R&D Engineer

Daniel Lehmann's electrical engineering studies in Mannheim and work with photovoltaics in the university laboratory allowed him to gain experience both in measurement techniques and project management. This is where he was first introduced to Sensirion: an environmental sensor was needed as a reference for measuring maximum and minimum temperatures. As one of the few sensors in 2011 that was digitalized, the SHT21 - which also offered stellar performance - was the ideal choice. After focusing on sensor technology for his master's thesis, Daniel looked at Sensirion's job listings and began working as a development engineer for mobile projects about four and a half years ago.

The day-to-day work of an application engineer is fast-paced and full of surprises: "We often have to react to direct customer queries that need to be implemented within a few hours." These orders are generally very interdisciplinary: different technology groups work together and the application engineer serves as the interface between them. If a customer is interested in a given sensor and wants to verify its components, they will use a testing device. In collaboration with the sales team, recommendations for measurements are submitted, conducted and analyzed. The main task is managing everything, collecting all the information and then passing it to the client via the sales team.

"The spontaneous and hands-on nature of this job makes it very exciting. 

You frequently need to improvise, make do and adjust designs yourself."

Daniel is now working as a project manager, meaning that his work has shifted more towards direct customer contact. This includes balancing customer needs and available resources and understanding how to cope with cultural differences. In one of his current projects, Daniel is supporting a customer with the mechanical integration of a sensor and its associated software, which involves providing the customer with an understanding of the sensor's characteristics. Due to the sensor's complexity, this is essential for demonstrating which applications might be of interest to the end customer and how it behaves.

An enthusiastic drone pilot, Daniel has found like-minded colleagues at Sensirion and put together a group devoted to racing drones that meets regularly. This enthusiasm also extends to his work; as part of an "opportunity sprint", the use of a sensor for speed measurement in drones was tested. "We defined the application and showed which formulas are needed and what specifications can be expected from a device with this assembly. These projects are always very inspiring for us and our customers."