Sairah Qureshi

Describe what the Mott Mac Life means to you in three words

Empowering, dynamic and collaborative

What do you enjoy about working here? 

I enjoy working on diverse projects. I also love going out on site visits and working on projects in other countries virtually.

Tell us about your specialism and why you chose it

My specialism is materials engineering. I chose it because I really enjoyed learning about the characterisation of materials; how they fail, how they can be alloyed to become stronger and the future improvements we need to make for them to be more durable.

Why did you choose Mott MacDonald as a company you wanted to be part of?

I chose to work here because of the diverse projects Mott MacDonald have worked on in the past. The business is constantly helping to make positive change all around the world and I want to be a part of that. I feel rewarded when I can help other people by using my knowledge and skills.

What have you learnt while working at Mott MacDonald?

At Mott MacDonald, I have understood what it means to be a collaborative team player. Being a team player means you must be dedicated to completing the task. It requires diligence and progressing together, not alone. Also, when a deadline looks difficult, being able to delegate tasks and take the initiative to change the initial plan strengthens the progress of the team.

Where in the world has your role taken you?

My role has allowed me to do site work all over the UK. I have been able to undertake many types of material testing in different locations, such as Dover, London, Lincoln and Liverpool.

What are your career highlights and achievements?

My main career highlight was contributing to a podcast based on cathodic protection and how it has been used over the years. It was engaging to learn all about the use of cathodic protection to protect steel, and to give my opinion on the development of cathodic protection in coming years.

Are you involved in any additional initiatives at Mott MacDonald, aside from your day-to-day role?

I am the Manchester office lead for the Muslim Community Forum, where I have arranged Eid lunches and an after-work dinner with the community. Also, I have been involved in the STEM Ambassador scheme where I went to a school for a few weeks to assist with an ‘Inspiring Engineers’ initiative; helping to develop learners' problem-solving skills. I was overseeing and encouraging the learners to build a bridge using limited materials, as well as follow a specification to produce a robust bridge.