Janina Menke, 30, technical operations management project engineer, Bachelor of Engineering, spent five years working at other companies in the sector as a technical operations manager before joining Green Wind in October 2021.

Janina, how did you end up at Green Wind and what does your role involve?

Janina: Ending up here was a great move. It was time to feel the wind in my hair at a new company. A colleague at Green Wind recommended it to me. Our team optimizes wind turbine operation, which sometimes involves replacing major components or implementing amendments to the German Renewable Energy Act. We see to it that environmental regulations are observed. We recommend solutions to our customers so that earnings are as planned at the end of the month.

Where are you working at the moment?

Janina: Green Wind has a wide range of wind farms and there is always plenty of interesting work to do. At the moment, I am working on numerous wind turbines in Brandenburg and near Berlin, including a few old gems. I find this really exciting, because they’re not my generation. So I’m learning.

How many women are there in technical operations management?

Janina: The share of women is relatively high at Green Wind, even when some are off on maternity leave. But our male colleagues are also really nice and open-minded, probably because they are used to working with women. The situation at customers is sometimes somewhat different, and I have to exceed expectations and let my expert knowledge shine. But then it all works out.

How did you end up in wind energy?

Janina: I actually wanted to go into mechanical engineering after school but then I got into renewables while studying in Kiel. That wasn’t part of my plan at the time, but now I don’t want to leave the sector. I just really enjoy the technology and think it’s great that I can support and be a part of the energy transition.

For me, it’s a job that has meaning and where I can really get stuck in.

The interview was conducted by Anke Kuckuck

Photo: Pablo Castagnola