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Where are they now? Marc Vizcarro i Carretero

• Tuesday, 12 May 2020

Master students come and go... after an intensive period working in the group, they return home, find a job, or have other opportunities they take. We don’t always know where they go, how they are, and how they experienced their time at TU Delft. We asked Marc Vizcarro i Carretero, a Master student who graduated on the 13 day of August 2019, to share his story...

My name is Marc Vizcarro i Carretero. I am a young radar and antenna engineer enthusiast. Not so long ago, already working within the European defense industry at INDRA in Madrid, Spain, I felt the need to solidify my base-knowledge in radar technology. I had always seen TU Delft as a leading European engineering university acting both as a technological-hub and as an international ecosystem from which I could boost my career. For this reason, in 2017, I chose TU Delft to pursue the Master of Science in Electrical Engineering (TSS Track, now WiCos).

Did TU Delft help to get you where you wanted to be?

TU Delft did not just help - choosing TU Delft was one of the best careers and personal choices I have made so far. I did not only achieve more than I initially had expected, studying at TU Delft also gave me an invaluable network, from former MSc colleagues, academy, and industry partners to, most important, new friends.

My current career track would not have been possible if I had not had the unconditional support from the MS3 department and more specifically Prof. Alexander Yarovoy. Studying at TU Delft gave me the opportunity for my internship at Thales Nederland B.V. (Delft, NL), my participation in the 11th International SAR/Radar Summer School, and my subsequent MSc Thesis within the Fraunhofer FHR Institute (Bonn, DE) with Dr. Stefano Turso.

Eventually, with such a background, HENSOLDT (former Radar, EW, and Optronics activities from AIRBUS Defense & Space) offered me a tailored position as an Antenna Design Engineer three months before my graduation. Later, in October 2019, I joined the Active and Passive Antenna Department at HENSOLDT in Ulm. Ever since then, I have been so far involved in Phased Array and Active Electronically Scanned Arrays (AESA) development activities.

Why Radar Engineering and the MS3 Department?

With the on-going technological developments within both defense and civil industries, radar engineering sets the perfect framework to be involved in a wide range of topics. From 5G, autonomous driving up to defense and space-related projects; radar engineering allows young professionals to have the broad profile the industry demands. This is why, based on the radar engineering academic legacy of the MS3 department and their broad curricula, I would definitely recommend the program to anybody interested in delving into radar engineering from the electromagnetic and signal processing point of view. From there on, it is a personal decision whether to stay in the academic world or to work in the public sector or industry. In my case, along with the interests that once brought me to TU Delft, I decided to continue with my professional career as a radar engineer within the European defense industry, where I can still be involved in research activities, tackling real engineering challenges both at a conceptual but hands-on level.

What about you and your future after TU Delft?

Joining HENSOLDT means to me an opportunity to be involved in research and development for military sensors within European projects such as the Captor-E radar for the Eurofighter, or in the long run, for FCAS, the Next Generation Jet-fighter and other NATO-related projects. Projects expected to shape Europe’s technological and industrial infrastructure, while ultimately fostering technological advancements in civilian applications around the world.

At HENSOLDT, I just found a great place where I can fully develop myself as a Radar Engineer. There is so much to learn and my decision to work on antennas first is nothing but a wise choice. Becoming a Radar System Engineer means first to specialize in several topics to then ultimately get a clear picture at a system level. With the current trends ranging from fully digital AESA to multifunctioning and polarimetric radars up to the “system of systems” FCAS concept, transversal engineering profiles with a high emphasis on systems engineering, but relevant hands-on experience are thus required.

Thanks to TU Delft I was able to set the right benchmark from which I could make the next move in my career. For this reason I look forward to still being connected with TU Delft as an alumnus and provide engineering opportunities to radar enthusiasts, while fostering research activities within the European radar community.

Final Note: Feel free to contact me if you have further questions about the MS3 program or if you are even looking for an internship position.