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Pierre Leseur, technician
Pierre Leseur is a technician in charge
of Physics measurements at ONERA, the French
centre for space research. He specializes
in making accelerometers: very accurate
small devices to be taken on board satellites
for research missions. What is his know-how?
He is able to make these clockwork components
thanks to his delicate touch and remarkable
precision.
When it comes to fixing a gold thread of
only five microns on accelerometers, he
just works miracles.
IOONOS: What is your career development
(educational and professional background)
?
Pierre Leseur: I started working for ONERA
in 1974, just after obtaining my vocational
training certificate as a qualified metal
fitter. Initially, I chose to work for ONERA
because my parents already worked there
and I enjoyed the job very quickly. I worked
in the workshop with the metal workers’
team for about ten years before working
in the laboratory.
IOONOS: What does
your job consist in ?
Pierre Leseur: As a mechanic, I mostly work
with engineers; I make prototypes in collaboration
with them. Part of my work consists in manufacturing
components in the laboratory of mechanics.
But I spend most of my time inserting accelometers
in the white room (a fumigated room where
everything is controlled and in which we
must wear a special outfit, so that no dust
or particle can get in.
IOONOS: Did your
training prepare you for this job ?
Pierre Leseur: Yes, it did. With my metal
fitter qualification, I had to deal with
precision mechanical engineering which was
a good training for my present job.
IOONOS: Do you
use computers for your job ?
Pierre Leseur: I use a computer to communicate
with engineers, to exchange data and insert
the results of all the experiments we carry
out in the fumigated room. But it is a limited
use as my job is mainly a manual job.
IOONOS: What are
the skills and qualities needed ?
Pierre Leseur: In this job, the most important
skills are acquired from experience. You
have many skills when you leave school with
your technician qualification; however,
experience is really fundamental. You complete
your training by working with engineers.
For this job, you need to be meticulous,
precise and careful and you have to respect
the various protocols. You also need broadmindedness
and the possibility of being able to discuss
with professionals from different backgrounds.
IOONOS: What are
the interests of your job ?
Pierre Leseur: Participating in International
projects is enhancing. Working on accelometers
which go into space and knowing that satellites
up there are working thanks to your efforts
is really a rewarding experience!
IOONOS: What are
the constraints ?
Pierre Leseur: The difficulties we meet
are mainly technical, we need to ask ourselves
the right questions and be able to solve
them in time to respect the terms of the
projects. Precision is of the order of 2
to 3 microns and this makes things difficult.
You sometimes have to start all over again
because of one dust.
IOONOS: What advice
would you give to young people who want
to do this job ?
Pierre Leseur: They need to have a good
training to qualify as a mechanic and then
there is no secret, they need to be nimble
with their hands!
IOONOS: Does space
make you dream ?
Pierre Leseur: I enjoy my job and space
still makes me dream. I would love to go
onboard the Spaceship for a little ride
and see our planet from up there…
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