ENSTA Bretagne : formation et recherche du domaine maritime
Jakob Owens

Arnaud, Mapping Engineer/Hydrographer at Ifremer

27 May 2015
Arnaud (Class of 2005) found work at Ifremer through the ENSTA network and then moved on to become a marine science consultant at Altran Ouest. Now Arnaud has returned to Ifremer Brest as a Mapping Engineer/Hydrographer. He divides his time between oceanographic research cruises at sea (roughly two months per year) and office-based work.
Arnaud
Class of 2005
Mapping Engineer/Hydrographer

"The things I find most exciting about my job are the diversity of the work I do, and all the oceanographic research cruises I participate in. These are real human adventures."

From one to six weeks in length, these cruises have taken Arnaud around the world, from the Gulf of Guinea to the ocean around Wallis and Futuna and to the Gulf of Mozambique.

While at sea, Arnaud works on data collection and supervision. Before his departure, he has to decide what equipment he'll need on board and to oversee its installation. While on land, his role is centered on software development. "Our needs and the tools we use are very specific, so the software has to be built on internally-developed proprietary solutions."

Arnaud works in the Marine Geoscience department alongside geologists and sedimentologists. The tools they use for their research have very high-quality resolution and rely on ultra-modern equipment such as AUVs (autonomous underwater vehicles).