Meet Thijn: Femto’s newest Mechanical & Simulation Engineer 

Could you tell us a bit about yourself?

Hey, my name is Thijn van Zelst. I’m an engineer with around 5 years of experience working as a structural engineer. For the last four years I’ve worked for Octatube, but after finishing my last project there, I felt I needed to go back to my initial discipline of mechanical engineering, mostly focusing on finite element simulations.

Other than a love for engineering, I enjoy reading, playing games and doing sports. I’m currently practising for the “Bruggenloop” in Rotterdam, a challenging 15 km run, but I also try to make time and visit friends/family and, when there is time left over, play video games with my friends.

What made you choose a career in engineering?

I’ve been told many times by some of my oldest friends, “You becoming an engineer is not a surprise at all.” This is because ever since I was young I have been focused on how things work, why they work, and how they fail. This fascination has led me to start studying engineering at the TU Delft.

What is a moment in your career that shaped how you work today?

I would say the defining moment in my career actually happened during my student years. At the time I joined the Formula Student racing team (Dut18), where I was a part of the chassis team, designing, building and testing the monocoque of a racecar in less than a year. Before this year, I had lost my direction and did not know what I wanted to do for my master’s. By joining the team, I rediscovered my joy for engineering, and seeing the combination of engineering and creation helped me focus on what I wanted to do for my Masters, which ended up being Materials Science at the 3ME faculty.

What type of projects gives you the most energy?

I get the most energy from diverse projects where I can use my persistence to really “bite” into the subject matter. The “best” answer should not be straightforward but require some thought and effort to achieve.

What made you choose Femto as an organisation, and what would you love to achieve in a year from now? 

The focus on finite element simulations was my main reason. During my time at Solico and Octatube, I really enjoyed working with the simulation software available. I have also worked on coding tools that can be used for modelling within Femap. Both of these skills are a good fit for Femto. So when I saw the vacancy, I knew I had to try.

As a professional, what I want to achieve in Femto in a year is becoming a self-sufficient FEA engineer who is able to deliver smart solutions to difficult problems for a variety of clients. On a personal level, I want to learn from my colleagues and, in turn, help my colleagues with solving complex problems.

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Contact: telephone+31 (0)15-285 0580  or email us at info@femto.eu