Hi, I’m Marcos Borges
I research
C/C++ and Rust interoperability
for safety-critical systems
From selling ice cream in Brazil to a PhD in France
My professional journey began with selling ice cream in Brazil and eventually led to a PhD in France, a path paved by persistence, technical curiosity, plenty of failures, and a bit of luck.
My journey in computer engineering began in 2006 with research on diamond growth, followed by a master’s project on satellite cameras at INPE in 2011, and a PhD in France in 2014.
My work remained focused on critical systems: computer vision for defense at Safran, then autonomous systems at Engie.
Then my career path hit a wall
While my technical career was progressing, my enjoyment of the work was fading. The problem was not engineering itself, but the growing tension between technical and business priorities.
Over time, that tension followed me everywhere. I struggled to disconnect, focus on life outside work, and enjoy the field I had worked so hard to enter.
Something had to change, and I started with myself
On paper, I had everything it took to be a successful engineer: a great job, technical expertise, and years of experience. So why was I struggling?
What I had not realized yet was that communication, negotiation, and stakeholder alignment are not corporate fluff. They are part of the job. They help protect technical focus, autonomy, and long-term growth.
Once I learned to align technical goals with business needs and show where I could create the most value, everything changed.
What I do now
Today, I help embedded and robotics engineers develop the technical depth needed to engineer safety-critical systems with C/C++ and Rust. Through practical guidance on interoperability, verification, and functional safety, they gain the confidence to integrate Rust into existing embedded systems.
Beyond the technical, I help engineers align complex engineering decisions with business goals, so they can remain hands-on, maintain autonomy, and grow their careers on their own terms.
Course under development
Safety-Critical Rust
I’m currently developing a professional course for engineers adopting Rust in safety-critical systems. From interoperability and verification to functional safety, it provides the engineering practices needed to integrate Rust into existing C/C++ systems with confidence.
The curriculum covers:
Engineering safety-critical embedded systems with Rust
Integrating Rust into existing C/C++ systems
Verifying software using compiler diagnostics, static analysis, and testing
Designing systems for functional safety, compliance, and traceability