Electromagnetic Supersensing (Tomography) Engineer

Oil & Gas Measurement Ltd (OGM) is an R&D driven high-quality Products & Technologies developer in the areas of Multiphase Flow Metering and Sampling for the Oil & Gas and Energy Industries. Currently, we are leaders in Flow Metering and Sampling applications for the Custody Transfer applications, but we aspire to dominate the global energy market.

This exciting role based at OGM is to work on an accurate, compact and innovative multiphase flow meter (MPFM) that will primarily help the oil & gas and energy industries to reduce their environmental footprint while the technology could also spinout to various industries.

The role will focus on the development and improvement of a digital Super-Sensing device using Electromagnetic Tomography by improving the sensors sensitivity, the signal processing algorithms and data analytics speed using accelerated computational and electronic hardware based on modern general purpose graphical processing unit (GPGPU) and/or field programmable gate arrays (FPGA). The MPFM poses both a scientific and engineering challenge that motivates our development team daily and the candidate is expected to contribute to bringing solution to the Holy Grail of the Oil & Gas and Energy industries.

Main duties and responsibilities

1 Hard/Firm/Software Development.

• Improve the EM Tomography prototype by considering FPGA implementation of the hardware preferably using VHDL and Xilinx Zynq UltraScale + MPSoC.

• Optimise the electromagnetic tomography software for low computational cost – preferably employing GPU / CUDA.

• Electromagnetic Sensor design and shielding simulation using COMSOL.

• Develop and refine laboratory electronic circuit prototypes and mechanical assemblies to optimise the key elements of the system, (e.g. sensing arrays, drive electronics, multiplexing, signal detection and EMC screening elements).

• Design efficient and compact electromechanical guarding of electrodes / coils / transducers - particularly to avoid fringing effects.

• Integrate the EM Tomography hardware/firmware with other advanced technologies by creating a common platform electronics board with the Lead electronics Engineer.

• Integrate the EM Tomography software with other advanced technologies by creating a common platform electronics board with the Lead Software Engineer.

• Conduct extensive flow testing to improve the sensitivity and accuracy of the EM Tomography units.

2. Project Management.

• Working in an industrial environment as part of a large project, the candidate is expected to manage the sub-project while actively contributing to its integration to the main product.

• Follow OGM’s product creation process (PCP) for the effective improvement of the existing prototype technology to a robust and accurate product for use in the demanding oil & gas industry.

3. Research.

• Develop sensitive admittance measurement and tomography imaging techniques, hardware and advanced signal processing capabilities.

• Develop hands-on skills to utilise OGM’s industrial small scale multi-phase flow loops (oil-water and gas-oil-water) as a testbed to quantify the multiphase flow with well-defined uncertainties.

• Transform the EM prototype to industrial system by following internal product design specification and certification processes to develop a pre-production unit ready for field application using OGM’s industrial scale Large Multiphase Flow Loop (LMPFL).

4. Teamwork and motivation.

• This project is part of a larger project and genuine team effort, and flexibility will be required when scheduling tasks to progress concurrently.

• Identify and resolve design and integration issues by being an effective communicator, demonstrating the ability to work on your own sub-project as well as the integration project.

5. Initiative and problem-solving.

• The main objectives of the project and the desired timeline are set but how they will be achieved will be dictated by the evolution of the research. The collective problem-solving capability is at the centre of the project effort.

6. Customer Interaction.

• Learn about customer needs via face-to-face meetings and pilot testing of prototypes.

• Be open to further develop the EM Tomography technology for other related applications if customer requirement specification is provided.

• Demonstrate at trade shows and create and maximise opportunities for interfacing with customers.

7. Supervision.

• Project is supervised by the main Project Manager and Group Leader to ensure both the individual technologies and their integration are progressing to the demanding product requirement specification (PRS).

• Daily/Weekly briefs and Quarterly Gate reviews will allow the opportunity for transparent communication and success.

8. Liaison and Networking.

• The project relies on a good dissemination of results but also the pro-active search for the right information, sometimes outside the applicant’s direct skill set, and sometimes to show external customers the results of the project and how it matches their objectives. Timely and relevant exchanges of information are primordial.

9. Communication.

• The candidate is expected to strictly follow the PCP where all activities are logged in the Project Charter so that the work can be monitored as desired.

• Weekly and Quarterly reports are used to communicate the progress of the project and track the progress of planned activities.

• Within the limits of commercial confidentiality, scientists and engineers can deliver papers at conferences and will be expected to co-author articles in peer-reviewed international publications.

• Excellent written and oral communication skills are important to convey technical knowledge to colleagues and customers.

• Presentation of technology development and its results in industry led workshop/conference is mandatory to promote the product.

Person Specification

Qualifications

A PhD or an equivalent professional qualification and significant relevant experience in one of the following areas: Electronic & Electrical Engineering or Physics.

Experience/Knowledge

Ability to use project management principles and techniques to schedule the delivery of multi-party product design (ideally including working with sub-contractors).

Proficiency in designing, implementing and debugging digital systems.

Experience in developing and implementing complex imaging algorithms.

Experience of having adapted complex algorithms into parallel platforms or GPGPUs.

Knowledge and experience of signal processing techniques and algorithms, particularly those relevant to image or video applications.

Knowledge of embedded software/Firmware development.

Knowledge of scientific programming language skills Matlab or C.

Knowledge of analogue and digital (printed) electronic board design (PCB).

Strong coding background and previous industrial or research project experience in inverse problems, tomographic techniques, flow imaging and/or complex signal processing.

Evidence of having project managed a project whether in an industrial or graduate/undergraduate setting would be advisable.

Skills

Excellent written and verbal communication skills (proven experience of writing reports, giving presentations, interacting with customers or other third parties communicating complex technical information to stakeholders at all levels).

Teamwork and motivation: experience of working as part of a multi-disciplinary team.

Ability to manage time critical projects to agreed plans and specifications.

Ability to conceptualise and understand the commercial imperative for the project.

Understanding and ability to follow internal product design, specification and certification processes.

Excellent problem solving skills.

Work Remotely

• No

Job Type: Full-time

Benefits:

• On-site parking

Schedule:

• Monday to Friday

Ability to commute/relocate:

• Ely, CB7 4EX: reliably commute or plan to relocate before starting work (required)

Experience:

• Electrical Engineering: 1 year (preferred)

Work Location: In person