Hear from our employee: Monika Buckova
“As I am at the beginning of my career, I see my success more as small achievements,” commented Monika Buckova, Senior Process Automation Engineer. What led me to this point in my life was being able to step outside my comfort zone to keep learning and improving myself.”
With a Bachelor’s degree in Automation, Information Engineering and Management in Chemical Industry from STU Bratislava (SK), Monika Buckova has always dreamt of having an international experience and see how studies and research are done elsewhere in the world. In 2015 she left her home country to move to Germany where she successfully earned a Master's degree in Automation & Robotics from TU Dortmund 2 years later. But she still felt like she wanted to explore more and learn something new. With her open-minded attitude, she applied for the role of Process Automation Engineer at Dow Benelux. Today she is one of our most talented Senior Process Automation Engineers.
What inspired you to become an engineer?
When I was a child, I have never dreamt to become an engineer. There were no engineers in my family when I was growing up. So, I didn't have an idea of what an engineer would be. It all came to me gradually and snowballed from one decision to another. If I can remember, I have always loved math and games that required logic. When I had my first chemistry class at school, I was fascinated by the tiny but vital details that connect everything in the world. I wanted to combine them by understanding the processes, working on something real, and seeing the results. And in my opinion, engineers get to work on the cool things – finding solutions to unique problems.
In 2017 you joined Dow Terneuzen – our EMEAI hub located in the Zeeuws-Vlaanderen region of the province of Zeeland. What does your role as Senior Process Automation Engineer look like?
Automation plays a crucial role in every industry. And it's just as important in the chemical sector. We need to know and understand the process, create strategies, and translate these into customizable solutions that run the plants more safely and independently while maximizing production and minimizing waste. At Dow, a process automation engineer is responsible for creating and optimizing control strategies for new and existing installations. We develop codes to run the plants safely and efficiently and write simulation applications to verify functionality. Afterwards, the appropriate process automation solutions in the production facilities are implemented.
Solving today’s challenges requires many perspectives and close collaboration. Can you describe in 3 words what it means to be part of an inclusive and diverse team at Dow?
It means: Respect. Growth. Openness.
You are also an active member of the Benelux Women’s Inclusion Network. How do you contribute to the professional development of women at Dow Terneuzen?
We as a team collaborate on local and global levels by promoting several initiatives aimed at enhancing the internal networking between all employees across Dow. Among these events are discussions with leaders designed to understand possible career paths, as well as thought-provoking seminars focused on developing both personal and professional skills that empower our members. Please let me underline that the Dow’s Women’s Inclusion Network is only one of 10 Employee Resource Groups (ERGs) at Dow. Every network provides employees with opportunities to grow, share experiences, and find their own mentors.
What encourages you to maintain a healthy work-life balance? And how have you balanced your personal and professional life during the time of COVID-19?
As I’m originally from another country, my parents and sister live far away. To stay connected, I try to plan my evenings to make time for my family. I have also met many friends at Dow and we help each other keep the right balance. We socialize after work or go on short vacations together.
Looking at the other countries that were affected by COVID-19 before The Netherlands, I assumed that working from home would become the new normal for some time. That’s the reason why I set up a proper office at home. Thankfully, it’s also possible to do my job from home as it is in the office. In the beginning, it took some time to find the proper balance. The work and life started to blend together, and more effort was needed to separate them. It helps that my partner also works for Dow. So, we have similar schedules and can plan when our evening starts together. We recently tried some new social distancing activities such as kayaking and board games.
“I have also met many friends at Dow, and we help each other keep the right balance. We socialize after work or go on short vacations together,” said Monika.
Your story is all about international experience. From Slovakia to Germany and then to The Netherlands, you have always followed your passion. How far have you enjoyed The Netherlands?
Dutch people are very welcoming, kind, and friendly. I’m enjoying my life in The Netherlands, which is one of the reasons we decided to buy a house here. Terneuzen is a quiet, green, and relatively small city, where people greet each other on the street. This atmosphere, combined with a theater, cinema, and an indoor ski slope, makes it the perfect area for me.
"As we recently bought a house here, it became a project of ours to work on the house and in the garden for the last months," added Monika. "I improved my Dutch vocabulary with names of tools and materials I never knew before."
There has been a broad discussion among the young generation on how to be successful in today’s competitive job market. What is the secret behind your success?
I am at the beginning of my career and I see my success more as small achievements for now. Nevertheless, I think that what led me to this point in my life was being able to step outside my comfort zone to keep learning and improving myself. And I have always tried to seize the opportunities that have come my way or I've created.
And what will the secret to your success look like? You can be our next colleague who helps us achieve our ambition of being the most innovative, customer-centric, inclusive and sustainable materials science company in the world. Explore our career opportunities careers.dow.com.
