The Importance of Being Björn – Experiences from Five Age Cohorts of Female Systems Engineers

Abstract

AbstractThis paper gives an overview of the situation for Swedish female systems engineers at an engineering‐dense company (Saab Group) and societal factors of impact for their situation. We have interviewed five age cohorts of female systems engineers and let them share their personal experiences. Some key findings are that the older age cohorts have paved the way for the younger, but that has in many cases been costly for the individuals. Changes in society have in general contributed to better conditions for female engineers, e.g., parental leave compensation and possibility for childcare at a low cost. A remaining problem is the lower proportion of female technical leaders compared to female systems engineers. Females are often encouraged to take roles as project manager or line manager, and therefore technical leadership roles still are heavily male dominated.