Success Story - Eldad Alber, Mechanical Planner, Ziv Av / Hadas Shimoni

just six months ago 28-year-old mechanical engineer eldad alber started working at ziv av engineering, one of israel's leading engineering companies, and today he's already taking part in two fascinating software and development projects for international clients. eldad told us about the unusual interview he had with the company's founder, dr. amir ziv av ("i felt like i was at my final project test"), and told us how ceo itzik taf tested his engineering skills at the initial meeting ("he presented me with a defective mechanism and asked me to find ways to fix it"), and admits: "when i was a student that's how i imagined the profession."
eldad found his job as a mechanical planner at ziv av engineering three months ago through the jobnet site.

when the fresh mechanical engineer, eldad alber, got an invitation to come to the ziv av engineering office for an interview and an entrance exams halfway through the year 2007 shortly after graduating, he was in for a surprise, starting with his very first encounter with the company's managers.

"itzik taf, the ceo, was the first one to interview and test me," alber recalls. "when i met him i recalled that two years prior i heard his lecture for fourth year students in the engineering department of ben-gurion university in the south, where i studied. he spoke about the engineer's place in the industry and the qualities needed to be an engineer. i remembered this lecture because it made a lasting impression on me."

what made such a strong impression on you during itzik taf's lecture at ben-gurion university?
"mostly the extent of the projects in such a large sector of the industry and also the big impact an engineer has on the technology's future in israel and abroad. i remembered very well a number of topics that came up during the lecture, so you could say i came to the meeting with him well prepared."

eldad alber at the ziv av offices

and what happened at that meeting?
"my impression was that beyond the results and degrees, ziv av was interested in creative engineers who have a deep understanding of engineering, ones who you can see a spark in their eyes and hear excitement in their voice when they speak to you about technology and mechanics."

how were the interviews on the day you were hired? did you have another surprise?
"the second surprise of that day in the offices of ziv av engineering was waiting for me right after the meeting with its ceo, taf, when i was asked to step into the office of the company's founder, engineer dr. amir ziv av."
alber didn't realize that ziv av had noticed a few lines in the resume that he had given to the jobnet site, which mentioned an interesting project that had been a first of its kind in israel – taking part as team leader of 13 students from the engineering department of ben-gurion university who planned and built a basic formula race car as part of the international fsae project. this is a project that brings together engineering universities and departments and the highlight is annual races held in eight different countries. it happened to be that amir ziv av is considered an international expert in the fields of transportation and aviation."

eldad, you'll never forget this interview, will you?
"when i told amir that in the fsae project i had been in charge of the car's frame, the driver's seat and the shell, he immediately started questioning me on each decision i made. 'why was the shell's thickness this and not that? why did you choose this angle?' i really felt like in my final project test."

were you worried you might fail?
"when we planned and built the racing car and looked for investors, i had to show and describe the car to them countless times, therefore when amir tested me i was already ready and didn't think of failing."

was that the end of the interview with amir ziv av?
"not really. amir showed me a list of standard questions in basic engineering, in order to test my knowledge, e.g. if you have a profile of a certain size and width and you activate it, how will it react? theoretical questions."

the calm atmosphere affects the customers as well.
upon getting hired at ziv av engineering, alber was assigned to an engineering team that was programming and developing a special camera for an international client to be used to monitor buildings. loyal to their belief that each one of the 50 company's engineers should be involved in 2-3 projects at the same time, the company's managers decided to assign eldad to a second team that develops a revolutionary security device. if the device "does its job," you'll probably encounter it in the coming years at airport entrances, malls, movie theaters and at every public place with numerous visitors – in israel and abroad.
"just like all the devices we plan at the company," eldad explains, "this machine is multidisciplinary, i.e. a combination of multiple technologies and production methods in one device. working on such a device requires mechanic control in electronic packaging, materials strength, product design and in a few other areas of engineering."

and what do you learn from such projects?
"first, you have to work fast and efficiently and keep your priorities straight, because the customer pays for every working hour. you also learn to sift through a lot of information to reach the relevant matter. second, every project requires a lot of creativeness and consolidating different ideas in order to plan a product that can be manufactured at minimal cost and that fits the customer's request. there is so much to learn in the world of mechanics, and ziv av is definitely the right place to do so."

and how do you summarize the work you've done so far at ziv av engineering? are you satisfied?
"it gives me a lot of satisfaction to work with very knowledgeable engineers who have excellent interpersonal skills. the information passes from one to another and the work is cooperative and friendly. generally the managers and team heads create an atmosphere of calm and confidence. this influences both the customers and the employees. i can say that this is how i always imagined the career to be when i was a student."

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