For us, International Women’s Day means a chance to celebrate the amazing women of Robin Radar Systems, and the innovation and tenacity each brings to our company every single day.
We’re under no illusions, though: the technology space isn’t as gender-diverse as it should be. Thankfully, that’s changing. 60% of our company management team is female and 31% of all managerial roles are held by women. There’s still some way to go, but we're determined to continue recruiting, developing and retaining top female talent.
Today, we highlight some of it with Olena’s story. Olena Hrushko is a Robin Service and Support Engineer, and one of 42 women driving pioneering radar technologies with a succinct societal purpose.
“Being a woman is inspiring in itself. We’re so multifaceted. As a woman, you can be so many different things: you can be vulnerable and a pillar of strength. Beautiful. Nurturing. Capable of working in any position in the world, and the ones bringing life into it. Women are on the frontlines of everything: keeping homes together and even fighting on them literally for their country.”
— Olena Hrushko
Striking a chord in Geodesy
“I was born 30 km from the Russian border. Ukrainian and Russian were my first languages."
Olena was born in the northeast of Ukraine, near the Russian border.
Her parents raised her and her younger brother to be independent and academic: “In my childhood, I did karate, played badminton for six years, loved military camps and even worked as a referee at competitions. I was an active girl.
“I’m also from a family of musicians,” smiles Olena. “My cousin is even a composer, and I was encouraged to learn piano and violin to a good level. Once I was finished I never wanted to feel the instruments in my hands again! It wasn’t my thing,” she laughs.
“I missed it later, though. I played in a chamber orchestra and a symphonic orchestra at university, where I completed my bachelor’s and master’s in Geodesy. Geodesy is a science about Earth and its shape.
"I chose this area of study as I figured there would always be a need for construction and the legalities surrounding it, but things don’t always turn out the way you expect.”
A choice made in conflict
“I’d only spend ten days a month in Ukraine and travel the rest. This is when I first began to be inspired by other ways of life.”
On 24 February 2022, life changed for Olena and the millions of people living in Ukraine as Russia invaded its borders. She said: “I lost my geodesy job. That’s when I decided to move into IT.
"There was more opportunity in this field, and I'm so thankful to the woman who decided to take a chance and hire me into it. She saw potential beyond what was written on paper.”
Olena became a Customer Service Engineer with an international robotics company, giving her the chance to do lots of travelling. "I loved the change in atmosphere and seeing new places. I spent time in Austria, Switzerland, and Germany.
"However, a mixture of negative company shifts and the progression of the conflict eventually drove me to look further away. The constant bombing in Ukraine became terrifying. I realised I needed to think ahead, about my future.
“The most difficult time in my life was in the winter of 2022-2023, when there was no electricity in Ukraine for months. Due to the shelling, Ukraine's energy infrastructure and power grids were destroyed, so we had electricity for only a few hours a day.
“I lost a lot of weight due to the inability to cook and my health suffered in the poor conditions, I was struggling with stress. It was a very tough time. I’d return to a house enveloped in wetness, with mould all over clothes that had to be thrown away, to a damp bed, and just cry.
“I promised myself I would not face another winter like that. I started looking for a way to relocate. My mother taught me to always think one step ahead — this advice saved me.”
Lessons learned in perseverance
“The constant rejection was tough, but I was determined. There was no other option in my mind.”
“Have you ever seen those TikToks where people show you all the job applications they’re tracking?” asks Olena.
“Sometimes it can be up to 200, with an Excel column that reads: 'rejected, rejected, ignored'. Honestly, for me, I think it was close to 700-800. I stopped counting after 150.
“The barrier of not having an EU passport was enormous. Many companies don’t want the hassle of organising a visa when they can hire someone without even half that effort.
“Positive interviews with companies like SoftServe and Amazon Robotics kept me motivated. I passed multiple rounds, and even though I was rejected sometimes, I didn’t let it discourage me.
“Eventually though, I had a lightbulb moment.”
On January 3rd, 2024, Olena was at her family home for the first time in two years since the war began. She flicked on a filter setting in her job search that would send her flying into an opportunity with Robin Radar Systems: filter by Ukrainian-speaking roles.
Robotics to Radar Science
“I’m learning from people who are themselves, even after many years, still learning!”
Robin Radar Systems is proud to work with the Dutch Ministry of Defence, supplying IRIS drone radars to Ukrainian forces. It’s the reason we sought a talented Ukrainian-speaking Service and Support Engineer: the vacancy that found Olena.
“The radar as a product was new to me, but I had the appropriate background to be a good fit. I was really happy to be offered the job and moved to the Netherlands by the end of January 2024.
“I work in the post-sales phase, handling service support after products are delivered to customers. This involves troubleshooting software, configuring, updating systems, and deployment. We work closely with the hardware team for the best bespoke performance and provide maintenance too.
“There’s a lot I like, but mostly that every day brings something new. You’re constantly learning. Robin has a very diverse workforce with people of various nationalities and ages. I’m the youngest in my team.”
Olena is thriving at Robin, but the Netherlands was never initially, well, on her radar.
“I love it in the Netherlands. It’s nice, everything is well-made, but even on a mental level, it’s calm. It’s sort of soothing in an unconscious way. My mom visited and even said the same thing.
“I didn't have it in mind originally. I just packed my life into 20kg of luggage, moved to an empty apartment and started from scratch. First I bought cutlery, bedding, a table, then a TV and more furniture. Month after month, bit by bit.”
We asked Olena what the most satisfying buy was: “My sofa!” She laughs. I lay on it after a long week and stretch my legs right out. I don’t sit on it, I lay on it like a starfish."
Fiercely independent
“Slavic people mature fast and become independent even faster. It’s in our temperament.”
Olena is a shining example of everything that makes us proud to be Robin. We asked her what she’s most proud of, too.
“Being independent. I was successful in university, publishing papers, and taking part in conferences. I didn’t ask my parents for pocket money, and they’re proud of me for being self-sufficient. I can organise my life and take care of myself.
“I had a great example in my own mother. She is a six-time world karate champion. That’s amazing, right? She’s been fit her whole life, but even with all that strength, she remains feminine, caring, and a true example of bravery.
“I think a lot of women encounter barriers at some point. Many of us have been treated differently in male-dominated fields. It’s something you get a sense for.
“Personally, I’m comfortable in male-dominated environments. In university, I was one of the few women in my field, and now in technology too. It’s important to know that the opportunities are there, and the right place will welcome you into them, no matter the field."