Grand Prix: Renault F1 opens internship program

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If you're a recently graduated or soon to graduate student in a technical or scientific field, listen up, because this could very well be the internship that could jump-start your career. Every year for the past five, the Renault F1 team has picked the top entry in a contest for a six-month internship. The competition is run by the Altran Engineering Academy, the technological manpower agency that consults for the team. Entries are accepted in eight F1-related fields based on 500-word summaries of innovative ideas that could help the Renault cars beat the competition.

The winner is chosen from among nine finalists who present their proposals this summer to a jury chaired by the Renault F1 team's head of R&D at its headquarters in Enstone, England. Applications are due by May 15, and having observed the results of last year's selection, the competition is fierce, so if you want a shot at working with the best, better get crackin'. More information is available in the press release and video after the jump, and a whole mess of snappy pictures can be found in the gallery below.

[Source: Altran Engineering Academy]

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PRESS RELEASE

Altran Engineering Academy:
Young engineers invade Formula 1 from March 3rd to June 30th 2008

The launch of the Altran Engineering Academy's fifth season is proof of success for this highly original competition and its unique prize. Like the four young champions who came before, the future winner of the Altran Engineering Academy will join the R&D department of the ING Renault F1 Team in September 2008 for a six-month internship. Before that happens, the winner will go through a rigorous selection process, from submitting an application (deadline: May 15tht) to the Final Presentation on June 30th in Enstone, UK.


Applicants must submit a case study in the realm of Formula 1, then explain how they will conduct their project over the six months. Once they have convinced the jury, the lucky winner will experience a fascinating adventure. The sports, human and technological challenges will be the driving force of a team highly motivated to once again become a force to reckon with, after two triumphant years during which the Renault F1 Team won two world championships, in both 2005 and 2006.

Participating in this competition, which every year attracts hundreds of young applicants from the best universities and schools worldwide, gives them a chance to share a thirst for challenge with Altran and the ING Renault F1 Team. While Formula 1 is primarily a sport and a show, it also provides an excellent opportunity to demonstrate the technological expertise of the ''people behind the scenes'' – the mechanics and engineers – who work in tandem with drivers to achieve maximum performance.


Apply for the Altran Engineering Academy

Candidates can enter from March 3rd till May 15th on the official website at www.altran-academy.com. Applicants must be last-year students or recent graduates of a university or prestigious school specialising in science or technology. To enter the competition, candidates must submit a project, describing in 500 words a technological innovation in one of the following eight Formula 1 disciplines: aerodynamics, power-train, race and test engineering, design and analysis, vehicle dynamics, control systems and electronics, R&D of materials, transducers and test technology. The winner will be selected from a field of nine finalists from around the world who will present their projects this summer to a jury of experts chaired by Robin Tuluie, the ING Renault F1 Team's R&D manager, at the team's Enstone facilities.

Twenty-seven countries are represented this year, reflecting Altran's positioning and international reach:

- Region 1: Austria, Germany, Switzerland
- Region 2: Brazil
- Region 3: Spain
- Region 4: Hungary, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Slovenia, Poland, Romania
- Region 5: Italy
- Region 6: China, Singapore, India, Japan, South Korea, Hong Kong
- Region 7: United Kingdom, Ireland, United States, Canada,
- Region 8: France
- Region 9: Belgium, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Scandinavia


Key dates

Start of competition March 3rd 2008
Application deadline May 15th 2008 at 5:00 p.m. (Paris time)
Final Presentation June 30th 2008 in Enstone, UK

2004: First practices run for the Altran Engineering Academy
The first competition, launched solely in the United Kingdom, was a great success. Five finalists were selected out of 1,400 candidates. The winner, Mark Caldwell of Brooklands College, fitted in perfectly with the team of well-known scientists and engineers who work at the Enstone site. He ended up being hired by the Aerodynamics Group as a CAD designer.


2005: Altran Engineering Academy goes global
The second competition, expanded to 26 countries, attracted more than 54,000 visitors to the official website. After the first round, 350 candidates were selected, then each region picked a finalist. The Final Presentation took place in Enstone amid the Renault F1 Team facilities, where the young Spaniard Isaac Prada emerged victorious. His initial six-month contract was extended by two months so that he could continue the research he had begun following the project presented during the final round. He has since returned to school to study for a Master's degree. To be continued...

2006: Altran Engineering Academy shifts into high gear
For its third competition, the AEA benefited from its growing reputation and the excellent performance achieved by French team. At the end of a superior final round, a young Swede pulled ahead of his rivals, who hailed from all over the world. Gustav Kristiansson is currently finishing up his six-month work placement – with stars in his eyes!

2007: Altran Engineering Academy heads East
Now in its fourth season, the competition retains its interest for candidates worldwide, whose overall quality never ceases to impress the jury. In this competitive environment, Josef Dubský from the Czech Republic went for the win with his CFD project. Positively impressed by his internship, he plans to come back to Formula 1 after he completes his studies.

For more information, visit www.altran-academy.com


Altran - ING Renault F1 Team technological partnership
How do we respond to changes in engine regulations; how do we improve the chassis' aerodynamic performance? High-level expertise is required in so many different fields. Altran has been supporting the Renault F1 Team since 2002, providing talented engineers in a variety of specialities, including computation, information technology, electronics, logistics and quality control. They contribute their skills to chassis in Enstone, UK, and to engines in Viry-Châtillon, near Paris. The Altran experts are driven not only by the human and sporting adventure, but by the technological challenge as well. Earlier this year, the partnership was extended to the end of 2010.

About Altran
Altran is the European leader in innovation consulting and high technology. The Group's 17,500 consultants, operating worldwide, cover the entire range of engineering specialities, including electronics, information technology, quality and organisation. Altran offers its clients ongoing support throughout the innovation cycle, from technology watch, applied basic research and management consulting to industrial systems engineering and information systems. The Group provides services to most industries, including the automotive, aeronautics, space and telecommunications sectors. Founded in 1982, Altran operates in 20 priority countries. In 2001, it generated a turnover of €1,591.4 million.