Programmed for a life in tech
From tree houses and soapbox cars to automating a whole house – technology has always played a big part in Simon Medbo’s life. Today, he gets to apply his passion in his profession as a Systems Integration and Verification Engineer at Saab. But that’s not all – in his spare time, he also makes use of his life-long interest as a race team mechanic.
With his sight set on new adventures
Simon Medbo has been a part of Saab since 2020. For as long as he can remember, he has been interested in everything that involves technology. Figuring out how things work and solving technical problems is his speciality – and a hobby that influences both his private life and work life. His decision to study Systems, Control and Mechatronics at Chalmers was, in other words, not a surprise.
"I find it really motivating to experience the final results of the systems I develop and to solve challenging problems by thinking creatively", says Simon.
Besides working on exciting projects at Saab, Simon is also a member of a racing team as a race team mechanic, where he assures that the car has the best possible setup for the driver to win the race. Between work and the racing team, he also makes sure to fit in other interests, such as water skiing and cruising around in his sailboat after a day at work.
"I love having multiple projects in the pipeline at the same time."
The flexibility that Saab offers the employees, which encourage them to balance life and work, suits Simon and his active life perfectly.
"I love having several different projects in the pipeline at the same time. For me, it's very important to balance my private life with work, which Saab make possible. That is something I really appreciate about working here."
Before starting his career at Saab, he spent some time in the USA and Canada, which gave him valuable experiences and memories for life. The possibility to explore the world further through his work was also a contributing factor in choosing Saab as an employer.
"It's great that Saab makes it possible for us to travel to different countries and demonstrate our systems to our customers worldwide. For me, it's really valuable to see the world and meet new people to gain new perspectives and life experience."
United by collaboration
As many people would agree, it's essential to have supportive colleagues to thrive in a workplace, especially if you're new at a company. The collaborative climate was one of the first things that Simon noticed when he started working at Saab.
"I think that we have a really great company culture in my department where everyone is approachable and supportive. It makes work a lot easier and the collaborations more fun."
"There's always something new to learn and exciting projects to look forward to."
Forget about the Monday blues
According to Simon, the best thing about working as a Systems Integration and Verification Engineer at Saab is the variation in projects. Every day is unique, as are the different systems that he and his team develop together.
"Even though we're working on long-term projects, there's always new tasks and different challenges that come with it, so I never feel that my work gets monotonous. There is always something to look forward to."
At Saab, Simon is involved in integrating radar systems for air surveillance, which includes testing, verifying and demonstrating systems to ensure their functionality before they’re delivered to the customer.
“My colleagues’ experience inspires me every day.”
Working with such complex technology means many new things to learn, but luckily, there are several experienced colleagues to be inspired by and learn from.
"The best thing about working with such knowledgeable colleagues is that there’s always something new to learn. My colleagues' experience inspires me every day."
3 questions
How would you define hard work?
To go above and beyond and focus your energy on things that truly matter.
What is your biggest strength?
My ability to identify a problem and solve it in a creative and methodical way.
The best thing about Saab:
The variety in the different projects – there’s always something new to learn.