Siloed Engineering with Leigh Brady
Leigh Brady, an electrical engineer with experience in defense, medical, and optics industries, discusses the differences between working in large, specialized US defense contractors versus more generalist UK engineering environments. He details the rigorous systems engineering processes, such as the V-curve, required for safety-critical systems like nuclear weapons and medical devices, contrasting them with the faster-paced, less regulated startup world. The conversation highlights the trade-offs between deep specialization and broad generalist skills, the importance of mentorship in large organizations, and the specific technical challenges of designing for high-reliability environments, including the use of FPGAs and ASICs in space and defense applications.