“When I get a call, the excitement is naturally high. But I first go there and take a look at the supposed disaster,” says waste management engineer Stefanie Mayer. She is, in the best sense, unfazed, solution-oriented, and pragmatic.

Stefanie has been working at TOMRA Recycling since 2007. Back then, there were only two women in the entire technical department. Today, half of her team is female. However, Stefanie says this is purely coincidental—she focuses solely on performance. Since 2012, the engineer and mother of two has been responsible for planning and organizing the test centers.

During her second parental leave in 2021, she was offered the position of European Manager. “I’ve always been good with technology, but I had no experience with business management, leadership, or presentations,” says Stefanie. She accepted the challenge. “You grow with your responsibilities.”

At the test centers, customers have the opportunity to test waste management systems before purchasing them. Mechanics meet various sensor technologies, making the work complex. Teams of engineers ensure the machines are optimally tailored to customer needs. Stefanie leads one of these teams.

She enjoys her role as a leader and has no desire to return to purely technical work. She’s interested in the company’s strategy and can imagine taking on responsibility for additional test centers. “Maybe when the kids are older, that could be an option,” Stefanie says. She has deliberately chosen to spend a few extra years with her children and is proud of managing her leadership role on reduced working hours.

Stefanie is available as a mentor and looks forward to mentoring someone with an interest in technology.

A post by herCAREER,
posted on LinkedIn on 22.01.2025

 

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