Karriereprofil Birk Diener
Project manager in the 'smart city' programme of the Swiss Federal Railways
You graduated from Spatial Designs and Society in summer 2017 – congratulations. What are you doing now?
Thank you! I’m a project manager in the 'smart city' programme of the Swiss Federal Railways. As the biggest mobility provider (1.25 million daily passengers) and one of the most important real estate developers (160 ongoing projects) in Switzerland, the Swiss Federal Railways (SBB) are a major player when it comes to shaping the future infrastructure of Switzerland. Working in the smart city team of SBB, we explore ways to improve the quality of life and economic competitiveness of Switzerland in a sustainable manner. To do this we established and run an urban laboratory (www.smartcitylabbasel.ch) in the city of Basel where we develop new projects, products and services together with business and academic partners as well as the local administration.
What skills from your Master’s studies are especially important for your work?
Studying Spatial Designs and Society at Roskilde University, I learned concepts and methods to understand design processes and their relation to spatial situations. This helps me in evaluating new projects and is a useful background to support innovation processes. While studying, I especially enjoyed the applied character of the programme, the possibility to tailor the programme to my own interests through extensive project work and the low student-teacher ratio
A big part of my job is to organise, plan and write reports and so on - things you also practice while studying, even though they might not be considered key skills. Besides these, I see it as a part of my job to build on my training as a social scientist and evaluate ‘smart city’ initiatives from different perspectives.
What elements of the Master’s programme were helpful in finding a position after graduation?
The semester projects were a great way for me to distinguish myself from other job applicants for at least three reasons: Firstly, they allowed me to develop a specialisation. All my projects revolved around the use and design of digital technologies. This gave me a great advantage over other applicants who did a little bit of everything. Secondly, I got used to doing my own research projects – a great plus when I applied for my current position which includes project management. And thirdly, cooperating with companies for my semester projects has given credibility to my skills and showed that I am able to employ these skills in a professional environment. Finally, the progressive urban development in Denmark was great for doing research during my studies, but also as a stand out point when applying for jobs outside of Denmark.
Prior to his studies in Spatial Designs and Society, Birk graduated with a BA in Social Sciences and Geography from the University of Basel, Switzerland.