Navigating the Digital Wilderness: A Day in the Life of UHT’s Process Control Team Leader

Could you describe your role here at UHT? What does an ordinary day look like?

I am the Team Leader for the Process Control software development team. My responsibilities are centered around UTCAS®, UHT’s state-of-the-art process control system. An ordinary day in my role typically involves a combination of tasks and activities covering most aspects of software development, from design to commissioning, all around the world.

At UHT, I get to do all the parts of software development, from front-end finesse that makes users go ‘ooh’ and ‘aah,’ to back-end sorcery that keeps everything running smoothly behind the scenes. I thrive on solving problems, and that’s what keeps me going. Whether it’s finding the missing semicolon in a codebase or helping a colleague figure out why 2,147,483,648 is too large for a signed 32 bit integer.

In a nutshell, my role at UHT is all about making technology behave – with the help of coffee – and helping my team navigate the digital wilderness. When all the code for a project is written, tested and ready for deployment I get to travel the world for commissioning. It is a nice break from the “safe” environment in front of the computer, where I get to do more hands-on work, like configuring flow meters, IO testing, training operators and IT-gurus, or giving instructions on how to operate the diesel engine for the emergency tilting of a converter.

Why did you decide to join UHT?

I instantly fell for the combination of software and hardware, not hardware as in mother boards or ram memory modules but hardware as in furnaces, overhead cranes and steel above liquidous, there is something beautiful happening when lines of code can control such hardware. As I mentioned before, working with the full stack of software development also was appealing to me from the start.

At UHT, whether it’s brainstorming sessions, troubleshooting challenges, or celebrating successes, I’ve always felt that we’re in this together. It’s not just about individual accomplishments, it’s about how we can find solutions and move forward as a team. I have been a part of the UHT team since 1998. That was when VAX/VMS and RDB databases were used, tech has come a long way since then. However, it has been a big part of my professional life, writing code in C-language and designing UI with X-Designer for VAX/VMS. There was no google back then, you had to figure it out on your own, or if you were lucky you could find someone to ask. This was an interesting and challenging time for software developers, today most of the time is spent around solving the problem at hand, not trying to figure out how to mount a magnetic tape reader on an Alpha workstation to install an update of the VMS operating system.

What drives and motivates you in your work?

What drives and motivates me in my work is a combination of passion, purpose, and a desire for continuous personal growth. Several key factors add fuel to my motivation:

Passion for the work – I am genuinely passionate about computer science. This enthusiasm for what I do makes every day exciting and enjoyable. It drives me to explore new ideas, stay updated on industry trends, and consistently strive for more knowledge.

Sense of Purpose – Knowing that my work contributes to a greater purpose is a powerful motivator for me. I find fulfillment in the knowledge that what I do has a positive impact, whether it’s improving processes, or solving complex problems for UHTs customers around the globe.

Continuous Growth – I am a firm believer in the idea that learning never stops. The opportunity to acquire new skills, expand my knowledge, and challenge myself intellectually keeps me engaged and motivated. It allows me to adapt to changing circumstances and contribute more effectively to my role.

There is a saying that shared joy is a double joy, that is true, when my team succeed in solving a problem, I also feel good and motivated.

What’s next – do you have any exciting projects?

The growing demand for UHT tech around the world keeps me and my team busy at work, in my spare time I spend a lot of time with my kids and do a lot of DIY projects involving electronics and computers. My biggest project outside of work in resent time was a VR game that we release in February of 2022. I was the lead developer and implemented all the game logic behind the scenes. I also do a lot of home automation projects. The last one was reverse engineering a curtain controller for my living room so I can control it using my own application. When I’m not doing tech stuff I like to train, go fishing, play computer games and chess, and spend time with friends. I have invested in a lumber mill with a friend of mine, started assembling it. Will be fun to learn how to operate it!