“When did you start working for KONGSBERG, and how did you get the job?”

“I started working in Kjeller after the summer of 2010. I’d already had a summer job with KONGSBERG two years in a row. In my last year as a student, getting close to the autumn, Kongsberg Defence Systems contacted me to ask if I was interested in applying for a permanent job. That’s how I got my job.”

“How would you describe the KONGSBERG culture?”

“Well, I only really know the company culture here in Kjeller. And I would describe our culture as one of curiosity, a desire to share knowledge and be the best. We are an innovative group with a playful spirit and are always open to new ideas and new members. I would imagine that this is the case in other parts of the group.”

“What are you most proud of in your work?”

“I take great pride in working with something which involves real high technology. It’s when you feel that you are at the forefront of technology and working for a company which is a driving force behind technological innovations. I’m proud to work for a company which allows employees to develop and where there are so many knowledgeable colleagues.”

“What does it mean to you to work for a company that is turning 200 years old?”

“Obviously, you can feel proud to be working for a company that has sustained such a dominant position and kept on developing technology for so long.”

“What would you like KONGSBERG to -focus more on in the future?”

“I would say that the most important goal is to remain at the forefront of technological developments and be the company known for innovation. Even more so in our department – we have to be the best at what we do. It’s always important to stay up to date on new technology and to apply this technology in our own way.” 

KONGSBERG has grown a lot in recent years. The Group has recruited several thousand new employees who have brought with them fresh enthusiasm, new ideas and exciting expertise. One of these is Kristin Paulsen. She has an MA in physics within geological processes from the University of Oslo. Working life can be a massive change for those used to student life on campus.

It’s not uncommon to see employees receiving a gold watch for 40 years of service with KONGSBERG. However, when Kristin Paulsen started in her new job for KONGSBERG, she found herself back in an environment similar to her student days.

“There were very many young people of my age who started at the same time. Because of this, we were able to build up a great, social group. I get on really well with my colleagues and enjoy going to work. I’ve made friends both at work and outside of work.”

Kristin describes her working day as full and with a lot of responsibility. She is allowed to test new technology and pursue her own ideas. At the same time, she can rely on good advice from experienced colleagues who know the markets and the customers’ requirements.

“I received a very warm welcome to KONGSBERG. The first product I was allowed to work on was laser range finders. I was put in charge of my part of the software for the range finder. Then I was appointed a team who would follow up on any solutions I found. The fact that I chose good solutions gave me confidence.”

When she is not working on specific projects, Kristin Paulsen is busy recruiting new employees and following up on students. She helps them with their theses and runs projects where new technology is put to the test.

“I am fascinated by what you can do with new technology. I’d love to test everything that’s new and find out if we can improve our products. For example, we’re working on how to use graphic processors with image processing. This would be processors which process and interpret a 3D image. This would be very useful I think for a lot of our products, such as cameras, missiles and others,” she concludes.