“As Quality Engineers, we are advocates for the customer.”

I’m responsible for assuring the quality of our HybridPACK™ Modules. These power modules charge electric cars with up to 100 kW quickly and efficiently. I need to understand what defines quality, and I make sure we reliably deliver just that – or better – to our automotive customers. My tasks involve analyzing the raw materials that go into the module and then examining the final product. I also deal with physical failures and address customer complaints. The error reports and quality requirements I write help us to make strategic decisions and systematically improve. And then, there is the high-adrenaline troubleshooting when issues arise in the production line. It’s my job to solve them. Complexity and variety make quality engineering a great mix for me.

In the morning, it’s mostly desk work. I check my e-mail as soon as I hit the office – I need to know if anything critical came up during night shift. I also use the morning hours to do analytical or conceptual work. System-based analyses, for example, give me a complete picture of the status of our processes. The outcome goes into a report I share in the team daily.

Meetings rule my early afternoons, first and foremost our daily briefing attended by process engineers and my colleagues from development. We provide updates for one another, discuss next steps and distribute work packages. I document our decisions and derive to-do lists.

I like to use the late afternoons for reporting. My reports are an important tool that supports management processes. It’s also the time of day I like to use for calls and conversations with the many stakeholders involved in the production of the HybridPACK™ Modules. Before I pack up to go home, I debrief with my coworkers. Mission accomplished for today.

I think the real challenge lies in the contrasts I bridge every day.

My days are full and very structured, but I must be able to switch gears instantly. Errors in the production line and customer issues can pop up at any given moment. In the blink of an eye, they turn my day into an adrenaline-packed challenge. I go into problem-solving mode instantly: I discuss damage control on the phone, shoot out an e-mail to the concerned customer and quickly reschedule meetings – all at the same time!  Good thing I feel in the zone when I’m multitasking.

I not only thrive on lively interaction – I also love solitary and precise work, such as defining quality testing requirements, strategizing and analyzing. Our stakeholders – customers, coworkers from production, our managers – have highly diverse backgrounds and, sometimes, competing goals. It’s my job to align them all to work toward a shared objective. It takes de-escalating, validating, educating, negotiating, persuading and even outright pushing. You need people skills, an assertive attitude, a sense of diplomacy – and good instincts that tell you which approach will work best in each situation.

Being part of Infineon means working on innovation projects. To be at the forefront of things like electromobility is an honor and my passion. Another definite highlight is the rich variety of tasks I encounter in a single workday. There is constant movement, from changes in my schedule to shifting tasks.

I reprioritize fast, multitask well, love details but draw satisfaction from working toward a bigger picture. Honestly, this job is the perfect speed for me.

Here at Infineon, hierarchies are flat. You are an integral part of things from day one. You get to take responsibility. You dive into learning everything there is to know about the lifecycle and value chain of your product. You can build up a network with all the different internal stakeholders. Quality engineering at Infineon is a great starting point for career planning. Come to think of it, for friendships, too: many of us have become friends and meet up outside work for activities like hiking, dinners and barbeques.