I like working for an international company that at the same time is firmly rooted in Belgium.
Can you tell me about your job at Umicore?
I am a scientist specializing in next-generation battery materials that enable the energy transition for electric vehicles. I work at Umicore in a management position in corporate R&D. My main responsibility is to oversee the development of new products and scientific projects. To achieve this, I align people, internally and with external partners, and ensure they can work together efficiently. I create visions and plans, investigate scientific data, share knowledge, and supervise students. In this way, I contribute to Umicore being an innovation leader in the field of battery materials.
What do you enjoy most about your job?
What I enjoy most about my job at Umicore is the opportunity to pursue my passion for science, working in a highly diverse team with cutting-edge technology. At the same time, I highly value having time for personal interests and activities. The company's emphasis on work-life balance allows me to have a fulfilling career without sacrificing my well-being or time with family and friends.
What do you like about your job?
I get a lot of energy from trying new things and figuring out technical solutions. There are various ways of doing this: monitoring the tests underway in the lab, analyzing results and brainstorming with colleagues.
Our R&D department in Olen is a great place to do this. It’s one of the world’s biggest metallurgy labs. An international environment with people with widely varying fields of expertise and backgrounds. Our infrastructure ranks among the best in the world and we have everything we need in-house to do this sort of research to a high standard.
What do you like about working at Umicore?
Umicore is a company that grows constantly, driven by technology. It's a really nice environment to work in because of the many opportunities here. And I like working for an international company that at the same time is firmly rooted in Belgium. A lot of our expertise is still in Belgium, most of the decisions are still taken here and as an employee I feel involved in that. Lastly, I think Umicore’s socially relevant mission is just so valuable.
What do you look forward to when you set off to work in the morning?
The times when I suddenly get an aha moment, either just sitting at my computer or brainstorming with colleagues. Some days that doesn’t happen, unfortunately, but other days it does. And I look forward to the times when we can decide to build further on our R&D results and take a project to a pilot installation or industrialization.
What has been the highlight of your time at Umicore so far?
A couple of years ago I went to the US for a month as part of Umicore’s JUMP program. In this exchange program a production engineer and I swapped jobs for a month. It was a unique opportunity to gain experience in another role in an operational context, at another business unit.
Any advice for newcomers?
In a big company like Umicore, some things often don’t go as fast as you’d like. When you’re young and enthusiastic, don’t let that put you off! The advantage of working for a big company like Umicore is that there are plenty of resources and opportunities to get things done. So make the best use of the freedom you are given!