Athanasios - Test Engineer
From an early stage in his career, Athanasios has been driven by the desire to contribute to something bigger than himself. This ambition motivated him to leave his home country and continue his professional journey at VDL ETG in Eindhoven. In his role as a Test Engineer, Athanasios is committed and proactive, with a strong focus on enabling the best possible products for our customers. Read on to learn more about his role, his motivation, and his experience working at VDL ETG.
Why did you choose VDL ETG Eindhoven?
“Eindhoven is the Mecca of technology, so coming to VDL was very appealing to me.’’ Athanasios works as a Test Engineer on the REMA project at VDL ETG Eindhoven. After completing a bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering in Greece, his ambition was to be part of something bigger: ‘’When I dove into the semiconductor industry, I realized that this is the root of everything.”
What is important within your position?
“As a Test Engineer, I do fine‑tuning, qualifying, and running simulations and tests on the machine’s piping and electrical systems. If I see deviations, I take action: I troubleshoot and make sure the machine is fully qualified and validated, so I can start documenting it and sending it out.”
He began his career as a project technician at VDL ETG. Within just one year, he grew into his current role. “From the day I arrived, I knew that if I would work hard, I would have many opportunities to grow.” Athanasios is already setting new goals. “Together with my team lead, we have set new goals in the direction of factory and manufacturing engineering.”
As a Test Engineer, critical thinking is essential: the ability to collect data, interpret it, analyse it, and learn from it. “You need discipline and must always follow procedures. If you deviate from them, you may damage something or overlook an important step. Technical knowledge is certainly a prerequisite, but I believe critical thinking is the most important, because the company gives you the space to learn and grow.”
What do you enjoy about your work?
“For me, the most important thing at VDL is work–life balance. We work with decency. We want to work, do the job, overperform. And then I go home, and my mind is at ease.”