The story of Elisa

Senior Engineer, Quality

As an engineer, working at Toyota in Brussels is an accomplishment.

When Elisa Avila had the chance to work at Toyota Motor Europe in Brussels, she didn’t hesitate, because here is where it all happens. She even moved from Brazil to Belgium for her job as a Senior Engineer in Quality. “I’ve always worked in the automotive sector and saw Toyota as the benchmark. For me, working here is an accomplishment, just like IT professionals aspire to work at Google”, Elisa says. 

As an engineer, what does your typical workday look like?

Obviously, it depends. Normally, I work from home 3 days a week, but it depends on my workload, to do’s and meetings. Usually, my mornings are filled with meetings with colleagues in Japan. When we work on a technical improvement, we need to discuss it with them. In the afternoons, I spend more time with the team of our plants here in Europe, especially the ones in Turkey and the UK.     We also have workshop activities where we do vehicle tests, software reprogramming, and more technical activities. It's nice because I can do these activities and not just sit behind a desk. Also, everyone here has a technical mentality, so you don't waste time explaining basic things. Everyone is just so hands-on and we set the bar high for ourselves.

Do high standards mean big workloads? 

I must admit that my job is challenging, but for me personally, this is the best work-life I’ve had in 15 years. I eat well, sleep well and have time for other activities like French classes. My management is very good at balancing workloads. They help redistribute tasks when someone has too much on their plate. This teamwork helps a lot. Also, having a balanced life keeps my stress levels low, so I can handle extra stress without feeling overwhelmed.  It’s a matter of give and take: I am flexible and get flexibility in return.

Would you recommend your job to your friends? 

100%. I often share vacancies on LinkedIn to help them get to know the different roles at Toyota. Working here is a truly hands-on experience, which many engineers appreciate. The work-life balance here is excellent and the company offers good benefits and rewards. I feel fortunate to work here, and I hope my friends can experience the same. 