"Don't hesitate to apply to ABB even if you don't have a technical background. There's so much more to do here than just working technically", says Lisa Önnerlöv.
After eight years as a development engineer at Boliden, she made the move to ABB, a job in the same industry but from a different perspective as ABB works on the supplier side. In her new role, she has a strong focus on the user experience of ABB's products, starting from the user perspective. Her design background fits perfectly.
"I get to drive creative processes from start to finish. It's great fun and very stimulating to be able to explore, draw conclusions and find the best solution. There's also a creative element in figuring out how to package messages and information and make complex things tangible and visual."
Lisa Önnerlöv has held the position of R&D Customer and User Experience Lead for little over a year now and works across many topics in ABB's global R&D-team in mining. She is based in ABB's new premises in Skellefteå in the north of Sweden. The building that is well known to the locals - Skellefteå's former city library. But the premises are now completely renovated and the first thing you encounter in the break room is a large shuffleboard.
"It's great that there are playful elements in the office environment. Most of us work for different parts of ABB, but we have a very good atmosphere in the office, that everyday chatter around the coffee machine."
Strategic partnerships between companies in the north
In her new role, she is now part of a new, international R&D (Research & Development) team, working towards efficient, safe and modern mining operations. The circular perspective is important, as is working in a customer-oriented and exploratory way.
"We work globally at ABB, especially in R&D. Of course, sometimes it's a long way to other parts of the world, but we have good strategic partnerships with LKAB and Boliden. And then it's valuable to be physically close to each other."
At the moment, the three companies are working together to develop a robotic solution for underground charging of explosives.
"Instead of manually filling explosives into drilled holes in the wall, we will develop a robot that does the job. I'm looking at the interface that the loading operator needs to interact with the robot."
Together with Boliden, ABB is also working on electric trolleys for the mines. The trolley plant in Aitik is the world's first in a cold northern climate. The solution will ultimately enable Boliden to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions from transportation by up to 80 percent along the routes where the technology can be implemented.
"When the trucks arrive fully loaded, they can connect to the grid, making a real contribution to a greener mining industry. It's an interesting project, which is also great fun to do with local customers."
Solutions to suit many audiences
The companies in northern Sweden often collaborate. The fact that they are located in the same, or neighbouring, counties lowers the thresholds for visiting and testing the solutions. But the international perspective is always present. The products that ABB develops must be cutting-edge, but suitable for the entire customer spectrum.
"Boliden is one example, but in the global mining world, everyone has their own conditions and challenges. The solutions must fit many. So we try to cater to many audiences, and also of course maintain good relationships and interesting solutions to early adopters."
Something that can be a challenge for Lisa Önnerlöv and her team is to work together as one global team. They also have colleagues in R&D in places like Switzerland and Brazil.
"But it works unexpectedly well, the atmosphere within the department is nice. It's not so noticeable that we're in different countries. The pandemic has actually made it much easier. Everyone had a child running in the background during the video meetings," she says with a laugh.
ABB's business continues to grow and the company is currently looking for a wide range of skills across the country, from R&D to service technicians and engineers.
"We want to grow in Skellefteå, there is a lot happening here now. And really, you can work from anywhere in Sweden, we're spread out all over the country."
The Skellefteå office has many local customers where the green transition and innovative solutions are in focus. For example, they have helped implement the modern energy management system in Sara Culture Center, one of the world's tallest wooden buildings.
"From a development perspective, it's exciting with everything that's going on in the city, it's really bubbling. It's conducive to our R&D projects. It's also something that attracts expertise and exciting companies that we at ABB can collaborate with."
The career opportunities, an interesting position and the work-life balance were what attracted her to ABB. Here, she has a flexible work schedule that allows her to work from home two or three days a week.
"It works well, we have a lot of focus on getting the right amount of work. We have meetings with the department every week, and if someone has too much work, we reprioritize. I personally enjoy the short periods of intense work, but there is support if you need to review your workload. I really like that I have a lot of freedom to choose which tasks I prioritize and how I put the work in. At ABB, there is a lot of opportunity to have a say and take control," she concludes.
