Q&A: Talking with James Bradford, Technical Director Digital Delivery – Asia

At Jacobs, we’re driven by curiosity. We ask tough questions about the world’s biggest problems, dare to challenge the status quo, and discover bold, new possibilities to make our world smarter, more connected, and more sustainable. Our Jacobs team in the Philippines, the island country of Southeast Asia, takes great pride in thinking differently, innovating bravely, and redefining what’s possible to bring meaningful changes and lasting value to people and places.

For this feature we connected with James Bradford, Technical Director Digital Delivery – Asia, one of the visionaries in our incredible Philippines team. He talks to us about his career, passion for using technology to solve real-world problems, love for the outdoors and life and work in the Philippines.

Tell us about your career background and role at Jacobs.

I’ve studied Computer-Aided Design (CAD), engineering, Building Information Modeling (BIM) management & implementation and am a Building Research Establishment (BRE) Certified Level 2 BIM Practitioner. My experience of over 20 years spans BIM, digital engineering, technical drawing, modeling, design and engineering.

My first role was at the Royal Brisbane Women’s Hospital in Australia – my home country – in the onsite CAD team. Following a few years of working for large Australian consultants, I decided it was time to see the world. Since then, I’ve lived and worked for over two decades in Asia, Middle East, Europe and North America as well as Australia.

I joined Jacobs in October 2006 as a senior CAD engineer/BIM manager for our rail team in the U.K. Today, as the Technical Director Digital Delivery – Asia, based in the Philippines, my role takes a regional focus, including Indonesia, Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, Philippines, Hong Kong and India. In Asia, I’ve had the opportunity to support several projects looking to have a strong positive impact on the community, such as the Deep Tunnel Sewer System Phase 1 & Phase 2 – Tuas Water Reclamation Plant in Singapore as well as numerous data center projects.

It’s exciting to be part of our Jacobs digital journey and I’m very much looking forward to the future.

What sparked your interest in a STEAM career?

Animation, 3D movies and video games. I’ve been enthusiastic about design and architecture from a young age, so I studied architectural technology, information technology and then BIM, bringing together design and technology – my long-time passion.

What are you most passionate about and what’s the favorite part of your role?

New and emerging technology – I’m blessed to be working at the cutting edge of what’s possible. The favorite part of my role is the application of technology in the field, working on real-world scenarios.

In your role, how are you challenging today and reinventing tomorrow?

Appling automation and computational design techniques to provide better engineering outcomes for society.

Tell us about your first project at Jacobs and its impact to the community.

My first project at Jacobs was in the U.K., working on a program to help modernize London Underground advertising. The upgrade supported greater digital/video media content and enhanced the traveling experience on the London Underground rail network.

After moving to the Philippines, the first project I worked on was the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) Facility, Los Banos Laguna. It was the expansion of an existing rice research facility in South Luzon which consisted of new glass houses, plant growth chamber area, plant processing laboratory, soil preparation laboratory and general facilities. The project was funded by AusAID and is helping to save lives, alleviate suffering and improve living conditions through agricultural research and training farmers.