Emma takes technology from idea to reality
There’s a moment Emma Berglund often thinks about. When she and her team know that a system they’ve worked on is about to be used in the field, sometimes as soon as the following week. That’s when her work becomes real and tangible, and this drives her forward.
Title: Head of the Giraffe Programme | Location: Gothenburg | Time at Saab: since 2012
Emma heads the Giraffe programme at Saab in Gothenburg, responsible for hundreds of engineers who develop, produce and deliver radar systems like Giraffe 1X every day. This is a system that can identify objects in the airspace at distances of up to 75 kilometres and is used in live operations around the world.
"When we know a system is going straight into use, sometimes as soon as the following week, it becomes very tangible. It adds weight to the fact that what we do really matters."
Her journey began at Chalmers and continued with a trainee programme at Saab in 2012. Since then, Emma has moved through a series of roles at a rapid pace. Project Management in Gothenburg. A posting in India, leading a local development unit. Back home, and on to the leadership role she holds today. A new role almost every other year.
That’s no coincidence. It’s a deliberate choice, made possible by a culture Emma describes as unpretentious and down to earth. There’s trust here to take the next step, even if you don’t feel completely ready.
"It’s okay to say yes even when you don’t feel 100% ready. I applied for the job in India only two years into my career. The risks are usually smaller than you think, and the opportunities greater than you can imagine."
What Emma values most today isn’t the title or the responsibility. It’s the combination of complex technology and the purpose behind it. That what she contributes to actually protects people and societies. It’s a feeling she wants to pass on to the engineers she leads, and to anyone thinking about applying.
"We work to defend democracies. It’s a privilege to be part of that."
Emma on…
A really good day at work?
A day of focused work on a development project together with colleagues. We build a prototype, evaluate it in the lab or outdoors, try different solutions. It’s tricky, but that’s also what I love about working as an engineer.
What do you wish you’d known before you started?
That it’s okay to say yes even when you don’t feel 100% ready. I applied for the job in India only two years into my career. The risks are usually smaller than you think, and the opportunities greater than you can imagine.
Best tip for someone thinking about applying?
Look for places where you don’t have to be the best on your own. Technology is developed in teams. Choose an environment where people help each other.