As technology continues to evolve, so do the paths that individuals carve within the industry. Elif, a key member of the Ubisense team, shares her intriguing journey from a mechanical engineering background to her current role as the Team Lead for the Platforms Solutions Engineering team. In our short interview, Elif provided insights into her educational roots, career transitions, and the dynamic nature of her role at Ubisense.

Elif’s Education and Early Career:

Elif’s journey begins in Germany, where she pursued mechanical engineering after excelling in mathematics during her high school years in Turkey. She reminisces, “I was at a German high school when I lived in Turkey. That German school gave me the education and gave me the chance to apply for a German university. And I was very good at physics and science. So, I chose mechanical engineering.”

After completing her bachelor’s and master’s degrees in mechanical engineering with a blend of electronics and software development, Elif embarked on her first (and only) job hunt. She shares, “I was applying for jobs, and a head-hunter actually approached me for the pre-sales position at Ubisense.” She was quickly snapped up by the team and thrown into a pre-sales environment – very different from mechanical engineering.

From Pre-Sales to Leadership:

Elif’s introduction to Ubisense was through a pre-sales role where she conducted demonstrations for German-speaking customers. However, her journey into more technical work at Ubisense started much earlier. Elif elaborates on this, “I was not a big fan of mechanical engineering so I was doing lots of software side work during my master’s to improve my knowledge. I think that helped me get hired by Ubisense… [After joining Ubisense] Jon Heathcote was a very good teacher. Whenever we had questions he would help us, showing us firsthand how to do configurations in SmartSpace. My engineering education definitely helped here too.”

Over the years, Elif’s dedication and skills led her to become the Team Lead for the Platforms Solutions Engineering team. Reflecting on her role transition, she says, ” Last year, around June or July, I became the team lead for our Platform Solutions Engineering Team. I think this happened because the Platform Business diverged from the Solutions Business, and they needed some extra management, probably to divide the work.” As the company has continued to grow and evolve, several new positions have been created in this manner.

Embracing this new role, Elif found herself not only managing teams but also embracing the technical aspects of her job. “I definitely want to stay in a technical team. I don’t want to just manage projects or people. I want to have customer contact, make technical decisions, and so on,” she asserted.

The Perks of the Job:

One of the key aspects Elif enjoys about her role at Ubisense is the balance between technical expertise and interpersonal skills. She emphasizes, “The mixture of those things, like the technical aspect of my job, is very balanced with the social aspect of my job.” Elif particularly values the recognition of her work, citing instances where her efforts were praised, including winning the Pre-Sales Impact Award, an award given out annually – often at the company’s Sales Kick Off event.

In the midst of her multifaceted role, Elif highlighted some proud moments, with a special mention of the Mercedes-Benz demo. “The earliest achievement in my career at Ubisense was the Mercedes-Benz demo. I remember working on it for very long hours, and in the end, when we were presenting it, they also needed that German-speaking person to deliver the demo. That was one of the best things I’ve done,” she shared.

Moreover, Elif cherishes the travel component of her work at Ubisense, acknowledging the flexibility provided by her managers to explore cities and make the most of her professional journeys. “I wouldn’t have visited Singapore, for example, if it wasn’t for Ubisense,” she stated.

Future Aspirations:

As for her future aspirations, Elif envisions staying connected with the technical side of her role. She shares, “I had one of the senior people ask me that question when I first started with Ubisense, and I told him I want to manage a team. It seems like it’s working right now because Ubisense helped me achieve that.

“Even though I’m a manager, or if I get to grow my team, or become a more senior manager or whatever, I definitely want to stay in a technical team, but I also want to never lose customer contact.” Elif won’t be short on work…

Advice for Aspiring Tech Professionals:

Elif’s journey provides valuable insights for anyone starting their career in technology. She advises, “First of all, when you’re working with customers, one should definitely not be afraid to present something. So definitely, they should work on their presentation skills.” Elif also emphasizes the importance of continuous learning and hands-on work, recommending taking external courses to enhance one’s technical skills. For a presales/solutions engineering job at Ubisense, one needs to have a good understanding of frontend reactive frameworks like VueJS, as well as general knowledge about object-oriented programming, databases (SQL, Oracle), IT networking fundamentals, and APIs.

Conclusion: Elif’s Unique Ubisense Journey Continues

As Elif navigates her career at Ubisense, her story encapsulates the essence of growth, adaptability, and a commitment to technical excellence. From a student with a penchant for science to a key figure in pre-sales and team leadership, Elif’s journey reflects the diverse opportunities and experiences that Ubisense offers to its team members.

There are several other career journeys to explore at Ubisense, you can find the others here.