Katie Lloyd
Marketing Communications Lead, Quantum Dice
I recently sat down with QDicer and Circuit Design Engineer, Shine Jo Tom, and asked him to tell me more about his career journey, from his academic pursuits to a typical day in his role at Quantum Dice.
Shine has a master’s degree in electronic engineering from the University of Southampton in the UK, as well as a bachelor’s degree in electronics and communications engineering from Cochin University of Science and Technology in Kerala, India. He initially joined Quantum Dice on a part-time basis in November 2021 while studying for his master’s degree before accepting a full-time role after graduating in September 2022.
Discover the driving forces behind his career choice, what attracted him to the world of quantum technology, and what it is really like to be a Circuit Design Engineer at Quantum Dice.
What initially led you to pursue a career as a circuit design engineer?
I’ve always liked electronics a lot and have always been curious about the way things worked. This can be traced back to when I was very young, and I used to break open the toys I played with to find out how they operated. It was this interest in electronics and my general curiosity that led me to study for a bachelor’s degree in electronics and communications engineering and then onto a master’s in electrical engineering.
What did you do before you joined Quantum Dice?
My first job was for a small-medium sized company, and I then went on to work for one of the largest engineering companies in India, before starting my studies at the University of Southampton.
What attracted you to work at Quantum Dice?
I was particularly interested in the quantum technology aspect of the work that Quantum Dice does – even though ‘quantum’ is a buzzword – the innovative nature of the company appealed to me. I wanted to see how this innovative and exciting QRNG (quantum random number generator) technology could develop and interact with electrical engineering.
How would you explain the innovative quantum aspect to someone who doesn’t work at Quantum Dice?
The innovative aspect is using photonics to generate quantum random numbers and validating the authenticity by live monitoring of the source using quantum physics – it’s very fascinating!
I wanted to see how this innovative and exciting QRNG technology could develop and interact with electrical engineering."
What sort of things do you get up to during a typical day as a circuit design engineer?
I get to work on a range of different things – from engineering design work and testing hardware products in the QD lab, to looking into possible vendors and testing facilities, to working with customers to understand their requirements.
A huge advantage of working at a start-up like Quantum Dice is that your work as an engineer is not limited to the lab. You get exposure to the wider business with opportunities to talk to customers, deliver demos and understand the market.
What do you enjoy most about your role?
At heart, I am an engineer, who loves to research and design products. I particularly enjoy the teamwork aspect of working on a project at Quantum Dice too – it’s interesting to see how the mechanical, software, and electronics engineering elements all fit together.
I also enjoy being able to talk to customers. It allows you to see the bigger picture so that you can make sure you are designing products that customers need and want.
As one of Quantum Dice’s early employees, what has it been like to see the company grow?
It’s been great to see the team grow over the last couple of years – when I joined there was just a few employees plus our co-founders, and now we are a team of 18! As the technology team, which I am part of, has grown it’s been nice to share ideas with each other and have people around you that can help shape you as a professional.
A huge advantage of working at a start-up like Quantum Dice is that your work as an engineer is not limited to the lab."
In your opinion, what are the most important skills required to be successful in an electrical engineering career?
Technical skills are certainly important, but they are not the only skills you need to be an electrical engineer. You need to have other skills to complement your technical capabilities such as communication, leadership, and, crucially, a mindset to learn.
What piece of advice would you give to someone who is considering a career in circuit design engineering?
If you are studying for an electrical engineering qualification or similar, I would advise you to get the most that you can out of your project work as it’s a valuable way to get practical experience.
It’s a good idea to take part in extracurricular clubs or courses that interest you too. For example, at university, I was involved in the F1 club.
I would also suggest working for a start-up because it allows you to go above and beyond the technical aspects of engineering and experience things that you might not get the chance to at a larger company.
You need to have other skills to complement your technical capabilities such as communication, leadership, and, crucially, a mindset to learn."
Lastly, what upcoming projects are you most looking forward to working on?
There are three key areas of my work that I am most looking forward to in the near future:
- Working on developing the miniaturised version of our quantum random number generator (QRNG) – it’s hugely exciting to be able to add value to such cutting-edge technology and not many engineers get this type of opportunity. There is an ocean of learning happening with this project!
- Being actively involved in working with a customer in the space domain is exciting because we must apply the most stringent standards to our technology.
- Continuing to grow beyond my core engineering role – I am looking forward to developing leadership skills, working with the commercial team to understand business development and the wider market, and continuing to talk to customers.
It's hugely exciting to be able to add value to such cutting-edge technology and not many engineers get this type of opportunity"
