Vice President of Engineering
During our interview, Danial Alizadeh, our Vice President of Engineering, reflected on his unique journey with CM Labs. “I was the first full-time permanent employee hired in a mechanical engineering position at CM Labs more than 12 years ago,” he shared.
“I joined the company with a high ambition for growth, and a commitment to the effort this would take; more than a decade later, I go to work everyday with one thing in mind: bringing forward the best of myself.”
As far back as I can remember, I was interested in computers and electronics. My interest started when I was about nine years old, with the Commodore 64, where I began programming in BASIC. Little by little, in high school, my interest moved towards digital electronics and building what I liked to believe were smart devices. Through an unexpected turn of events, I entered the mechanical engineering program at university. To align the surprise with my interests, I began exploring areas like robotics and control system design, from the mechanical engineering perspective.
I came to Montreal to do my PhD in mechanical engineering at McGill University with a specialization in robotics. Close to graduation, more than 12 years ago, a casual conversation with a former CM Labs intern led me to explore an opportunity in joining CM Labs. Although the position available was for a software developer, the company’s leaders created a position for me as the company’s first full-time mechanical engineer. Today, mechanical engineers are important members of the team and why we have the most realistic type of machine simulation.
My title is Vice President of Engineering, overseeing the largest department at CM Labs. My responsibilities include managing platform and product development, customized simulation services proposals and execution, hardware engineering, and our research and academic partnerships.
I’m also part of the executive management team, so I contribute to building our business and product strategy. I am particularly responsible for building the technology roadmap that supports our ambitious business growth.
My education provided a foundation of knowledge and understanding of technology. My people skills developed through the early years of my career in sales engineering roles; basically, I became an engineer who can sell things, products, ideas. Finally, my diverse experience at CM Labs— mechanical engineer, field application engineer, solution architect, product owner, customer support manager, and different levels of engineering management—has given me a deep understanding of our technology, our products, our clients and market.
I’ve participated in many projects, but there’s one I personally love and that I’m most proud of. It was for an industrial client, took two years to build, and has been in daily use for over a decade. The simulator significantly reduced training time for complex operations, cutting the training period by more than a year. For me, that is a high level of achievement because it really made a huge difference and it has been in heavy use since.
Another point of pride is helping colleagues achieve their professional goals. Several engineers who worked under my supervision have grown into senior roles in engineering management, solution architecture, product management, and other areas at CM Labs and elsewhere.
CM Labs consciously decided to build a platform for engineering-grade simulation and then started to build simulators for training operators, based on that platform. What I think really sets us apart is that the design of the simulation of the equipment is made by engineers with the same expertise as the real designers of the machine. Therefore, our simulation is so realistic that it prevents negative training.
This authenticity requires significant commitment to technology and innovation, which many companies in our space cannot make. However, it’s this commitment, which started with the founders of the company and continues today, that ensures our leadership in the industry.
It’s a very fast-paced industry and the technology evolves every day, it is crucial to stay informed. So, I read extensively and engage with my colleagues to stay on top of the latest developments. There’s a strong culture of curiosity at CM Labs, where we regularly share new ideas and innovations with each other. This collaborative environment keeps us ahead of the curve. We really take joy in knowing where the technology is going because it creates new possibilities.
CM Labs is home to smart, talented, and approachable people. The leadership team has always prioritized accessibility, and it’s something I’ve worked to maintain within my teams. I take pride in that, and I believe it’s an important part of our culture. You can walk into the office of any leader, sit with them, and engage in an open dialogue with respect for differing opinions. This also fosters that environment of continuous learning.
Another aspect I want to highlight is the generosity of the people who work here who share their expertise and experience freely. This is a cornerstone of our corporate culture.
I see enormous potential for CM Labs to make an even more significant impact across various industries. We have the capability to be part of the global quest for improving operational excellence, reducing pollution, and preventing heartbreaking accidents.
The work we do can truly make a better world, and that’s what excites me most about the future.