Meet Christian:

Focusing on the broader perspective

After 17 years in the United States, holding leadership positions in the oil and gas industry, Christian returned home to Norway. Today, he works as a Senior Project Engineer at Kongsberg Defence & Aerospace, where he ensures quality across large and complex defence programmes. What motivates him most? “The highly skilled people I get to work with.”

  • Text:Amanda Chapman-Stavn / KONGSBERG

    Photo:Magnus Bjørnnes / KONGSBERG

“What keeps this work exciting for me is that I get to apply my previous experience in a new industry, while also taking a more overarching view of the projects.”

Christian works on large-scale programmes within Air and Coastal Defence – complex deliveries that include air defence, missile systems, and extensive system integration. 

Project QA is one of the few roles that follows the entire lifecycle – from the initial requirements definition to testing, delivery, and customer follow-up. We work closely with the project manager and technical director, making decisions that shape the path forward. 

Christian, Senior Project Engineer at Kongsberg Defence & Aerospace

The role is all about making sure everything works as it should – every time. That means close collaboration with engineers, test teams, procurement, and suppliers, and importantly, spending a lot of time in the field. "It can involve travelling to suppliers, or to the customer site to take part in testing and verification," he says. "No two weeks are ever the same – and that’s something I really enjoy."

In close dialogue with customer and supplier

For Christian, trust is a crucial element of the role. He highlights the NASAMS programme for Hungary as an example, where he was given full responsibility by the customer during a critical phase. "The customer relied heavily on my assessments. Through openness and transparency, we built a relationship based on trust that we would deliver correctly and completely. It makes the collaboration much smoother – and far more rewarding."

A major part of the job is ensuring that the requirements defined at the start are actually met. "We follow the red thread throughout the entire project – from initial market and tender phases, through requirement specifications, testing, documentation, and final delivery," he explains. "It demands that we stay closely connected to the project at all times and have a clear understanding of what’s happening."

Cross-disciplinary collaboration

With many parallel projects and close collaboration across disciplines, Christian is also working to streamline processes. "The more consistently we work, the more predictable and efficient everything becomes."

The transition from oil and gas to the defence industry required some adjustment.

"Things take more time here. Large-scale projects, numerous interdependencies, and strict security requirements mean you have to be patient. But I’ve gained a completely different understanding of why that is – and it makes sense."

He also points out that the role has given him deeper insight into how different disciplines work – and just how important cross-functional communication is. "What you do always affects someone else – and vice versa."

"This role is far more exciting than people might expect. You get to work with advanced technology, large-scale projects, and, most importantly, highly skilled people. It makes for a varied and truly motivating workday."