Kust (west Alpha), and Hollandse Kust (noord).

With his background in structural engineering, Miles has a keen eye for detail and a deep understanding of offshore structures. He has been instrumental in ensuring SLPE's projects are completed to the highest standards, and he has played a vital role in the success of the projects he has worked on.

To celebrate Miles’ contributions to SLPE, we asked him a few questions about his time with us so far. Read on to hear his answers.

What have been some of your best experiences working at SLPE so far?

Something that has made a profound impact on me is the company's dedication to developing bespoke cutting-edge software. Based on my experience working at other engineering companies, SLPE seems to be leaps and bounds above the rest. Each project, discipline, and area of deep expertise seems to come with its own unique software. When it comes to technical innovation, SLPE takes bespoke solutions to the next level and is constantly pushing the boundaries, which is exciting to be a part of.

Another aspect of SLPE that I value is its flexibility. For example, I recently faced quite a challenging time that, due to a change in my living situation, meant I needed to work away from London for six months. SLPE was nothing but supportive during this time, despite me being over two hours away from our main office. I was able to attend meetings online, stay connected with my team, and remain in the loop on all project-related discussions. I am grateful to SLPE for making this experience as positive as possible.

When has a technical innovation helped you overcome a challenge at SLPE?

One of my tasks, when working on the Inch Cape OSS substructure, was to perform the primary steel analysis, ultimate limit state (ULS) analysis, as well as supervising the preservice conditions, loadout, transport, and lift conditions. During this project, we encountered a technical challenge due to a lack of data. One option was to manually adjust the design’s dimensions, which would have been a laborious and time-consuming task. However, we were able to leverage our in-house software to explore alternative designs quickly and efficiently. This automation saved us a significant amount of time and minimised the potential for human error.

Around a year ago, I expressed an interest in coding and have since been working to develop my skills in that area. As the Inch Cape project got underway, initially, our models were created using a specific software that required a time-consuming process of manual data entry. However, a colleague had recently developed scripts that could feed into the backend of Javascript and create the models in just a couple of minutes. We capitalised on this method by implementing a process where team members honed the scripts, significantly reducing the potential for human error and saving time as changes could be machine-managed. This was the first jacket project where this process had been implemented, and it was a great success.

Where do you want to be in five years and how will SLPE help you get there?

In five years, I would love to be working on more medium-sized offshore renewables projects and taking on more responsibility in project management. I consider myself to be a ‘people person’. I enjoy working with people, and I want to be involved in projects that have a positive impact on society and the environment.

I believe SLPE is an excellent place to help me achieve these goals. I've never felt unsupported, and the team is always available to lend a helping hand when needed. SLPE prioritises its employees' wellbeing, pays for training and courses, and supports its employees' career paths.

Overall, I am confident that SLPE will provide me with the opportunities and support I need to achieve my career goals. I look forward to taking on new challenges and contributing to the success of the company.

Would you like to join our team of innovative engineers? Keep an eye on our careers page - we are always on the lookout for new talent and will let you know when we are advertising positions.