Article: Investing in Engineering Talent: Alex Barks’ Career Journey at DB ESG
At DB ESG, our people are central to our engineering capability. Supporting employees to develop their skills, build confidence and progress in their careers is an important part of our culture.
For Alex Barks, Senior Mechanical Engineer, that support has played a key role in his career journey. Since joining DB ESG as a Mechanical Engineer in 2022, Alex has achieved Chartered Engineer status with the Institution of Mechanical Engineers (IMechE), progressed into a senior role and supported the growth of DB ESG’s Digital Engineering capability.
His career story demonstrates how mentoring, targeted training, varied project experience and increasing responsibility can help engineers build long-term careers in the rail industry.
A career shaped by a passion for rail
After graduating in 2019, Alex joined a graduate scheme at a large heavy machinery manufacturer, before progressing into a Design Engineer role. When he later learned more about DB ESG, the company’s broad range of engineering projects across the rail industry, combined with its involvement in additive manufacturing, strongly appealed to both his professional ambitions and personal interests.
“I’ve always had an interest in the railway, even from a young age, so DB ESG immediately appealed to me. The range of engineering projects across the rail industry, combined with the company’s work in additive manufacturing, made it feel like a great fit.”
This opportunity to combine technical development with a genuine interest in the rail sector has been an important part of Alex’s progression.
Supporting chartership from the beginning
Although Alex was aware of chartership before joining DB ESG, he had not actively started the process. Within his first few months at the company, it was made clear that DB ESG would support him in working towards Chartered Engineer status, a key milestone in his long-term career goals.
DB ESG supported Alex through the IMechE’s Supported Registration Scheme, assigning him to a mentor, Andrew Lightoller, Principal Mechanical Engineer at DB ESG. Andrew helped Alex identify the competency areas he needed to develop, target relevant training and gain project experience that supported his chartership application.
“I worked closely with my mentor, Andrew Lightoller, for three years to achieve my Chartered Engineer status. His feedback was invaluable in helping me navigate the required competencies and prepare for the IMechE interview. Having that support made a real difference to my progression and confidence as an engineer.”
In 2025, Alex achieved Chartered Engineer status and was promoted to Senior Mechanical Engineer, two significant milestones in his career progression.
Developing through varied project experience
One of the aspects Alex values most about working at DB ESG is the variety of engineering projects. Working on projects involving Digital Engineering, structural analysis, testing and customer project delivery has enabled him to broaden both his technical expertise and commercial understanding.
Managing multiple projects simultaneously has also strengthened his consultancy skills, from bid support and customer engagement through to delivering technical solutions for customers across the rail industry. This breadth of experience has helped prepare him for increased responsibility throughout his career progression.
Helping to build DB ESG’s Digital Engineering capability
Digital Engineering has played an important part in Alex’s development. The capability has evolved significantly during his time with DB ESG, creating opportunities for engineers to apply technologies such as 3D scanning, additive manufacturing and structural analysis to real customer challenges.
"I'm particularly proud of the role I've played in helping to develop the Digital Engineering team. When I joined DB ESG, it wasn't a standalone team, so seeing it grow into an established capability with engineers at different stages of their careers is really rewarding. Being part of that journey has been one of the highlights of my time at DB ESG."
This reflects DB ESG’s wider approach to investing in both engineering capability and people. creating opportunities for employees to develop alongside the services they help deliver.
Progressing into a senior role
Alex’s role has developed significantly since he first joined DB ESG.
As a Senior Mechanical Engineer, he now leads Digital Engineering projects from a technical perspective, completes work involving 3D scanning, additive manufacturing and structural analysis, and acts as test lead for pantograph testing in Europe with DB Systemtechnik. In this role, he is responsible for ensuring test requirements are met, managing testing activities safely, working closely with train manufacturers and DB Systemtechnik, and providing analysis and reporting to project stakeholders.
He also supports the development of colleagues by providing on-the-job training during testing activities, reflecting his progression from a developing engineer to a technical leader.
Looking ahead
Alex remains motivated by the opportunity to take on more responsibility, continue developing technically and support the next generation of engineers through mentoring and knowledge sharing.
His journey demonstrates how structured professional development, mentoring and exposure to diverse engineering challenges can help engineers build rewarding long-term careers in the rail industry.
From joining DB ESG as a Mechanical Engineer to achieving Chartered Engineer status and progressing to Senior Mechanical Engineer, Alex’s journey demonstrates the value of investing in people and developing engineering talent.
If you are looking to develop your engineering career in a business that offers varied project experience, mentoring and opportunities to grow, send your CV to careers@dbesg.com. Interested in joining DB ESG, visit our Careers section.
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