Not your typical engineering career: Danielle’s story across borders

Starting your career in one country and growing it across others brings a unique perspective, one shaped by adaptability, curiosity, and a deep appreciation for different ways of thinking. For Danielle Lim-Kwan, that journey has taken her from Malaysia to New Zealand, and now to South Korea, building not just a career in engineering, but a global outlook that influences everything she does.

Danielle is a Process Engineer at AtkinsRéalis, with seven years of experience in industrial process design. Alongside her role, she is also the 2026 Emerging Network Professionals (EPN) lead for the Korea office, connecting with peers across the region and shaping early career experiences.

“My day-to-day involves collaborating with diverse teams and working closely with clients to design and optimize industrial processes,” she explains. “It’s about maximizing efficiency, future-proofing production, and ensuring safety.”

Her role spans the full design process, from working with clients to understand requirements, to developing process concepts, refining designs, and ensuring they can operate effectively in real-world conditions. She contributes to projects across industries such as life sciences and food and beverage, where process reliability, efficiency, and sustainability are critical.

Engineering without borders

For Danielle, engineering has always been more than a technical discipline, it’s a pathway to explore the world.

“Engineering has opened many doors for me,” she says. “It’s allowed me to move to completely different countries and still apply my skills while experiencing new cultures.”

Working across different locations and project types, she helps design and improve industrial systems that support large-scale production. Each project requires balancing technical detail with practical outcomes, ensuring designs not only meet requirements, but also perform efficiently over time.

“It’s about understanding what’s needed and finding the best way to deliver it,” she adds.

The impact behind the work

For Danielle, the true value of engineering lies in its everyday impact, often invisible, but essential.

“What we create plays a part in daily life,” she explains. “Engineers design systems that produce medicines, food, and products people rely on.”

By designing and improving production processes, her work contributes to systems that must deliver consistency, quality, and scale, supporting industries that people depend on every day.

More than technical expertise

One of Danielle’s biggest learnings is that engineering is as much about people as it is about processes.

“Engineering involves a lot of teamwork,” she says. “You work with different personalities and perspectives, and communication becomes key.”

In her role, this means working closely with multidisciplinary teams, aligning ideas, resolving challenges, and communicating technical concepts clearly to both technical and non-technical stakeholders.

“Being able to explain your ideas clearly is a huge part of the job,” she adds. “The rest can be learned along the way.”

A global culture that feels local

What Danielle values most about her experience at AtkinsRéalis is the people around her.

“Working in a globally-minded Korean office has been exciting,” she shares. “The culture is different from what I experienced in New Zealand, but my teammates are incredibly kind and supportive.”

working across cultures, she’s found a strong sense of trust and collaboration. Being part of a global organization has also allowed her to connect with colleagues worldwide, gaining different perspectives on engineering challenges and solutions.

“It’s the people that make the environment what it is,” she says. “They give me a reason to enjoy coming to work every day.”

Balancing curiosity and everyday life

Outside of work, Danielle’s curiosity continues through her love for food and travel.

“I’m a big foodie,” she says. “I love exploring different neighborhoods and trying unique cuisines whenever I can.”

It’s a reflection of her broader mindset, always open to new experiences, cultures, and perspectives, both inside and outside of work.

Still exploring, still growing

As Danielle continues building her career across borders, one thing remains constant — her openness to new experiences and willingness to grow. From designing and optimising industrial processes to collaborating across cultures, her journey reflects what modern engineering careers can look like: global, dynamic, and full of opportunity.

If you’re looking to build a career that combines technical expertise with global experience, explore opportunities at AtkinsRéalis and discover where your journey could take you.