"I enjoy the friendly and relaxed working environment that Autodesk provides."
After finishing my studies, I wanted to find a job where I could apply the mathematical skills I had learnt. I was interested in Autodesk because it specialises in CAD/CAM software. This is an area which relies heavily on mathematical algorithms, involving many interesting mathematical problems.
In my first week at Autodesk, I was provided with excellent training in C++ and object oriented programming. This provided me with a good foundation to build on, as I did not have a strong background in computing. I found the friendly and relaxed working atmosphere perfect for learning and problem solving.
In my first graduate rotation I was given small bug fixing tasks to build up my confidence in programming before attempting larger projects. My supervisor was excellent and gave me continuous feedback on general programming practice and code design.
Since then I have implemented a trimming tool for trimming scan data in Autodesk’s orthotics software product. Although I was not using my mathematical skills directly, I thoroughly enjoyed the day to day logical problem solving involved in designing and implementing the code.
I am now permanently in the PowerINSPECT department, working on software that is used to measure manufactured parts against their CAD models, in order to check their accuracy against predefined tolerances. Inspection software deals with many interesting geometric problems, one of which is best fitting geometric shapes to point sets. I have worked with algorithms for fitting an ellipse to a set of probed points.
As mentioned above, I enjoy the friendly and relaxed working environment that Autodesk provides. In every department I have worked with excellent colleagues and encountered interesting problems to solve. I have also enjoyed Autodesk’s annual walking weekend and a subsidised group trip to Birmingham’s symphony hall.
