Alejandro, consultant Data Scientist at MCA España

In today's blog we discover the career path of Alejandro, Data Scientist consultant at MCA in Spain and currently on assignment in the Aerospace sector.

Could you introduce yourself?

My name is Alejandro and I am an aeronautical engineer from Spain. I studied both my bachelor master degrees at Universidad Carlos III  de Madrid where right now I am finishing my PhD in fluid mechanics during my spare time. Since not everything in life is studying, I like to relax by practicing sports. I love basketball, but the sport I practice the most is swimming, training five times a week. I am also very fond of reading fiction novels and essays from different fields.

Were you always interested into working in the engineering industry?

My first contact with the engineering world was through science fiction. I still remember the first time I saw “The Empire Strikes Back”, and from that moment I knew that when I grew up I wanted to do something related to flying objects. I was also very influenced by the fact that I liked mathematics and was good at them since I was la child, something that I owe to my teachers.

In your opinion, which are the main qualities to become an engineer?

I think the appropriate answer from an engineering point of view is “It depends”. It depends on as many factors as there are branches of engineering. However, I believe that a good engineer must be mentally flexible to adapt to the challenges that appear throughout a project. Although it is not necessary to be an expert in all fields, it is important to have a good arsenal of skills, to be able to identify when you are faced with a task that you can solve and when you need the help of a partner with more experience in that area.

How did you got in touch with MCA? How was your recruitment?

The truth is, it seems like centuries have passed since I joined MCA, but it's only been two and a half years. My first contact was through a former colleague from university, who told me that his company was looking for a data scientist to join a project in the aeronautical industry, which was perfectly suited to my abilities. From that point on, everything was like love at first sight. I had two interviews with the director of MCA Spain at that time and one more with the client, and in just two months I had already joined MCA.

What is your current project, and in which industry?

I am currently working on a project called Software Development for Airline Decision Support and Air Traffic Simulation for a major aeronautical manufacturer in its research and development center. I am part of a multidisciplinary team, made up of data scientists, software developers and IT system administrators, and our main mission is to provide the client with high-tech solutions in different areas of air traffic management and urban air mobility.

I work as a data scientist myself, and I am also the team leader of the competence center that MCA has started at the client's offices, which is pretty cool.

What do you prefer in your day to day work life? The main challenges?

My project is based on the research of new technologies, which is a challenge in itself. I love the challenge of facing a huge amount of air traffic data every day to analyze it and extract information that can be used by our client. In addition, as it is a project in which we do a lot of research work, the opportunity that we are given to think out of the box to find innovative solutions for traditional problems, such as the air traffic management.

How do you see yourself evolve in the future?

Since I joined MCA my mission has changed, as I have added to my responsibilities as a data scientist those of team leader. I would like to continue developing in that direction, leading technical teams that are capable of offering our clients solutions based on new technologies. I would like to contribute my experience and knowledge to guide highly qualified teams.

What do you prefer with working at MCA?

I think there are two very positive aspects to highlight within MCA. The first is the great team atmosphere that there is, which provides a plus when it comes to facing the day with more energy. And the second is the great support that is given to us from the MCA headquarters, both in technical and organizational aspects. It's great to have an organization behind you that cares about your well-being.

A final word?

I would like to congratulate all the people who are part of this company, especially my fellow projects, for how they have handled the last year. I hope that 2021 brings new and exciting development opportunities, especially in Spain :)