Hometown: La Pampa, Argentina
Current Employment/Job Title: Human Resources Coordinator at Renewable Energy Group, Inc. in Amsterdam
Major Job/Position Responsibilities: In my current role I support the HR needs of our employees in the Netherlands and Germany, from recruiting and hiring to payroll. I also collaborate closely with my team in the U.S. on new projects and initiatives. Integrating and implementing European HR processes and systems is an important part of my job, as the Dutch and German subsidiaries I work for are REG’s first international expansion. Finally, at REG we are very focused on continuous improvement, so designing and implementing these types of initiatives for HR is also an important part of my role.
What you like most about your job/position? My favorite part about working at REG is the people. We are a diverse and dynamic international team, and there is an underlying level of trust and respect that makes it easy to work together even if we don’t agree on everything. I also love that REG is very open to new ideas and allows me the chance to make an impact across the organization through continuous improvement initiatives.
Favorite ISU classes? Econ 321 – Economics of Discrimination & Mgmt 371 – Organizational Behavior: because we looked at research and publications that were so interesting for me that I still quote them in conversation today.
Econ 110 – Orientation: because it taught me how to navigate the U.S. college culture and resources, and how to plan and take ownership of my college career.
What advice would you give to current students pursuing a career in Agriculture and Life Sciences? Agriculture is a broad field (no pun intended) – so be open to trying new jobs and locations, even if they are different from the expectations you had when you started college. As a freshman, I thought Ag Business would teach me to be a more business savvy farmer, and I had no idea what Human Resources was. This means there might be something new out there that you are good at and enjoy doing, but you have no idea it exists yet. Also, please take advantage of CALS Career Services and the opportunities they offer for you to connect with industry representatives and gain industry experience – this alone was worth the price of my degree!