Berlin

November 4 & 5, 2024

New York

September 4 & 5, 2024

Strategies for succeeding as a underrepresented engineering leader

Rafia Qutab Kilian will draw on her experience as a Lead Engineer at NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory and as a woman to provide strategies for how to succeed at work, alongside her own stories of how she put these into practice.
March 08, 2023

Being a leader from a background that’s underrepresented in tech comes with its own set of challenges – and to be truly successful you need to be intentional about your own growth and about the companies in which you find yourself.

I’ll be drawing on my experience as a Lead Engineer at NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory and as a woman to provide strategies for how to succeed at work, alongside my own stories of how I’ve put these into practice. I’ll be running through tips such as; build relationships with colleagues, upper management, and across departments early in your career; look for mentors; pair with senior and diverse engineers who are open to teaching; taking each opportunity as a learning lesson; and directing your career towards your own interests; you will thrive when you are doing what you enjoy.

Though you may face challenges, and at times failures, if you are confident on your path you will persevere.