From Product Insights to On‑Site Impact: Nelli’s Career at Hilti

Written by the Hilti GB / Northern Europe employer brand team – sharing real stories and insights into life, culture and careers at Hilti.

 

Careers at Hilti don’t always follow a predefined path. Nelli’s journey shows how staying curious, embracing challenges and saying yes to unexpected opportunities can shape your career.

Now a National Engineering Business Developer in the UK, Nelli has built her career across engineering, regional product management and customer-facing roles. Each step built on the last, bringing her closer to the customer impact that motivates her today.

 

A journey shaped by opportunity

Nelli started her Hilti career as a technical engineer, building strong knowledge in installation systems and working closely with calculations and modelling. The role grounded her in the practical realities of engineering and strengthened her confidence in her technical abilities.

From there, she moved into regional product management, covering Northern Europe – a transition she hadn’t necessarily planned from the outset.

“Looking back, that move wasn’t something I expected. But it gave me a much broader view of how solutions are developed, launched and supported across different markets.”

Later, she stepped back into a customer-facing role, becoming a National Engineering Business Developer in the UK. Moving from an office-based role to the field brought new challenges – but also new energy.

“In the office, you often work with requests that come to you. In the field, you need to understand what the customer is really trying to achieve and then translate that into the right solution. That shift challenged me – but it also helped me grow.”

 

Seeing engineering make a difference

One of the moments that stands out most for Nelli is seeing her engineering work directly improve a customer’s experience.

In her current role as a National Engineering Business Developer, she supported a customer who was facing space constraints above a ceiling void when fixing heavy equipment. Thanks to a system she had helped develop years earlier in her product management role, Nelli was able to implement a solution that created more flexibility and resolved the issue.

That was incredibly rewarding. Seeing a solution realised on site – and knowing I’d been involved in it for five years – makes all the effort feel worthwhile.

For Nelli, this is where engineering at Hilti really comes to life: when technical expertise transforms into something practical, visible and valuable for the customer.

 

Learning that never stops

Engineering is constantly evolving, which makes continuous learning essential. For Nelli, that development comes through collaboration, new challenges and the freedom to think differently.

“I try to stay curious and push boundaries. Thinking outside the box helps you learn – especially when you’re surrounded by people who are open to new ideas.”

That curiosity has helped her grow across roles, industries and markets, without feeling boxed into a single career path.

 

The role of people and culture

When asked what has supported her most throughout her journey, Nelli doesn’t talk about titles or structures – she talks about people.

There’s a whole network of people around you at Hilti. At different stages of your career, different colleagues challenge you, guide you and support you. It makes a huge difference.

She describes Hilti as a place where people collaborate openly, ideas are encouraged and colleagues feel trusted to contribute.

 

Building confidence as a woman in engineering

For women considering a career in engineering or construction, Nelli believes that confidence grows in an environment where people feel heard and supported.

“At Hilti, everyone has equal opportunities. Your ideas are listened to and supported – regardless of gender.”

Her advice to young women entering the industry is honest and practical:

“Stay curious. Be confident in your abilities. Resilience and agility are important in construction – and never underestimate what you already know.”

Her own path into engineering was inspired early on: Nelli’s mother is also an engineer. Seeing that career up close helped normalise engineering as a future she could pursue – and succeed in.

A career still unfolding

Looking back, Nelli doesn’t define her career by a single role or moment. Instead, she sees it as an ongoing journey shaped by learning, people and impact.

At Hilti, your career doesn’t have to follow one straight line. You grow by staying open to change – and by focusing on making a difference.

And that focus – on customers, collaboration and continuous growth – is what keeps her moving forward.

 

Interested in building a career where engineering expertise leads to real customer impact? Explore current opportunities and learn more about life at Hilti on our careers website.