Jennifer Tannfelt

With an early appetite for problem-solving and mathematics, Jennifer works as a Software Tester in Industrial Technique in Sickla, Sweden today. Going into software was however not a given until halfway through her studies in Design and Product Realization at The Royal Institute of Technology in Stockholm. “At that point in time, I didn't know anything about software development, but after trying out programming in a course at university I was hooked. In the beginning it was a bit confusing, but after a while I could see the beauty of it all,” she says. 

After completing a master’s degree in Industrial Product Development and Mechatronics, and spending two years working at a consultancy firm, Jennifer started her journey in Atlas Copco. Perhaps it was an unforgettable experience of the company during university that made her apply for a job, or the fact that her dad, who had worked as a consultant in the mining and rock business area that was part of Atlas Copco until 2018 (today a company known as Epiroc), had spoken highly of the company. “During my first week at university, my class was invited to visit Atlas Copco’s headquarters. We were shown around and went down to the test mine where many big machines were presented. I remember being a bit overwhelmed with these machines which I had never seen or understood the applications of before... You don’t forget a first impression like that,” Jennifer says.

As a software tester within Industrial Technique’s division Motor Vehicle Industry, Jennifer is heavily involved in the software found in controllers for electric screwdrivers. Screwdrivers that for example are used in the assembly of cars. “The software behind the controllers is very large. We are a great number of people divided into different teams working with the software for this platform,” she explains.

The teams are cross-functional and often consist of one team lead, some developers, and a few software testers. The working approach is agile. “During every sprint, when new features are developed, software testers make sure that the new functionalities are tested. I work in close collaboration with the developers to ensure that our tests are covering the functionalities that they are developing,” Jennifer says. Other activities include working with automated test cases that are run on a daily basis, writing manual test cases whenever tests cannot be automated and helping with verifications to ensure correct implementations. “In every release of a new software version, I ensure that we deliver high quality products with as few bugs as possible. It's quite varied as there are so many different aspects to it. No day is like the other,” Jennifer says.

As a software tester Jennifer is part of driving the shift to enable automation in factories, i.e., assembly with no human involvement. “I think this is interesting, many people think it's scary that robots will take human jobs, but I think it will be a shift in what people do. The more repetitive tasks will be replaced by opportunities for people to do what they are good at; interact with each other, feeling compassion and understanding, things robots can’t do in the same way,” she says.  

Regarding the future, Jennifer is currently undertaking a course in software development, to prepare herself with skills that are necessary to possess in future roles within her field. She is also very passionate about increasing the gender diversity within the software profession. “Overall, the numbers are really bad in the industry. I think it’s important to discuss how to attract more women to this field and to this business. Software is so much fun, and I feel very included here. I also think a lot of women would like software, if they just knew what it was, and what you can do with it,” Jennifer concludes.