Application Letter

46 Jalan Kembangan
Singapore 419115
Tel: (65) 9105 8973
Email: julian_tay@hotmail.com

9 September 2011

Tel: (65) 6660 7213
Email: career.kinetics@stengg.com
Lim Jit Chek
Vice President, Human Resource
Singapore Technologies Kinetics Ltd (ST Kinetics)
249 Jalan Boon Lay,
Singapore 619523

Subject: Job application for Assistant Principal Research Engineer
(ref: CORP/CTO/JC2)

Dear Mr Lim,

Re: Application for position of Assistant Principal Research Engineer

I learned of the position of Assistant Principal Research Engineer at Singapore Technologies Kinetics Ltd in your advertisement on the online job advertising website www.jobscentral.com.sg, 2 September 2011, and am very interested to apply for this position. My resume is attached for your review.

I graduated from the National University of Singapore (NUS) with a Bachelor of Engineering in Engineering Science. Being in the Nanoscience and Nanotechnology specialization of the Engineering Science Program (ESP) has exposed me to various lab equipments and tools pertinent to this field. During the course of study I was skilled in the operations of imagining and diagnostic equipments like the FE-SEM and EDX. Furthermore, my Final Year Project was on investigating nano-fibres and I am knowledgeable with processes like electro-spinning and have even fabricated a few samples myself back in the Institute of Material Research and Engineering (IMRE) where I conducted my experiments. My work in IMRE had also opened new avenues of research into not only the tensile strength of the fabric materials but also in its flexibility and possibly electrical properties. Even though my research topic did not touch aramid, polymer and silk material in depth, I believe I would be able to pick them up quite easily as I reckon I am a fast learner.

The ESP is a rigorous 4 years program designed to educate engineers for careers at the cutting edge of research and professional work in multidisciplinary areas. As such, design projects were a major part of the curriculum. During these projects, each student is place in a team and their objective as a team is to conduct the necessary researches on a particular engineering task and to come up with designs to implement. One particular design project worth mentioning is the designing of a microfluidic mixer chip. The project involves a collaboration between students of two different specializations, each having a different role in the research project; one team was in charge of theory and design of microfluidic channels, the other in the fabrication of these microchips. These design projects have not only provided the experiences of working and researching as a team but have also helped hone and improve my interpersonal skills as I interact with my peers. Therefore, I am capable of not only working with a team of research engineers but also able to coordinate with principal investigators and researchers of research institutions that your organization engages.

Even though I may only be a fresh graduate from NUS with a Bachelor of Engineering, the experiences and rigors of the Engineering Science Program have helped groom me to be ready to engage any multidisciplinary researches in fields of both science and technology. Thus, I believe I am capable of undertaking the applied position as competent as individuals with the relevant work experience.

I humbly trust that my experiences in research projects, both working in a team setting and also in a collaboration with other researchers of different specializations, coupled with my experiences in working with nanomaterials, would prove to be an invaluable asset to your organization. I would greatly welcome the opportunity to discuss this position with you in person and would be please to make arrangements for an interview at your convenience.

Yours sincerely,

Tay Junlong Julian

Enclosed: Resume

 

JOB AD:

Singapore Technologies Kinetics Ltd

Singapore Technologies Kinetics (ST Kinetics) is the land systems arm of ST Engineering. It provides integrated systems, specialty vehicles and their related services for defence, government and commercial applications. This includes design and development, systems integration, production, operations & support and life cycle management.

Assistant Principal Research Engineer (ref: CORP/CTO/JC2)

 

Responsibilities:

• Lead, manage and research on nano-fibre development for composite applications
• Supervise research projects relating with fibre, fabrics and composites with research institutions
• Propose new research projects relating to fibre, fabrics and composites

Requirements:

• Master/ Degree in Material Science/ Chemical or Composite Engineering with at least 1 year of experience in electro-spinning, weaving, wet-laying or polymer hot-press industries
• Experience in diagnostic equipments such as FE-SEM, EDX, XRD and FTIR
• Experience in researching on aramid, polymer and silk material
• Able to initiate and propose new research projects
• Able to lead and work with a team of research engineers
• Able to coordinate with principal investigators and researchers of research institutions
• Only Singaporeans need apply

 

Resolving Interpersonal Conflict

Interpersonal conflict, as the name suggests, are conflicts among individuals; and the lack of proper or effective communication may be the most common cause of these conflicts. These conflicts ranges from squabbles between couples on where to go for dinner to a misunderstanding between diplomats on foreign policies.

This example is based hypothetically using real personalities I encountered during my Army days. (when I was serving my national service, no prize for guessing which character I was):

Jude has always been a person who strives to do what is right, sometimes even pushing himself beyond his limits, earning him the nickname “garang soldier” (which means “fierce soldier” in malay) among his peers in the army. He is also responsible. However, he does takes offence in people who do not put in effort and wonders why some others do not share his same drive for excellence.

Tee Jay, on the other hand, thinks that serving national service is a downright waste of time. He would rather do just the amount that is required of him and focus his energy on other things like reading or exercising.

Commander E is just a total jerk who likes to bootlick his superiors, either to gain favors or to save his own skin. He employs double standards in that the standard of proficiency he expects of his men (the people he is in charge of), he did not apply to himself. Both Jude and Tee Jay do not like him at all.

One day Commander E asks of a favor from Jude, seeing that he is the most reliable man among most of his peers. The task was rather important to him and would place him in a good light with his superiors if done well, but earlier on, before the task was given to him, he had already taken the day off to spend time with his girlfriend who would be going overseas to study. Jude accepted to undertake the task, not because he really willingly wanted to help Commander E but because he was a little afraid of him and was also the kind of person who respected authority.

The task could not be done alone and Jude needed Tee Jay’s help for it. Tee Jay however, after learning what happened, found it really ridiculous that they are helping Commander E gain credits with his superiors while he is away enjoying himself with his girlfriend. Tee Jay initially wanted to do nothing at all, even considered sabotaging the project as a means of “getting back” at Commander E for the injustice they tolerated. However, on the account of Jude, who has been a good friend, he agreed to help out a little.

It was getting late and Tee Jay’s “little” was not good enough for Jude (or “well” enough for the superiors). Jude asked Tee Jay to “buck” up, albeit with a little anxiousness in his tone (there as a time limit to the task), more so that they could accomplish the task well. Tee Jay, on the other hand, took the signal wrongly, thinking that Jude was ungrateful and snapped back at Jude, questioning why he accepted the task at the first place and calling him “garang soldier” in a rather derogatory way. Jude never liked the nickname “garang soldier” and would never admit that he accept the task out of fear and scolded Tee Jay for always being so sloppy in his work. Tee Jay, however, rebutted and reminded him who they are doing this for and why they are doing the task for this person. This caused an awkward silence between the two friend because both of them dislike Commander E.

If you were a fellow platoon mate with Jude and Tee Jay, how would you reconcile both of them?