Beatriz Gonçalves, Software Developer focus on Verification and Validation at Bosch

Early years and where you came from?

I grew up in Barcelos (Portugal) and move to Braga to study Biomedical Engineering at the University of Minho. In 2017, I moved to Boston (USA) for one year to do part of my Ph.D. at MIT. I did my Ph.D. on a medical device for neuroscience. It was a long but amazing journey.

How were you introduced to the world of the Portuguese tech industry?

I have always liked technology and gadgets. These combined with the medical industry was something I knew I had to work on. Now I trying something new and invest in different technological industries. The automotive one.

Walk me through your work and what you are doing now in the tech industry.

At this moment I am working at Bosch Car Multimedia, in Braga (Portugal). I am a software developer. My main tasks are focused on software verification and validation integrated into sensors for automated driving.

What part of what you do, you love the most?

Every day I feel challenged by what I do, and I have the urge to learn more. So, what I love the most is the capacity it has to motivate me.

How do you think that your background and knowledge impact the way you approach your work in the Portuguese tech industry?

My personal background made me a cheerful and responsible person I am today. The time I spent in the university doing my academic degrees (Braga, Guimarães and Boston), more than specialized knowledge about medical devices, I believe it gave me the skills to be the engineer I am.

What advice do you have for young women that want to get into tech and don’t know where to start?

Start at the beginning. If you feel passionate about it, just go with it. Do not be afraid, you will not regret. But if you do, it is never late to try a new area of expertise.

Walk me through a day in your life as a Portuguese women in tech.

I work in an open space office, in Braga. I have meetings spread all over the day, usually to check and keep up with colleagues in Germany. The remaining time is to be as productive as possible, making sure bugs are not taking over the software of our car sensors.

What’s the best advice you’ve ever received?

Look at the big picture. When facing a problem, it is easy to just block in the way of solving it. What I now try to do is to context the problem in the big picture of the project. Normally, it helps simplify the problem and get a solution.

What apps/software/tools can’t you live without?

Spotify, WhatsApp and Netflix. My headphone and my phone.

Anything else you want to share? :-)

This video!

👉Find Beatriz on LinkedIn