The electrical engineer enjoys that every day brings new challenges

Meet Johnny Bjørk, who is an electrical engineer at ODIN Engineering. Johnny designs automation and electrical control components for the business-critical special machines that we develop.

There are few standard tasks, and no two days are the same at ODIN, Johnny says about his job. He also describes his working day as exciting and varied with plenty of room for creative idea development.

Johnny Bjørk has been an electrical engineer at ODIN Engineering for 13 years. His primary task is to design electrical control components and automation for the special machines that ODIN develops and manufactures at the factory in Slagelse. And what does a typical working day look like for an electrical engineer at ODIN? The answer is that it does not exist:

”There are very few standard tasks in my working day. No two days are alike. We’re constantly getting new, unique challenges and issues from our customers. They require unique solutions. We develop all the machines from scratch, and this makes the job exciting and varied,” he says.

Although Johnny Bjørk is part of the R&D department, he has contact with all the other professional groups and functions in the machine factory. Cross-departmental collaboration is essential, he explains

”Of course, I have my field of expertise and my areas of responsibility, but it will always be teamwork here at ODIN. We’re only able to develop unique, business-critical special machines for industrial companies if we help each other and work as one unit. In the end, we’re all machine builders at ODIN.”

Collaboration between design, purchasing, production, assembly, and testing

As an electrical engineer, Johnny Bjørk is responsible for the design of the electrical control and automation of the machines. And electrical control is present in almost all the projects that ODIN Engineering embarks on.

”Right now, I’m part of all the teams that work on different projects here at ODIN, so it’s quite exciting and versatile,” he says and explains that each project involves dialogue and collaboration with many different colleagues:

”Each task usually involves someone who is responsible for the customer, a project manager, a purchaser and a financial manager, some of our metal workers and industrial technicians as well as some fitters and service technicians.”

”In addition, I also have the coordination and a close collaboration with the programmers who program the controls for our special machines. Generally, it is at ODIN, but it may just as well be as backup when the machines are installed at the customers’ location here in Denmark or around the world,” Johnny Bjørk explains.

An advantage to be interested and ready for change

As an electrical engineer at ODIN Engineering, it is essential to have knowledge and experience in automation and electrical control technology as well as an interest in machines and knowledge of how machines work.

”You need to have good knowledge of the various types of automation and electric control solutions that exist. In this way, we ensure that we choose the right solution every time. It also means that you know that the best solution is not always electric. There may be cases where we need to use hydraulics or compressed air instead,” says Johnny Bjørk.

Another important factor in the job as an electrical engineer is that you have to be ready for change. Tasks often come with a short deadline, and they can also change along the way at short notice, he explains:

”There may be tasks where our deadline is ’yesterday’. This means that the customer has a breakdown in production or is in another critical situation, which requires us to find a solution quickly. In those situations, we all need to be efficient without compromising the quality of our solutions.”

An educational and challenging job

Even though there can be hectic days, it is always fun to go to work at ODIN Engineering, Johnny Bjørk explains. Because ODIN is a creative workplace for smart, practical people. No matter what tasks you are working on, there is always time and room to jointly develop ideas for the special machines that the world has not yet seen.

”There are no stupid suggestions when we develop ideas. No one has ever said no. We build on each other’s ideas, and it is always exciting to see which solution we end up with in each individual case,” he says.

Johnny is 55 years old. He lives in Vemmelev with his wife, with whom he has two children. He completed his electrician apprenticeship 30 years ago. But even though he has built up a lot of experience, he is still preoccupied with the latest in the market, learning new things and absorbing knowledge about his field of expertise. And if you are curious and show initiative, ODIN Engineering offers many opportunities to keep up your professional development and get new tasks and responsibilities.