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Julian, how did you come to ek robotics?

In September 2020, a lucky coincidence led me to ek robotics - through a current colleague I met in my first semester at the University of Lübeck. Even during my studies, I was fascinated by the interface between software and hardware. I was therefore looking for a varied job that went beyond traditional software development. 

But in the middle of the first Covid lockdown, starting a career seemed difficult: many companies were reluctant to hire young professionals. So I also applied to companies that were not necessarily ideally located geographically. Fortunately, I came across ek robotics through a conversation with my fellow student at the time - a positive experience in a challenging time. Without Covid, I would probably never have found out about ek robotics.

What fascinates you about transport robotics?

I find the complexity and precision behind modern transport robotics systems absolutely fascinating. Block storage systems with time-critical transports are particularly exciting. For me, they are like Lego for advanced users: forming aisles, stacking, unstacking, picking out special goods - all efficiently and according to specific customer requirements. 

What particularly appeals to me about my work is the opportunity to improve performance through intelligent optimize control systems. It's a great feeling when you manage to increase the transport capacity or achieve the same performance with fewer robots. I already had contact with multi-agent systems during my studies - some concepts can be directly transferred to our transport robots. It's fun to be able to apply this knowledge in such an exciting environment.

What are your tasks as a Software Engineer at ek robotics?

I work in a project-independent team that supports our various departments with all questions relating to the control system. My focus is on providing technical advice to our sales and consulting team as well as service support for complex problems. An example from my day-to-day work: in the quotation phase, technical details of a project can be crucial. Here, I am called in by the sales team to discuss these issues with the customer at a deeper, technical level. Sometimes I also demonstrate a simulated control system. 

Our service team takes care of problems in existing systems. If these are particularly complex, I am called in to deal with the tickets relating to the control system.

Which project do you remember the most so far?

Clearly our project at Arla Foods in the UK. In a huge refrigerated warehouse, 90 custom-built transport robots are used to store and retrieve milk canisters. At the beginning of 2024, we carried out a software refit and converted the goods management system and the traffic management of the robots to our own system.

This project was a challenge in many respects: we had to ensure that the system retrieved the goods "just in time", distributed the vehicles evenly throughout the warehouse and minimized transport routes at the same time. The development of customizable algorithms, which can lead to completely different warehouse behavior depending on the weighting of the parameters, was particularly exciting. It was as if we were developing Google Maps for robots that always have to find the best route. 

What skills should a Software Engineer at ek robotics have?

The work is very different from traditional software engineering tasks. To gain experience in the AGV world, a high willingness to learn is essential. Strong communication skills and the ability to work in a team are also important, as we often work on an interdisciplinary basis and have a lot of customer contact.  

You will also be responsible for technical sub-project management, which requires organizational talent. On site at the customer's premises, we are often the direct point of contact and must have a deep understanding of the entire system and its processes. A confident manner and a solution-oriented way of thinking are an advantage.

What do you particularly appreciate about working with your colleagues?

The helpfulness at ek robotics is exceptional. Everyone pulls together and you can tell. The mix of career starters and experienced colleagues - some have been with the company for more than 10 years - creates a special atmosphere. 

I see this as a sign of quality: it shows that you can find a long-term professional home here. In recent years, a lot has happened in software engineering in the direction of modern development methods. Although this process is not yet complete, the entire team is working together to implement and live the changes. It's nice to feel that we are all working towards the same goal.

How do you find a balance to your working day?

Sport is an important balance for me. I cycle a lot and combine commuting from my new home in Poppenbüttel to the office in Veddel.

I have been playing chess since I was 6 years old and have taken on many voluntary tasks over the years, such as organizing tournaments and coaching young people. I am currently concentrating on the Japan exchange of the German Chess Youth. I coordinate the exchange, support the organizing clubs and take care of cultural aspects and program design. Japan is a destination close to my heart - I have made friends there who want to be cultivated. I'm already looking forward to my next vacation in Japan, which is planned for 2025.

Julian is also part of the 2024 NeXtGen class. NeXtGen is a development program for talented, committed ek robotics employees who already have professional experience.

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