Meet some of the female engineers driving customer support with me at ASML

Accepting a position as a Customer Support Engineer for ASML back in 1999 was the single best decision I have ever made. This company has always been as invested in me as I am in them. They’ve given me opportunities to travel, work at the cutting edge of technology and take my passion for tech to the next level.

After 14 years as a Customer Support Engineer I moved into tech support, where I helped build our dedicated software team. Today I’m part of the High NA/EXE team as Software Competency Engineer, and I’m getting ready to embark on a one-year international assignment in the Netherlands in preparation to deliver the newest technology to our customers in 2024.

If you’re looking to explore all your potential and create an interesting career path as an engineer, customer support at ASML is a great place to start. There are so many opportunities ?to grow your future career, or if you prefer, you can stay in one area and become a specialist. The support available as an ASML employee is never-ending.

"The only dumb question is the one that is not asked"

I used to be extremely shy and rarely asked questions because I didn't want to look dumb or appear to be a bad engineer. I think this is especially true for women in this industry as engineering is such a male-dominated field. When I integrated the software team, I found many people were the same - no one wanted to ask questions, even though it is very easy to be overwhelmed by software.

I decided to make a deal with my team and we have lived by this agreement ever since: "The only dumb question is the one that is not asked." Olivia Wahlberg, Customer Support Engineer, agrees that as a woman in engineering, it is easy to doubt yourself, your knowledge and your capabilities. However, she says that ‘’Since being with ASML, I have been able to overcome all of these barriers. Not one time have I felt self-conscious or treated unfairly. I have coworkers daily coming to my aid if I ever have a question or need help, when I give a recommendation it is actually heard, and I am given responsibilities that make me excited to come to work every day.’’

The fact is, at ASML we're constantly learning and those who ask questions are the ones who grow the most. They are the ones who seem to get the most out of their job, myself included. We love answering questions or finding the answers. It brings us together.

Everyone belongs

I’ve always found that diversity and inclusion is key to team morale and the success of an entire department. When people feel like they belong, everyone works better together. You shouldn’t see gender, race or anything else, just one team who is focusing on success together.

Gender diversity is hugely important to customer support in particular. Having a diverse group of people on our team at ASML makes troubleshooting so much easier. We definitely enjoy the benefits of such diversity, as Giovanna Caruso, Field Service Engineer, agrees.

‘‘Women bring new perspectives and ideas into the process of troubleshooting that men don't have. Having more women in the department also changes team dynamics. Just as it brings new ways of troubleshooting, it also brings new ways of working as a team, for the better. I have seen that having a fair mix of men and women on the same team leads to better teamwork and better products.’’

It would be unrealistic to claim that there are no barriers for women in the engineering industry. But for those of us at ASML, we have the good fortune of working in an environment where we’re surrounded by not only some of the most exciting and advanced technology in the world, but leaders and colleagues who provide incredible support.

I really feel that ASML guides everyone towards their future, no matter who you are. There are such great mentors and leaders to be found everywhere in this organization – it’s easy to make progress as long as you put in the work.

Interested in joining us? Explore the latest opportunities at ASML.