From working student to full-time Electronics Developer, Andres Magallanes began his journey at arculus in 2018, and now he is responsible for the electronic designs for our current robot portfolio. Andres is part of the first arculee generation and has since grown personally and professionally with the company. In this article, you will have the chance to hear about Andres’ individual and skill development story with arculus, along with his advice for future applicants.

Hi Andres. Thank you for joining the interview! Please tell us a little bit about yourself.

Andres: "I come from Mexico. I have always been interested in electronics and embedded systems. It has always been my dream to work in development abroad, and with this in mind, Germany seemed a very attractive option. So, after completing my Bachelor's degree in Mechatronics Engineering, I decided to come here and pursue my Master's in Automotive Engineering. That was when I first heard about arculus."

Can you share your time as a working student at arculus?

Andres: "I was part of the embedded and electronics team in the early years of arculus. I was in charge of various electronic tasks, from designing and prototyping the harness and PCB to electrical debugging, testing and documentation. I also covered some programming tasks, for example, for the microcontrollers. Although I was new to the tasks, I had a firm grasp of the basics. I took on the challenge of self-learning and quickly became proficient. My proudest moment was supporting the electronics topics of the first arculee generation!"

As an Electronic Developer, how has your role evolved over the years?

Andres: "Now, my role has transitioned to electronic-specific tasks without any programming involved. I still cover many of the tasks from the beginning, and with the company growing, new teams now cover the remaining tasks. For example, as an electronic engineer, I am currently responsible for:

• The design of new PCBs: This includes starting with the CAD design in Altium and taking care of prototyping (which may include the inhouse assembly), testing, debugging and implementation of changes to the design
• The creation of the electrical documentation for all our robots/backpacks: These are the connection diagrams that show how all the components are interconnected inside the robot/backpack and are also the base for the harness design in the 3D CAD software
• Supporting the harness design: This task involves communicating with suppliers and testing the supplied harness prototypes. It also includes handling the in-house build-up of harnesses for test benches and backpacks.
• Supporting the robot production with electrical/electronic solutions: This task covers debugging issues and repairing damaged components or wires.

Moreover, during the arculee M production, I was mainly in charge of creating the electrical diagrams that would later be used to generate the harness production data. I was also a part of the harness design and prototype testing, where we found, fixed, and documented issues along with points of improvement for the supplier.”

You were part of the early days of arculus; how has the workplace changed since you first started?

Andres: "The team has grown a lot yet still embraces the same culture of diversity and friendly environment with lots of team-building activities. Structurally, the company has become more established since its startup origin. Lastly, we have the new office that has made work more fun!"

In what ways has arculus supported your personal and professional growth?

Andres: "It is a great experience to work with so many different people from many parts of the world; you can learn a lot from them personally and professionally. As a company, arculus allows me to develop something new within electronic design and work on further improvement with every new generation of robots. I highlight two specific skills I have acquired here: programming for embedded systems and harness design. Furthermore, arculus also provides access to training when required."

Lastly, what advice would you give someone interested in starting their career with us?

Andres: "Definitely, be prepared to meet some amazing colleagues! My experience here has shown me that with the right support groups, such as the one we have here, you can embrace new experiences with confidence. With arculus, I can promise some challenging but also fulfilling days."

This is the story of Andres, from a passionate student to a proficient electronics professional. If you're also eager to embark on a challenging yet rewarding career path in electronics development, then arculus is the place for you. Apply today and join Andres and many others in shaping the future of automation!