Ever wondered what it takes to keep our radars running like clockwork?
A collection of bright minds. It’s that simple. All with just the right balance of skill, enthusiasm, and creative thinking. Hardware Engineer, Linas Norkus, is one of them.
His role involves learning, creativity, and plenty of travel. And that suits him down to the ground. He sits in the team that keeps our systems on track, sharing the important job of service, maintenance, and repairs.
For Linas, it pays to be focused on a fix: “I’m curious, and I have a bit of a risk-taker’s mindset. That’s just baked into my personality. I like figuring things out, and we often need to. I always approach site visits determined to get the job done. We find a solution, one way or another!”
where curiosity becomes craft
“I’ve always been driven to fix and understand things. It’s never left me.”
Behind every spinning radar is a team of specialists working in sync. Linas explains: “I work in the S&S (Service and Support) department. There are currently four teams within it: systems, hardware, operations, and customer service. I belong to the hardware team.
“We handle the physical maintenance and service of each system and make repairs on site if needed. The systems team monitors systems 24/7 and troubleshoots from the office. Often, issues can be solved remotely, but we get involved if a physical fix is needed.
“Sometimes systems are sent back to headquarters for upgrades or repair, but most of the time we go on-site. Basically, we solve problems as fast and as efficiently as possible.”
Linas joined Robin in November 2023. He quickly went from working part-time to full-time, recognising a role that fed a lifelong instinct. “I’ve been curious ever since I was a little kid. When toys wore out, I dismantled them. I wanted to know how they worked; I needed to see what was inside. Now I get to do it for a living."
electric cars to advanced radar
“People think they don’t change, but we do, all the time.”
The drive to understand the nuts and bolts of seamless performance led Linas to earn a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering. He moved to the Netherlands from Lithuania nine years ago, when he was recruited by Tesla.
“I was with Tesla for around seven years, and though it was incredibly mission-driven, intense, but motivating work, I want to try something different. I didn’t think it would come in the form of radars.
“My colleague and I were scanning the market back then, just to see what was out there. He’s the one who informed me about the role with Robin. Something told me I should explore it. The job sounded exciting, with occasional travel and interesting technology. I started part-time, but that soon changed!”
Linas quickly found his work was cut out for him. “I was drawn to improving our systems and making sure everything ran smoothly, pivoting to full-time to make it happen. By the end of 2024, we’d achieved that. Systems were performing at their best. It was challenging, but incredibly rewarding for us.
Ownership like that forms a cornerstone of Robin's culture, and it’s where Linas excels. “I’ve joked with my colleagues that I’m still surprised how far I can go for this job sometimes, but that’s also what makes it exciting. Every experience means a chance to grow.”
Taking innovation off-grid
“We get creative to guide what’s possible, and what’s not.”
Lifting the lid on our radar systems often means scaling heights, sailing boats, or even trekking through remote terrains to reach them. “That’s part of the fun,” laughs Linas.
“If you’d told me years ago that I’d be travelling the world, driving off-road, climbing towers, sailing on boats, I wouldn’t have believed you. As well as being able to see a lot of the world, often from a bird's eye view, I like that each visit usually presents a unique challenge.”
Anyone who’s worked in the field knows that things don't always go exactly to plan. Linas and his team do a lot of blue sky thinking, often on the fly.
“Because sites can be so off-grid, from the mountains of Chile to the oceans of Norway, we often have to work with what’s available if we hit a snag. For example, we’ve been to hardware stores and designed a custom frame on the spot to complete the mission.
“We’re deeply solution-oriented. I wouldn’t be me if I didn’t try to find another way. We’re determined to get the job done, efficiently and safely, for our customers who rely on the radar and for the wider team."
We trust. We own it. We aim high.
“Everyone’s skilled and passionate, you can learn from anyone here.”
We make no secret of the fact that our greatest strength is our people. “Everyone here is a genius in their own capacity,” Linas confirms.
“Robin is filled with specialised skills and interests; you learn from one another all the time. It’s also such a multicultural place. People come from everywhere, each with their own story and way of thinking. It keeps things fresh. There’s always a new perspective, a new idea.
“When I joined, there were about a hundred people; now there are more than two hundred. You really notice it,” he laughs. “But every new face adds something. Every person plays an important role.”
