No Two Days Are the Same: Kaja Mehl’s Evolving Role as Renewal & Life Extension Manager

Kaja Mehl joined Altera Infrastructure in November 2017, formerly part of Teekay and is based in the Trondheim office. She currently works as Renewal & Life Extension (RLE) Manager, and her position in the base organisation is Senior Mechanical Engineer.

As RLE Manager, my responsibility is to ensure that our FPSO assets are prepared for long-term operations. This includes following up technical, commercial and cost aspects related to life extension scope, ensuring that planning, procurement and execution are carried out in line with quality and budget expectations.

“What I appreciate most about working at Altera is the ownership and dedication I see in my colleagues. There is a strong commitment to delivering safe and high-quality solutions, and a culture that encourages responsibility and engagement.”

Before taking on my current role full time, I supported Operations as a Mechanical Engineer, working mainly with operational support as part of the topside groups, in addition to supporting projects with scope development within Engineering.

No two days are the same, as projects are constantly developing and require focus across different stages, such as scope development, cost estimation, execution, vendor follow-up and budget control. My role involves close collaboration across locations and disciplines, and I travel regularly to follow up activities, meet teams and ensure progress.

What I find most interesting is having the bigger overview of how all parts of a project interact. Working between departments, companies, people and disciplines, and seeing how decisions in one area impact others, has been both challenging and very rewarding. Following a scope from concept through engineering and execution has given valuable insight.

What I appreciate most about working at Altera is the ownership and dedication I see in my colleagues. There is a strong commitment to delivering safe and high-quality solutions, and a culture that encourages responsibility and engagement. Altera also gives people the opportunity to try new things and develop both themselves and the company in new directions.

The people are truly Altera’s greatest asset and form the foundation of the company culture. After several years of commuting for projects, I can honestly say it feels like being part of the Altera family. I would say that the best part of my role is working with the RLE team, which delivers at an impressive level of detail and commitment.

My time at Altera has shown me what I am capable of, both personally and professionally. Being challenged on many levels has pushed me far and given me a deeper understanding of how much you can achieve in a demanding work environment while still maintaining balance.

#TEAMaltera