PAULINA CIERPIAL-FAKA
Employee Insights
MSc Geology at Jagiellonian University
Senior Engineer: Instrumentation & Monitoring
“I have the flexibility I need to balance work with being a mother – I work in a hybrid arrangement, spending three days a week in the office and two days working from home. I also benefit from flexible start and finish times, which allows me to coordinate my schedule around childcare commitments”
Can you give an overview of what the instrumentation & monitoring department that you work in does?
My department uses a range of equipment to monitor ground conditions. The equipment can include inclinometers, gas and groundwater monitoring. These all help to detect any land deformation and can be programmed to send alerts, if a particular area shows signs of movement.
What does your job role entail?
My office work can vary from day to day. This can include processing data from site, to managing projects and sending results to clients. Sometimes I may also be updating safety documents, and once a week I will prepare movements for the week ahead. I’ve quite recently been promoted into a senior role, so elements of my role now include team management.
What is your background including qualifications?
I have a masters geology degree at the University of Jagiellonian in Krakow. I also have previous work experience at a geotechnical lab in Poland. This work involved performing tests on soil and rock to help better understand their properties.
” A big part of our job is on the railway – we specialise in early failure detection systems, including the installation of cant and twist sensors on the track. These sensors monitor the geometry of the rails and detect and deformation that could pose safety risks. This can help prevent track failures and ensure smooth, safe train operations”
How have you developed and progressed at Central Alliance?
I began work at Central Alliance back in April 2022. I was first an engineer out on site with the instrumentation and monitoring department. This involved manually monitoring projects and sometimes, because of my background, I helped with ground investigation projects. I was then given an office-based role when I became pregnant. Shortly after I returned from maternity leave, I was promoted to a more senior role within the team, and this role has led to me managing junior engineers.
As you mentioned, you have recently started line managing junior engineers, how is this different to when you were purely working in a technical role?
This role has brought increased responsibility, as I now oversee a team of junior engineers. I am responsible for ensuring they are properly trained and are fully prepared for a day on site. I also support their overall wellbeing and make sure they feel comfortable approaching me with any concerns they may have. The position has also helped me to strengthen key soft skills such as communication, collaboration and teamwork.
Can you tell us about the flexibility you have in the role, and how you consider your work-life balance?
I work in a hybrid arrangement, spending three days a week in the office and two days working from home. This setup provides the flexibility I need to balance work with being a mother. I also benefit from flexible start and finish times which allows me to coordinate my schedule around childcare commitments.
What is the best element of your role at CA?
I really enjoy processing the data we collect from site as it helps to identify patterns that could indicate potential land failure. What I find most rewarding is knowing that our work directly contributes to improving safety in real-world situations, through helping to prevent hazards and therefore protecting infrastructure and people.
“Always be open to learning and have a strong passion to grow…building expertise and advancing in your career takes time, so focus on learning at each stage and trust the process.”
Are there any downsides or limitations to your job?
I think I would say one of the downsides to my role now is being out on site less. I have fond memories of when I used to be out on site, and I miss being able to travel to different parts of the country. However, less travelling to site means I’m able to spend much more quality time with my son.
What is the working environment like at CA?
I would say it is relaxed and friendly with a good collaborative environment. Everyone is made to feel comfortable in the office and there is a healthy balance between professionalism and a casual, approachable manner.
What are three pieces of advice you would give to students considering a career in the ground engineering field?
One key piece of advice I would give is always be open to learning and have a strong passion to grow. I would also recommend gaining as much hands-on experience as possible, spending time on site allows you to develop much needed practical skills. Finally, be patient with your progress. Building expertise and advancing in your career takes time, so focus on learning at each stage and trust the process.
