Job Hunting &Working Experiencein Japan
Bing Zheng SOH

CONTENTS
1. Self Introduction
2. My Research Topics in University
3. My Job-Hunting Experience in Japan

4. My Current Job
5. Advice to International Students

1. Self Introduction (About Myself)• Name: Bing Zheng SOH• Nationality: Malaysian• Undergraduate: Bachelor’s in Civil Engineering,
University of Technology Malaysia,
Jun 2010• Postgraduate: Master’s in Environmental Engineering,
Hokkaido University,
Sep 2013• Current job: Civil Engineer at TOA Corporation,
since Oct 2013~

1. Self Introduction (Malaysia)
Petronas Twin Towers
JAPANFlight: ±7 hours

MALAYSIA

Tallest building in the world (Year 1998 toYear 2004)
Tallest twin towers in the world (459.1m).

2. My Research Topic in University (Malaysia)• Bachelor’s in Civil Engineering, University of Technology Malaysia, Jun
2010.
• Thesis:➢ Low Flow Analysis – A Comparison between Gumbel and Log
Pearson Type III Methods.
• Aim of low flow analysis:➢ To improve drought management in the future.
• 24 years low flow data for Mengalong River in Sipitang, Sabah, Malaysia
was collected.
• Conclusion:➢ Log Pearson Type III Method can provide better prediction for thisdata.

2. My Research Topic in University (Japan 1 of 5)• Master’s in Environmental Engineering, Hokkaido University, Sep 2013.
• Research:➢ Direct Membrane Filtration (DMF) with Chemically Enhanced
Backwash (CEB) for the Recovery of Organic Matter from
Domestic Wastewater• Laboratory on Engineering for Sustainable Sanitation, Division ofEnvironmental Engineering, Graduate School of Engineering, Hokkaido
University.
• Supervisor:➢ Assoc. Prof. Katsuki KIMURA (now Prof.)2. My Research Topic in University (Japan 2 of 5)• Wastewater contains internal chemical energy.
• Problem ⇒ Low concentration• One idea ⇒ Direct membrane filtration (DMF) of raw wastewater toincrease concentration.
Permeate

Membrane

Membrane

Permeate

Concentratedwastewater

Energyproduction

2. My Research Topic in University (Japan 3 of 5)• Advantages of DMF✓ Simplicity in design and maintenance.
✓ Concentrate wastewater.
✓ Smaller footprint.

• Limitation of DMF❖ Membrane fouling• To control membrane foulingo Chemically Enhanced Backwash(CEB) is used.

2. My Research Topic in University (Japan 4 of 5)• The objectives:
1. The feasibility of DMF
for organic carbon
recovery fromdomestic wastewater.
2. The effectiveness ofCEB to control
membrane fouling.
3. The characterizationsof foulants andunderstanding foulingmechanisms.

2. My Research Topic in University (Japan 5 of 5)• Conclusions:1.

DMF can increase concentration of domestic wastewater.

2.

CEB using NaOCl and citric acid were able to mitigate membranefouling.

3.

Total recovery of organic matter is > 70 %.

4.

Selection of chemical reagents for CEB will affect recovery oforganic matter.

5.

The estimated potential energy is 0.23kWh from 1m3 ofwastewater treated.

3. My Job-Hunting Experience in Japan (1 of 3)• My job-hunting started 1 year before I graduated from HokkaidoUniversity.
• Aim:➢ Water business related companies➢ Design or construction companies➢ Oil or plant engineering companies• Attended seminars by companies.
• Submitted “Entry Sheet” to the companies.
✓ Resume, qualifications, motivations to apply for the company,strength and weakness, research topic etc.

3. My Job-Hunting Experience in Japan (2 of 3)• Summary of Job-Hunting
Description

No. of companies

SeminarApprox. 30

Entry SheetApprox. 10

Interview/group discussion

3• However, all was not successful.
• One main reason of failure was Japanese language.

3. My Job-Hunting Experience in Japan (3 of 3)
May 2013➢ Coordinator of Engineering Program in Hokkaido University asked me
about my plan after graduation.
➢ She introduced me to TOA Corporation.

Sep 2013➢ Interview and Engineering Test at TOA Head Office.

Oct 2013➢ Started work at TOA.

4. My Current Job (TOA Corporation 1 of 2)
Introduction to TOA Corporation• General contractor construction company.

• Founded in 1908 by Soichiro Asano.
• The first landfill developer in Japan and famous for dredging andreclamation.
• Operations:✓ Marine civil engineering such as marine construction works (jetty,breakwater etc.) and reclamation works.
✓ On-land civil engineering such as roads, bridges, tunnels etc.
✓ Architectural building works such as factories, power plants etc.

✓ Research and development such as soil improvement works,
recycling of dredging material etc.

4. My Current Job (TOA Corporation 2 of 2)
Project Examples

Suez Canal Dredging Work in Eygpt

Paiton Private Power Project in Indonesia

4. My Current Job (My Responsibilities 1 of 6)
From Oct 2013 to Oct 2018
• Worked at Overseas Design Group in Design Department, Head Office.

• Responsibilities:✓ Perform civil engineering design for marine facilities based onJapanese standards and/or International standards.
✓ Perform computer-aided drawings.

✓ Prepare quantity estimation.
✓ Prepare design calculation sheet or report.
✓ Provide long distance training for Philippines’ office staff.

4. My Current Job (My Responsibilities 2 of 6)
From Nov 2018 ~• Currently at Engineering Service Department, International General
Headquarters.
• Responsibilities:
1)

Design support for bidding and tender.

2)

Design and technical support for construction site.

4. My Current Job (My Responsibilities 3 of 6)
1) Design Support for Bidding and Tender• A new jetty is to be constructed and TOA participated in the bidding
process.
Image of completed jetty

4. My Current Job (My Responsibilities 4 of 6)
1) Design Support for Bidding and Tender• Based on natural conditions (soil, waves, seismic etc.) and loading
conditions (vessel size etc.), the jetty was designed.
• The estimation team will use our design for cost estimation for thebidding.
3D Image of designed jetty

4. My Current Job (My Responsibilities 5 of 6)2) Design and Technical Support for Construction Site.
Cracking inconcrete
under jetty

Rust occurs

ConcreteRebar(1) Normal Concrete

Water will penetrate
through the cracks.
(2) With Cracks

Concretewill peel off(3) Peel Off

4. My Current Job (My Responsibilities 6 of 6)2) Design and Technical Support for Construction Site.
• The construction site requested for repair method.

• Discussion with TOA’s Research and Development Centre, the repair
method is to inject Epoxy Resin to prevent water from penetrating.

5. Advice to International Students▪ Acquire the help of Japanese students.
▪ Increase your Japanese Language ability.

▪ Prepare to work long term in Japan.
▪ 郷に入っては郷に従え (ごうにいってはごうにしたがえ);☆When in Rome do as the Romans do.
▪ Appreciate and enjoy Japan!!!

Thank you for yourattention