Iris Dasselaar - Looking back and asking questions helps you to grow faster
"Working in a technical environment often means solving complex challenges. That kind of puzzle-solving is exactly what makes my job so enjoyable," says Iris Dasselaar, Process Engineer at NIRAS in the Netherlands.
Ask this young process engineer what truly drives her, and perhaps surprisingly it’s not just about engineering. It’s just as much about collaboration, learning from others, and taking time for reflection, factors that fuel professional growth, personal development, and job satisfaction.
A variety of puzzles
“The best thing about my job? That’s actually a tough question,” Iris admits. There are many aspects she appreciates, but she highlights one in particular: “Working in a team is what makes it so enjoyable. You’re never on your own. The atmosphere is great, and everyone supports one another. That gives you energy and makes solving complex issues together much easier.”
And those puzzles? That’s where Iris really gets her kick from. And there are plenty of challenges. Sometimes they’re technical calculations: How big should a pump be, how tall should a tank be? Other times, there’s no standard answer.
“That’s when the creativity comes in, one of the things I love most about this field,” she explains. “But I also enjoy coming across something I’ve dealt with before. That way, I can use my knowledge and know how again to develop a clever new solution.”
She also finds energy in the balance between office work and time spent in the factory, seeing something being built that she helped design. “That’s when you see how the effort you put into preparation really pays off. Walking through the factory and understanding how everything fits together, it's that practical side I really enjoy about this job,” Iris says.
“Working in a team is what makes it so enjoyable. You’re never on your own. The atmosphere is great, and everyone supports one another. That gives you energy and makes solving complex issues together much easier.”
“There was no in-house food technology team there. It was great that we could provide that expertise. I was able to bridge the gap between process and product. It’s incredibly rewarding when your knowledge helps things run more efficiently, or even makes more impact.”
Engineering and Food Technology
Engineers and other professionals in project teams at NIRAS come from a wide range of backgrounds. With a degree in Food Technology, Iris brings in specialised knowledge that adds real value to certain projects. One example was a project for a small-scale dairy factory.
“There was no in-house food technology team there. It was great that we could provide that expertise. I was able to bridge the gap between process and product. It’s incredibly rewarding when your knowledge helps things run more efficiently, or even makes more impact.”
This background is useful even when the client does have their own team. It helps her connect more effectively on the production floor, it’s a subtle advantage to speak the same language and communicate more smoothly. Still, she admits that this is an area where she continues to grow. “I don’t have a mechanical engineering background, so it can be tricky to know who to go to for missing pieces of information. I still find that challenging, but by gaining more experience and asking for help, I always manage to figure it out.”
Reflection as the key to growth
NIRAS offers an international Life Science & Food Graduate Programme, an opportunity for young professionals to deepen their expertise and continue learning in practice. But it’s about more than just technical know-how. The focus on personal growth has been a positive surprise for Iris, who joined the programme when she started working for NIRAS..
“I didn’t expect there to be so much attention on developing ‘soft skills’, although I find that term a bit strange because these skills are just as important. I worked with personality profiles and gained insights into my own professional traits. It really helped me to reflect more consciously and collaborate more effectively.”
Reflection has become an important tool for her. A tool she hopes others will embrace too. It wasn’t just the programme that brought this insight, but also a colleague who encouraged her early on.
“In the beginning, you often think, ‘Wow, I’ll never get the hang of this!’ But when you look back after a few months, you suddenly realise how much you’ve already learned. I find that progression - from unconsciously incompetent to unconsciously competent, as one of our tools put it - really encouraging. It helps to take a moment and reflect on that every now and then.”
Learning with and from others
A technical role means you're constantly seeking answers, and sometimes, that simply means being willing to ask questions.
“Just ask whatever you don’t know. People enjoy explaining things. I’ve noticed that myself, colleagues come to me with questions about digital tools or process-related topics. That kind of exchange is what makes the work more enjoyable.”
Within NIRAS, Iris has found a culture that actively encourages knowledge-sharing and making time for one another, across all three Dutch offices and internationally. And there’s a benefit to simply being able to approach someone’s desk or have direct conversations with clients at a production site.
Opportunities for the future
The food industry is constantly evolving, and that brings opportunities not only for professional growth, but for making a real contribution to society. Iris explains:
“The protein transition is a good example. I mostly eat vegetarian myself, and I find it fascinating to see how the sector is developing. I think we should move away from relying solely on dairy and look at the bigger picture. I also see potential in smaller-scale, higher-quality production, ironically, with less tampering with raw ingredients. And of course, factories need to keep working on reducing energy and water consumption. There’s still so much to be gained.”
In her day-to-day work as an engineer, Iris is also curious about how emerging technologies can make a difference. How can artificial intelligence be used in engineering? She’s keen to find out.
“I think AI is incredibly exciting, not just the well-known language models, but also the smart tools that can help within engineering. I hope we can explore and implement these gradually.”
At NIRAS, Iris is part of the so-called Expertise Network focused on AI in the process industry. It’s a relatively new group, but one with a clear mission and vision for the future.
Adding value and enjoy work
Whether it’s tackling complex calculations, engaging with clients, brainstorming with colleagues, or diving into technical drawings, Iris’s career has gotten off to a great start:
“I’m still figuring out exactly which direction I want to go in, but I enjoy so many aspects of the job. I can see myself taking on more project management responsibilities in the future, I like keeping an overview. Leading as a Lead Engineer doesn’t feel quite like the right fit, but being a go-to contact does. For now, the first step towards becoming a Project Engineer, building on teamwork and continuing to grow, feels like the most appealing path.”
Factbox – Career Choice
As a child, Iris was fascinated by How It’s Made on the Discovery Channel. She watched in awe as giant machines created all kinds of products at lightning speed. Even then, she was intrigued by the idea of understanding and improving processes from A to Z.
During a junior internship at Peijnenburg, that fascination became reality. An external engineer walked around with an enormous A0 drawing of the entire production process. His job was to analyse everything and identify areas for improvement. Ever curious, Iris bombarded him with questions: How do you spot what could be better? Where do you even begin?
Later, during her graduation placement at Nestlé, a former classmate, now a colleague, introduced her to the same kind of work. That was a real lightbulb moment: even without having all the technical expertise right away, this kind of role was still within reach. Now, Iris is the one walking around with that huge A0 drawing, mapping out the process, and she couldn’t enjoy it more.
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