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Employee Spotlight: Getting to know Adi Adotler
June 15, 2021
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Our latest Employee Spotlight blogpost features Adi Adotler, Chief Architecture Officer and Group Leader of the System Architects Group here at Gilat Satellite Networks.

You know how this works. Let’s start by introducing yourself.
My name is Adi Adotler. I am 43 years old, married with 3 kids.

I have always been interested in techy stuff. In high school I studied electronics and practical electric engineering. Like most young Israelis, after I graduated, I enlisted in the army. I was fortunate to serve in MAMRAM, the unit responsible for the management and development of the IDF’s computer and network systems; for 3 years I was a networking communication engineer and then a system engineer for another 1.5 years before retiring from active service. I studied at the Holon Institute of Technology, were I received a BS.C in electronics, specializing in communication.

Sounds like you always wanted to be an engineer…
When I was quite young, I started playing with electronic devices. Well not exactly playing. I would take them apart; anything from radios, games, appliances and more. My parents always said that I would definitely end up in a profession related to electronics.

What was so interesting to me? I wanted to know how things worked, how they could be done differently, be more efficient, more user friendly, with more capabilities or just different. It was all about ‘reverse engineering’ before the term even existed.

During my military service, I was responsible for multiple communication projects based on satellites and cellular technology; I found this area extremely interesting and decided that this was where I wanted to focus my studies and my future career as an engineer.

In our last Employee Spotlight we met Dubi, who has worked for Gilat for 24 years. You too?
Not quite but almost. I have worked in the R&D Department at Gilat for 21 years.

Why Gilat?
Perhaps it was destiny. My last assignment in the military involved satellite communication with remote units in the field. One of the companies which supplied the SATCOM platforms
was Gilat. I really appreciated the way Gilat’s platform combined satellites, networking, electronics, etc. and understood that I wanted to be a part of expanding its capabilities. When I retired, I called Gilat and the rest as they say is history.

What have you been doing for the last 21 years?
A lot.

For the first 2 years, I worked as a System Integration Engineer.

I moved to be a System Engineer and was responsible for adding networking capabilities to Gilat’s telephony system. I worked in this position for 2 years, while simultaneously studying for
my BS.C.

My hard work paid off. I was promoted to Team Leader, responsible for establishing a new team of system integration engineers for special solutions integration within the R&D Department. I worked in this position for 3 years.

I stayed on the management track for the following 2 years, becoming the manager of 3 different teams: The System Integration Team, the System Validation & Verification Team and the System Engineering Team. During this period of time, I was also able to work as a system architect designing some of the new features for the platform.

Working on the SkyEdge Platform reminded me of my childhood passion of taking things apart and putting them back together in new and different ways. I decided to redirect my career from manager to System Architect. This gave me the opportunity to design the new next generation architecture from scratch. I knew that my vast experience working for the IDF as a Gilat
customer, working as a system engineer with customers in the field and as a system integration engineer in the R&D integration labs would be a huge asset when designing next generation products for Gilat.

I was a System Architect for 8 years. I started by designing the main elements of the SkyEdge II-c system. I was responsible for many of the hardware and software design aspects of the system but my main function was end to end system design combining all of the system elements into one working platform, answering customer needs for the coming decade. I was always responsible for the communication with the main customers which ordered the new platform, making sure that the platform capabilities answered their needs.

The work was very interesting and included a lot of on-site work on customer premises. So, I got to travel extensively. I don’t think I would ever have had this opportunity if I hadn’t chosen
this path as an engineer.

My last project as System Architect was working on Gilat’s In-Flight Connectivity (IFC) solution. In-flight connectivity services require sophisticated airborne satcom equipment, as well as the ground segment infrastructure needed for constant satellite coverage along a route under any conditions. Gilat understands the critical importance of IFC solutions and now that global travel is resuming, we will continue to put significant resources against these projects.

And now I have combined my experiences both as a manager as well as a System Architect. For the last 2 years I have served as Chief Architecture Officer, Group Leader of the System Architects Group. I am truly honored to be leading a great group of system architects, all of whom have extensive experience working on our platforms, deep knowledge and understanding of customer needs and advanced skills which allow us to design all of Gilat’s future solutions when and how they are needed.

What are the best things about working for Gilat?
There are a few so in no particular order…

a) It’s a techy person’s dreamhouse. In the R&D Department, tens of engineers work with a unique combination of technologies including: radio frequency, communication, advanced routing and networking technologies, real time embedded, management protocols and technologies, digital board design, analog board design, FPGA, aero industry standards, cellular and other special technologies. There are very few companies, certainly here in Israel, that work with such a broad spectrum of technologies. This means that:

  • You always have an opportunity to grow and expand your skill set
  • You can work with and learn from others with different tech backgrounds
  • You can specialize in specific technologies without having to change companies

b) As you can see from my own career path, there are many opportunities to move and grow within the R&D Department

c) The atmosphere at Gilat is great; I consider many of my work colleagues to be my friends. Even when we disagree, the outcome is positive as we all share the same goal of making better products to meet the needs of our customers.

d) Everyone, regardless of their title, is encouraged to share their opinions, help out others and be an active part of the team.

What are you currently working on?
Right now, I am working on the end-to-end design of our next generation platform (including MEO and LEO satellites), which will enable ubiquitous connectivity for fixed and mobility sites, 5G and IoT, and will require innovation to provide the needed higher throughput, greater flexibility and tight coordination between ground and space. This is the future of satellite communications.

Looking back to past projects, what was your favorite project to work on?
I have been fortunate to work on many interesting projects over the last 21 years, but I think that the most interesting was the IFC project. Today Gilat is supplying internet connectivity aboard thousands of aircraft around the world and I like to think that I made a significant contribution to enable millions of passengers each year to ‘surf’ at 30,000 feet in the air.

I was responsible for designing the on-board equipment, the communication system with the RF elements, supporting all of the known standards of the flight communication industry and even the integration with important modules on the aircraft.

And I was able to travel around the United States, participate in ground-breaking industry meetings, meet some of the top experts in the field and work with many of the largest companies in the industry.

What’s your best advice for young engineers just getting started?
Always do something which interests you, that you enjoy and want to master. Don’t focus on something just because everyone else says it’s the next big thing.

Try to do things which you can see in action and give you a sense of accomplishment – for example, coding/developing a module which will never be combined into a real solution is not as satisfying as developing a module which you will see with your own eyes solving today’s digital divide, such as cellular backhauling solutions for Africa or internet for rural areas.

What do you like to do when you aren’t working?
I definitely spend time with my wife and kids.

But when I am not with them, I am all about sports cars and motorcycles. Sometimes I ride with friends and sometimes I ride alone during the early hours of the morning. I even enjoy watching
competitions and educational videos.

And this probably won’t surprise you but I also spend time reading up on and playing with any new technology related to cars, motorcycles and electronic consumer products. Old habits die hard.

WANT TO JOIN A WINNING TEAM HERE AT GILAT?
We are currently adding engineers to our R&D Division. Check out the job descriptions and apply today!

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