Atle is currently engaged at the Norwegian National Rail Administration.

He graduated from The Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU) in Trondheim in 1988.
He was an assistant lecturer from 1990 until 92, and from 1992/93 he was a visiting researcher at Centre Scientifique et Techque du Bâtiment in Paris.
Atle earned his Ph.D. from NTNU in 1994. The name of the thesis was  "Reaction to Fire Classification of Building Products: Assessment of the Smoke Production Models".
He was employed at InterConsult where he worked within "fire safety engineering" as a fire safety advisor.
From 2001 he was engaged at the Norwegian National Rail Administration, where he took on his current job as manageing director for the "Safety and Quality Department" two years ago.

Atle William Heskestag is 41 years of age, is married, has three children and lives in Trondheim.