Hear from our crew about what it’s like working with a world-class team on the next generation of battery energy storage products.

Yuqin Qiu (he/him) is a Data Engineer. He recently graduated from a masters program in electrical and electronics engineering from the University of Melbourne and is passionate about applying his engineering skills to solve problems within the fields of power and energy systems. 

Tell us about your educational background and interests.

I grew up in China and moved to Malta for high school when I was 15, where I obtained an International Baccalaureate diploma. After high school, I moved to Melbourne to pursue my Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Electrical Engineering.

Growing up, I developed strong interests in subjects like Math, Physics and Computer Science, which naturally led me to major in Electrical Engineering as it is the perfect combination of these subjects. During my Master’s degree, I gained more exposure to the field of Data Science, especially working with artificial intelligence and machine learning techniques. My current interests are in power systems, data engineering, and machine learning.

I am a basketball enthusiast. While I don’t play competitively, I play at least once a week and I follow the NBA closely. I’m a big Celtics fan.

I also like nature hiking. I really need that regular escape from city life and the crowds. Recently, I’ve also discovered that I enjoy cooking. I started learning how to cook in my free time and I have found the process to be very stress-relieving.

What drew you to Relectrify as a place to work?

My journey with Relectrify began during my final project exhibition at the University of Melbourne, where I met the team from Relectrify with whom I now work. The more I learned about Relectrify, the more fascinated I became with the company’s cutting-edge technology. It felt like it was the future of battery development.

As a data engineer, the prospect of working on data analytics for batteries and power systems is incredibly exciting. Relectrify’s CellSwitch technology stands out to me as a groundbreaking innovation with the power to transform the industry. We’re venturing into uncharted territory, analysing data that has never been explored before.

This role perfectly aligns with my career goals and allows me to apply my education in ways I had never imagined. Joining Relectrify has been exactly what I was looking for—a chance to be at the forefront of innovation and make a real impact in the world of battery energy storage technology.

How did you find joining Relectrify after your masters degree?

Transitioning to Relectrify after completing my master’s was a significant but exciting shift. While my role focuses more on analytics and data than pure electrical engineering, my technical background has been invaluable. I understand the systems behind the data I’m analysing, which makes the work much more meaningful.

Moving from a university setting to Relectrify, I had to adjust my old mindset of always seeking the ‘right’ answer. At university, there’s always a clear solution, but at Relectrify and in the real world, that’s not often the case. And here, we’re developing new solutions altogether, which means we rely on experience and collaboration. I really think that Relectrify has a collaborative spirit. Together, we determine the best path forward, ensuring our decisions are thoughtful and impactful.

Adapting to a startup work environment meant learning to proactively seek feedback and take initiative—skills less emphasised in the structured academic setting. During my first few months, my team helped guide me through this process, helping me understand the importance of feedback and collaboration.

My experience at Relectrify has been really positive. I can approach anyone for help and I’ve gained invaluable knowledge from these interactions. From the start, we’ve been assigned meaningful projects that are not only essential for the business but also important for personal development.

Relectrify has truly pushed me to grow and adapt, making the transition both challenging and incredibly rewarding.

How would you describe the team culture at Relectrify?

At Relectrify, the team culture is incredibly supportive. When you have an idea, you can dive into it quickly. If your idea has merit, you’ll find the support to bring it to life. I think this culture of innovation and willingness to act swiftly creates an open environment. I think that in corporate settings, ideas can get bogged down in approval processes and junior team members don’t often have their ideas heard.

In my role, although I’m not directly developing products, my work in analysing systems enables our hardware and software teams to design better solutions. We all collaborate really well. My team is always ready to help one another, which I really appreciated when I first started. Now, I see that it’s just what everyone does all the time. It really is a part of our work culture. Everyone is friendly and approachable, making problem-solving a collective effort. It makes you feel like you’re an important part of a team that values and supports each other.