Matthijs Huisman
Scrummaster | DevOps engineer
I’ve been at Deltares in a dual role since October 2023. As a scrum master, I am a process supervisor in a team where I ensure that the team functions properly. As a DevOps engineer, I bridge the gap between the development teams and software users.
I myself grew up in a village on the Lek River. I can still remember a time when the dyke there had to be reinforced. Deltares worked on this. That caught my attention. I have a software background; when it came to finding a job, I didn't immediately think of water management or ‘enabling delta life’. It’s great to be able to put my knowledge and background to good use here.
There are plenty of places I could work. But Deltares tries to make a difference. It’s an organisation with ideals and a certain vision for the future. That matters to me.
Our work is everywhere
We used to go the seaside on holiday all the time. I still have fond memories of that. These memories come back when I visit my parents. Driving along the dyke, I see the water and also the difference in height with the land. It makes you think. I can actually see that the water is higher in the Lek than where the people live. That so many of us live below sea level is not something to be taken for granted. I know now that it takes a lot to make that possible.
When I'm in the office, these things can seem very far away. Yet the software we make is applied widely. It’s delivered to partners such as Rijkswaterstaat, who use it as an early warning system so they can detect early flooding. Very relevant.
Software for Maeslantkering
Our department also writes software for the Maeslantkering. I currently live in Maassluis, and the Maeslantkering recently closed when there was a very strong storm. I went to look at the harbour that evening and saw the water continuing to rise. The barrier closed. Later, I saw the water level recede. It was all working. Suddenly my work hit very close.
I sometimes worry about how we treat each other and our planet. If you look at the past we’ve destroyed a lot as humanity. However, we’ve also managed to save it. I think we should do the same now, but with a little more consideration for our environment – such as biodiversity –, for humanity, for the earth.