Evelyn Sobotka

“I value working in an environment where the future of sustainable energy is actively shaped.” 

Being part of ANDRITZ Hydropower means working in an environment where technical excellence and long-term impact go hand in hand. Our projects represent more than engineering achievements; they stand for sustainable energy solutions and responsible business practices. Contributing to shaping the future of renewable energy gives my work a strong sense of purpose. 

What particularly motivates me is our shared commitment to quality and continuous improvement. At ANDRITZ, excellence is not just an aspiration, it is embedded in our culture. The consistent development of processes, structures, and collaboration defines our daily work and creates the foundation for sustainable success. 

My professional journey began in 2011 with my studies in metallurgy at the Montanuniversität Leoben, Austria. Early on, I gained hands-on industry experience through technical internships, deepening my interest in materials science and industrial processes. I later completed my doctorate at TU Wien during full-time academic employment in collaboration with the Christian Doppler Research Association and voestalpine Tubulars GmbH. This period shaped me both professionally and personally. It strengthened my analytical thinking, scientific rigor and long-term perspective. 

“Science becomes truly powerful when it transforms into solutions with real industrial impact.” 

In 2019, I transitioned into industrial research and advanced engineering, focusing on computational materials engineering to optimize tube rolling processes for industrial application. Moving from academia into a global industrial environment broadened my perspective: innovation creates real value only when it is operationalized and embedded into robust processes. 

Since the beginning of 2024, I have been serving as Global Quality & Lean Manager, responsible for continuous improvement within global Quality, Health, Safety and Environment and process management across all legal entities. My role includes quality management, lean policy deployment, risk management (FMEA) and global process development. 

A key part of my responsibility is strengthening transparency and structured follow-up, particularly in cases of significant gross-margin deviations. This involves identifying and initiating global improvement projects to ensure consistent performance across the organization. In addition, I have driven initiatives to improve data quality and the completeness of project cost forecast deviations, enabling more reliable financial steering. 

One particularly forward-looking initiative was leading an AI agent project designed to support guided navigation through the ANDRITZ Business Process Manual. The goal was to make process knowledge more accessible and enhance the overall user experience, an important step toward a digitally supported process landscape. 

Further focus areas include improving supplier control, contributing to the global generator cost-reduction program and supporting high-priority initiatives such as Hydropower Pump Storage Power Plant Lead Time Reduction and Shared Service Center within Hydropower. 

What continues to shape me most is the daily collaboration with colleagues around the world. Working in international and cross-functional teams not only expands strategic capabilities but also deepens leadership skills, communication strength and cultural awareness. 

Today, I remain convinced that continuous improvement is not a project with an end date, it is a mindset. Being part of an organization that lives this mindset every day makes me proud and motivates me to keep driving meaningful progress forward.