When Lars joined Istec one and a half years ago, he was looking for a hands-on engineering role that offered a balance between working in the field and in the office. What he found was a workplace where curiosity is rewarded, collaboration is key, and personal growth is part of the everyday experience.
Turning knowledge into impact
With a background in mechatronics, Lars started as a service engineer responsible for programming and installing vibration monitoring systems. But it didn’t take long for his technical curiosity and proactive attitude to steer him toward new challenges.
“I’ve always liked understanding how things work,” Lars says. “At Istec, I quickly got the opportunity to work on full project conversions and engineer new racks from the ground up. That mix of thinking and doing is exactly what I was looking for.”
One of his proudest projects involved a system migration for a customer with outdated equipment. “We replaced two 25-year-old racks with the new Vibro-Meter Mark 2 systems,” he explains. “Not only did we bring the monitoring setup up to today’s standards, we also made a real impact on the reliability of their operations.”
Lars de Graaff, Rotating Engineer
A team built on trust and initiative
For Lars, the value of his work goes beyond technical outcomes. What motivates him is the support he receives from his team and the trust that comes with it.
“There’s room to take initiative,” he says. “If you see something that can be done better, you’re encouraged to speak up. That freedom gives you ownership, and that ownership helps you grow.”
It’s a reflection of Istec’s core values: being built on trust, daring to discover, getting it done, adapting with purpose, and being in good company. It’s also what makes collaboration feel effortless. “You’re never on your own,” Lars adds. “Everyone is approachable. We laugh, we learn, and we always move forward as a team.”
Growing with confidence
Over the past year and a half, Lars has not only developed his technical expertise but also grown more confident in managing his own projects. From field installations to system preparation and troubleshooting, each step has built on the last.
Looking ahead, Lars sees even more room to grow. “I want to take on more independent roles in large projects and really drive technical progress,” he says. “At Istec, I feel like that’s within reach.”
What excites him most is the chance to contribute to innovation that matters. “We’re constantly evolving as a company,” he explains. “That means there are always new opportunities to improve, adapt, and make an impact, for our customers and ourselves.”
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