Thamires is a Senior GIS Technician in our GIS and Digital team. Originally from Brazil, she moved to Ireland in 2022. Thamires joined MKO in 2023 and since then has worked on a diverse range of projects, where cross team collaboration is essential.
Can you share a little about your background and what brought you to MKO?
When I was living in Brazil, I worked with GIS for renewable energy projects. It was a good job, but after a while, I started to feel like something was missing and I was ready for a change. Moving to Ireland in 2022 gave me the chance to find a new path. A year later, I found my way to MKO, and I couldn’t be happier. MKO is different. They genuinely care about their people. We have company-wide events where we can hang out, have fun, and get to know people from other teams. It’s not just about the work; it’s about creating a positive and friendly atmosphere. That’s what makes MKO such a great place to be.
What skills from your previous career have you found transferable to your current role at MKO?
Back in Brazil, I worked with GIS on a lot of wind and solar projects. I had the chance to support all kinds of teams, engineering, environmental, and more. When I joined MKO, that experience was a perfect match for the team, since so many of our projects are renewable related. Still, my job is never just about one thing. I love that I get to work on all sorts of different projects. GIS is such a flexible tool, and it’s really exciting to apply it in new ways and keep learning.
How has MKO flexibility helped your work-life balance?
That change has been a huge help. Back in Brazil, I worked long hours and spent a lot of time commuting. Now at MKO, I can work from home or go into the office, which has given me a much better routine. This flexibility makes a big difference in my life, giving me more time to focus on my health, exercise, and mental well-being.
How does cross team collaboration with our in-house multidisciplinary teams enhance your work?
I really enjoy working with different teams. GIS is a tool that can support many areas, and here at MKO I collaborate with people from ecology, hydrology, planning, and more. This makes the work more interesting, and I also learn a lot about different topics. It’s great to work in a place where everyone shares knowledge and supports each other.
MKO offers remote working and has people based nationwide. How do you stay connected and collaborate effectively with your colleagues, whether they’re in the office or elsewhere?
MKO makes it easy to stay connected. We use Teams, SharePoint, and other tools, so I always feel included, even when working from home. I go into the office to see my friends and colleagues, and everyone has always made me feel welcome and supported, even as someone from another country. This flexibility is a huge benefit. I’ve even been able to work remotely from Brazil while visiting my family. It helps me stay close to them, despite living so far away.
What kind of training and leadership development opportunities are available at MKO that have directly impacted your professional journey?
MKO is incredibly supportive when it comes to training and development. The company invested in MKO Academy, which gives us access to all sorts of courses we can take at our own pace. My manager also encourages me to learn new tools and even gives me dedicated time during the week to focus on it. Having that time makes a huge difference in my development and really helps me learn new things effectively.
What excites you most about the variety of projects you get to work on at MKO?
I really enjoy the variety of work at MKO. I get to collaborate with different teams and use a wide range of software and methods, which keeps things interesting.
I’m always looking for ways to simplify and automate repetitive tasks. For example, I helped create a new GIS workflow for the Cumulative Search process. This small improvement has saved the Planning team a lot of time, and it’s great to see how these changes can make a big difference.