Beyond colleagues: The collaborative spirit of Schneider’s Lund Center

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An Interview with Schneider’s System Integration Team in Lund – Interview and Photographs by Michelle Job 

After an overnight train journey from Stockholm, we finally arrived in Lund, greeted by a warm welcome. Our destination was the SE Lund innovation center. We entered on a bright Tuesday morning. It happened to be breakfast day at the center, and the atmosphere was alive with cheerful conversations and the clinking of cutlery against plates. Little did we know that this vibrant group of individuals would be the focus of my interview and photographs later in the day!

Meet the Team

The team at the heart of our visit was none other than the Systems Integration team, led by the seasoned veteran, Ronny Elberse. With over 15 years of dedicated service at Schneider, Ronny has held numerous key positions within the company. Throughout these years, he had been immersed in a world of learning, innovation, and daily new experiences. 

Among the talented members of Ronny’s team, Emin Cimic is a Test Engineer with an impressive five-year journey at Schneider. Emin and his teammates were the driving force behind integrating Schneider products into massive systems at Lund, ensuring that every product worked seamlessly and harmoniously. 

Then there was Michael Persson, a Test Engineer who had been with Schneider for over a decade. His focus was on the automation aspects of Schneider’s products, working tirelessly to improve work efficiency within the team and for external users. 

Fernando Cano Campart, another seasoned Test Engineer, brought a wealth of experience with his remarkable 17-year tenure at Schneider. Over the past two decades, he has witnessed the transformative evolution of hardware and software, and he plays an integral role in integrating the Internet of Things (IoT) into Schneider’s offerings. 

As for Jonas Flensburg, he is the product owner in the group, and is responsible for the planning of the day-to-day activities. Good communication with various stakeholders, especially the many development teams at R&D, being the #1 priority for Jonas. 

And let’s not forget about Sebastian Söderqvist, the enthusiastic Test Engineer who thrives on learning about new technologies and tackling challenges head-on. His passion for his work was evident, making him an invaluable asset to the Systems Integration team.

That afternoon, I sat down with these brilliant minds, experiences and insights

The passion and dedication they exhibited were truly contagious. As I listened to each of their unique journeys within Schneider and the team, I realized just how essential this team was in the grand scheme of things. Here’s their brief interview!

What is the main objective of your team? 

As a team, our primary focus is on integrating Schneider Electric products with existing systems. With the continuous delivery of new features and capabilities by the research and development (R&D) department, we ensure these updates work smoothly alongside the existing functionalities. We serve as the final gate for new products/systems, ensuring that the released product is of the utmost quality before reaching the customers.

As the team responsible for reviewing and testing products before their launch, how do you ensure the highest quality standards are met? 

Our approach begins by putting ourselves in the shoes of our customers, empathizing with their requirements, identifying areas for improvement, and understanding their pain points. 

Drawing from his eight-year experience in back-end customer support, Ronny brings valuable insights into resolving challenges from a customer-centric perspective. These principles are now woven into the fabric of the Systems Integration team. For us, a customer can encompass anyone who interacts with the product — from installers to our own engineers, partner engineers, software engineers monitoring product performance, all the way to the end customers. 

Our team places significant emphasis on usability, user interface, and system consistency, among other critical factors. By doing so, we ensure that our customers have a flawless and enjoyable experience when using our products. 

Could you provide more insights into the customer-centric lab testing process? 

We have two state-of-the-art testing labs, one in Lund, Sweden, and the other in Andover, United States. These labs are equipped with a wide array of hardware, spanning across server and control levels. Our testing environment includes not only Schneider’s latest products, but also legacy products and third-party devices integrated with our systems. This comprehensive approach ensures that we thoroughly assess and verify the uninterrupted interaction between newer innovations and existing components. By simulating real-world scenarios and customer use cases, we place a strong focus on meeting the needs and expectations of our valued customers. 

From my brief observations, it’s clear that your team has a strong sense of synergy and camaraderie. Could you elaborate more on your team’s work culture? 

Absolutely! Our team has been working together for an extended period, and this shared experience has fostered a unique work culture. We don’t just collaborate ‘with’ each other; we work ‘for’ each other. The systems and products we deal with are highly complex, often requiring collective efforts to tackle challenges effectively. As a result, we consistently offer unwavering support to one another. 

Each member of our team brings years of valuable experience within Schneider. We have honed specific areas of technical expertise over time. There’s a culture of open knowledge-sharing, where we readily exchange our insights and know-how to elevate the overall competence of the team. 

The passage of time has only strengthened the bond we share. Beyond being colleagues, we’ve become close friends. We often engage in activities like having meals together and enjoying friendly ping-pong matches. We genuinely care about each other’s well-being, creating a positive and nurturing work environment that drives our collective success.

What key attributes do you seek in individuals who wish to join your team? 

First and foremost, we prioritize the aptitude to learn. As our team comprises members from diverse engineering backgrounds who work with entirely new products, the hunger for continuous learning is essential. Despite our technical expertise, we understand that embracing new knowledge and staying up-to-date is crucial to our success. 

Additionally, we highly value candidates who exhibit strong team-player qualities. Given the complexity of our work, an individualistic approach would be challenging to thrive within our team. We believe in the power of open communication, knowledge sharing, and effective teamwork, as it ultimately drives our efficiency.

We would like to add a special mention of our valuable team member, Magnus Ljungkrantz, who could not join us today. As well as our super-skilled team at Andover — John Connor, Dmitri Garbuzov, Stephen Whelan and intern Kwadwo Bempah. Their skill, knowledge, and positivity that they bring to work every single day attributes to our team’s success and purpose!

The wisdom of the ancient Greek philosopher Aristotle inspires our team’s motto. “The whole is greater than the sum of its parts.” We believe that teamwork is the catalyst for turning dreams into reality. That collaborative spirit is at the heart of our achievements.

Come work with us!

Are you interested in a career at Schneider Electric? Check out our careers website for more information and for available positions. Take your career journey to the next level!