Interview with Ida Videcrantz

Ida Videcrantz is a Solutions Engineer at Dynatrace.

Where did you graduate from and with which degree?

Master of Science in Engineering, Photonics Engineering from the Technical University of Denmark. My bachelor’s was in Physics and Nanotechnology.

Please describe the work you do in your current position.

As a Solutions Engineer at Dynatrace, I provide the technical knowledge of our software as part of our pre-sales team. Dynatrace is a platform that delivers analytics and automation for application observability and security. Our vision is a world where software works perfectly – and we help achieve that. As a member of the sales team, I may not develop our software solutions, but I play a key role in demonstrating their value to potential clients and supporting our existing customers. I do this through demos and proofs of concept, where we run our software on their unique applications. This requires me to be well-versed in a wide range of technologies, whether it’s legacy systems like mainframes or modern platforms like Kubernetes and cloud solutions. My customers rely on me to engage in technical discussions about their specific tech stack, which keeps the work both challenging and exciting!

What motivated you to study physics or engineering in the first place?

I’ve always been drawn to engineering, likely influenced by my parents, who are both engineers. However, neither of them studied physics, so I saw that as a unique path I could explore. Interestingly enough, fate led me to a bachelor’s project advisor who had once studied alongside my father. Before choosing engineering, I did explore studying pure physics at other universities, but ultimately in my opinion, it lacked applicability to real life.

What made you decide to pursue a career in the private industry?

My thesis work took place in a typical, dimly lit underground photonics lab, and it was then that I realized my ideal job would involve much more interaction with people—and, ideally, a lot more sunlight! I also had a long-held dream of living abroad, which led me to apply for graduate programs. I landed my first job and spent a year in Amsterdam. I also considered working with purely photonic companies, but they felt a bit too similar to the academic environment for my taste.

Meeting new people daily is one of the best parts of working in sales, and I thrive on it, especially when it’s combined with diving into a wide variety of technologies. I love the flexibility that comes with my role, along with the opportunity to travel for work. A competitive salary based on my individual contribution is also a great perk in the private sector.

How do you use the skills you learned as a physicist or engineer in your work?

I am incredibly good a learning very complex stuff very fast and then rearticulating it to fit my audience. I often think about the meme from the Avengers “When did you become an expert in thermonuclear astrophysics?” – “Last night”.

When I started my career I focused mainly on hardware in data centers, where knowledge about optical telecommunication was a convenient skill. Another more direct skill I use today is my coding abilities.

What does being a physicist mean to you?

To me, being a physicist means constantly exploring the mysteries of the universe and challenging my understanding of how things work. It’s about satisfying my deep curiosity and not being satisfied with incomplete answers.

And of course – I can build myself a laser 😊

What advice would you give to young people (in particular women and minorities) with a background in physics who would like to pursue a career in the private industry?

Don’t limit yourself to jobs strictly within the field of physics. When I first began my job search, I used “physics” as a keyword and ended up getting job suggestions for “handyman with a good physique” (in Danish, “physics” and “physique” are the same word) – I ended up searching more broadly. 🙂   

Embrace your curiosity—it’s likely one of your strongest traits as a physicist! I don’t only use the skill in a learning/technology capacity, but also when being curious about people. Both the ones I work with daily and with the customers I support.  

Say yes and seek out opportunities – No one can predict how their career will unfold, so be open to new possibilities. For example, I never imagined I would end up in software sales, but that is where all my yes’es took me. Additionally, I’ve always been an advocate for having mentors. I’ve had multiple since I started my career, and their guidance has been invaluable.