Meet SCT’s experts – Christopher Gautun, Lead R&D Electronics Engineer

Every company needs someone that keeps everything moving. At SCT we are lucky to have Christopher Gautun, who keeps us on track innovating, improving and engineering. In this Meet the Experts article, we put the spotlight on Christopher, our Lead R&D Electronics Engineer.

Christopher, welcome and thank you so much for agreeing to be interviewed for our latest blog. Can you share with me a bit about your background and what led you to join Smart Component Technologies? 

I’m originally from France and studied electronics engineering, graduating in 2011 from an engineering school in Bordeaux. During my master's, I did an internship in South Africa and ended up working there for seven to eight years. I then moved to the UK, working in Cambridge for several years before joining Smart Component Technologies (SCT) in February 2023. My career path’s driven by my passion for electronics and technology, which was sparked by an inspiring teacher when I was younger. 

Why did you pick engineering and innovation and this job? What interests you about this sector?

I was part of a generation transitioning into the digital age; I saw the early development of electronic gadgets, cell phones and internet technology. I was particularly influenced by a passionate teacher when I was around 10-11 years old who taught me about electronics and computers. This early exposure sparked my interest in the field, and I still now enjoy tinkering with gadgets in my free time. I believe we are in the "golden age of electronics". I’ve been excited to be part of the significant technological advancements of the past 20-25 years, which made choosing an engineering career a natural path for me. My ongoing fascination with technology and its rapid evolution led to my role here – working on engineering and innovation for SCT.

You’ve been with SCT for two years now, what do you think makes SCT unique in the market, and why do customers choose you? 

SCT's approach is really about continuous improvement, taking an initial concept and refining it to make it stronger and more useful for customers. Our starting point is strong, with a quality product that brings valuable intelligence and data to networks, and we go above and beyond to help customers. Actively listening to feedback and working to implement the necessary changes and fixes is what sets us apart. 

What does a typical day look like for you? 

There’s never a truly typical day when it comes to my role, since it’s so project based. What makes my work interesting are the phases that bring our ideas to life. We first have the research phase, developing ideas and researching potential components, really figuring out how to make a concept possible. Then, when we’re happy with that, we go to a schematic design phase, reading component documentation and creating schematics, consulting with coworkers to make sure nothing is overlooked. After that is the layout phases where we design the PCB (Printed Circuit Board), considering various design factors. This is honestly a time intensive stage, taking months at a time to develop. The last phase is manufacturing and testing, sending design files to manufacturers and conducting initial tests. 

Where do you see the biggest opportunities for innovation in predicting and preventing asset failures? 

There are many opportunities, but the main ones that come to mind are in data collection and prediction, and the potential with our newer products. The more devices installed on tracks; the more data can be gathered. This is a big opportunity in the rail sector as it makes for better predictions and saves significant time, and cost, for our customers. Our Smart Washer has a lot of potential, especially in the high-pressure, high-chemical environments like pipeline junctions. The existing method is closing pipelines and manually retightening components. With something like the Smart Washer, you can detect when components are loose and intervene before there’s a complete failure, optimising maintenance timing and saving money and labour in the process. 

Really, the goal is not to make decisions for customers, but to provide the data and tools to support better decision-making. The key is gathering more data to help customers make proactive choices. 

If we were to have this conversation in a year’s time, how do you think things will have changed? 

I’m optimistic for this year. We really have a chance to refine and advance our products and focus on improvements in sensing technology. From our Smart Washer to our sensing technology as a whole, we’re in the process of exploring better solutions while focussing on improvements on technical capabilities. There’s so much potential for the coming year, and I’m looking forward to it. 

What’s a hobby or interest you have outside of work? 

Outside of work I like to keep active; I used to play a lot of basketball, but this season's knee injuries have forced me to conclude that I need to stop playing. And every couple of years, I also try to plan a trip to go hiking in the mountains for a few days with friends and family. To keep active now, I try to go to the gym and, when the weather allows, go on long walks. During the winter, when I really cannot go on hikes or walks, I like to play video games.

I’ve always had an interest in photography, too, and really “upped my game” when in 2017, I bought my first DSLR. I’ve since upgraded my kit a few times, and wish I had chosen a cheaper hobby...

Thank you, Christopher!