Virtual commissioning, global engineering, and focused hiring: Our takeaways from “Klausmair Philipp, Head of Global Controls Tool Development bei TGW Logistics Group”

A young tools organization with outsized impact on delivery

In the session “Klausmair Philipp, Head of Global Controls Tool Development bei TGW Logistics Group,” Philipp Klausmair offered a clear, hands-on look into a young yet highly leveraged part of the engineering organization: the Global Controls Tool team. Operating as an independent unit for about five years, the team owns three tools that run through the realization process of all customer projects. Two tools sit “in the office” with Klausmair; a third is developed primarily in the U.S., while “all agendas, budget planning, cost planning, etc. run through the office in Wales.”

Our main takeaway: a small, globally distributed, technically focused team whose tools are not side projects but essential to every delivery. For engineers who want tangible impact, that matters.

Team size, setup, and roles—transparent and hands-on

The team currently counts nine people including the lead. Three colleagues are based in America; the remaining members are split across the two tools under Klausmair’s office. The range of profiles is broad, as is the team’s age span: “The oldest is 55, the youngest 21.” The culture comes across as pragmatic and respectful, with a strong emphasis on matching both technical and personal fit.

• Global, tool-centric ownership with clear responsibilities
• Nine team members (including the Head), three in the U.S.
• Age diversity as the norm—21 to 55
• Encouraged specialization across back-end and front-end

Klausmair underlines that people can lean into what energizes them: “There are always opportunities where everyone can really throw their energy—back-end, front-end … There are basically all possibilities in our team.”

Tool 1 in focus: Field Emulation—virtual commissioning by default

The team has been working on Field Emulation for about seven years. It’s a core tool that brings control systems live in a virtual environment before site commissioning. In practical terms, virtual commissioning moves test hours from the construction site to the office. That saves time, reduces risk, and increases comfort for controls and engineering teams.

Why it matters:

• Test runs become faster and repeatable. Instead of gathering hundreds of boxes and several people on-site, a single click triggers test scenarios in the emulator.
• Scenarios can be repeated many times, results arrive quickly, and optimization naturally follows.
• Comfort and quality increase in a controlled environment: fewer confounding factors, better documentation, and faster feedback.

Technically, Field Emulation is built in C#/.NET, leverages a purchased visualization framework, and uses the NVIDIA Physics Engine for simulation. The goal is clear: speed up commissioning with rigor and data.

Tool 2: Basic Engineering Tool—global consolidation instead of local variance

The Basic Engineering Tool also appears “in every project.” It supports controls engineers in planning and electrical planning work: automated calculations, “Reboards,” and consolidated processes that used to differ across units.

This is a vital engineering and quality step: when planning logic, calculations, and documentation are consistent across regions, friction drops and learning scales globally. Outcome quality becomes comparable.

Here, too, the tech stack centers on C#/.NET with a visualization framework and modern Windows UI development using WPF. The team’s development approach is structured and intentionally pragmatic: proven frameworks, augmented with targeted simulation and visualization.

Tool 3: Built in the U.S., steered via Wales

The third tool is “developed mainly in America,” while administrative agendas run through “the office in Wales.” One additional technical detail: “For the tool in America, we also work with an SQL database, for example.”

For candidates, this translates into international collaboration inside small, focused teams, with genuine ownership and the ability to influence tooling and development practices globally.

Stack and processes: .NET, WPF, NVIDIA Physics, GitHub—and a move to Jira

In total, the team works with C#/.NET, a visualization software framework, WPF for Windows, and the NVIDIA Physics Engine for Field Emulation. GitHub is the repository of record. Sprint planning is currently switching to Jira; a ticketing system is being set up. Notably, the stack wasn’t always static:

This history points to a healthy adaptability and a sober outlook on modernization. If you like improving tools and processes without getting stuck in legacy debates, you will appreciate this environment. The principle is straightforward: change where it adds value and where the organization calls for it.

Focused hiring: two roles, streamlined process

In recent weeks, the team worked with the central HR department to unify job postings. Previously, “endless lists of various software developers” existed; now there are simply “Junior Software Developer” and “Senior Software Developer.” These roles are aligned across software departments, and all applications flow into central HR.

The process at a glance:

1. Apply centrally to either “Junior Software Developer” or “Senior Software Developer.”
2. First interview via MS Teams. A key benefit according to Klausmair: less nervousness, a more authentic impression. Candidates introduce themselves and past projects—sometimes with a personal presentation.
3. Follow-up and matching: Which department or which tool resonated most with the candidate? This determines the direction for the second round.
4. Second, in-person round (2–3 hours): meet the team, see how things work, have individual conversations. The goal is to understand how the person fits both technically and personally.

One emphasis stands out: it’s not only about technical alignment. “It also has to fit personally into the whole mix.” That balance—technical excellence plus team cohesion—shapes the culture.

Why this team is attractive to engineers

From our DevJobs.at editorial perspective, several concrete reasons stand out:

• Impact across all projects: these tools run “in every project.” Your work shows up where it matters.
• Virtual commissioning with real physics: Field Emulation moves testing into the office, compresses cycles, and improves quality—powered by NVIDIA Physics.
• Global standardization: the Basic Engineering Tool consolidates planning logic worldwide. If you value structure, you’ll feel the impact.
• Pragmatic technology: C#/.NET, WPF, a visualization framework, GitHub—and a steady move to Jira. No tool dogma, just practical choices.
• Small, focused teams: nine people in total, clear ownership per tool, direct communication—and meaningful autonomy.
• Room to specialize: back-end, front-end, or both—“all possibilities” are open depending on where you want to put your energy.
• Fast feedback loops: because the tools are used in all projects, you gather feedback quickly and can optimize continuously.
• Structured, human hiring: remote first round, on-site second round, two clear role levels (Junior/Senior), ample face time with the team—and sincere attention to personal fit.

Engineering culture: speed, repeatability, quality

Threading through the entire session, we heard three consistent priorities:

• Speed: from virtual commissioning to tool-driven basic engineering, everything aims to make delivery faster and smoother.
• Repeatability: tests run with a click and can be repeated many times—this produces robust insights.
• Quality: consolidated processes and automated calculations reduce variance; quality becomes more predictable.

This philosophy also shows up in the team’s approach to tooling: SVN → Team-Contest-Server → GitHub; sprint planning → Jira. Modernize where it’s useful—without making it an end in itself.

Transparent collaboration with HR and other software units

It’s notable how openly Klausmair describes the collaboration with HR and other software departments. From unifying job titles to choosing a direction after the first interview based on which tool resonated with the candidate, the pattern is clear: processes serve people, not the other way around. Fit between the person, the tool, and the team is a shared decision.

For applicants, that’s encouraging: you’re not boxed into a rigid slot. You get to co-determine the match along your strengths and preferred tool.

International by setup, hands-on by nature

The team is global—with developers in America and administrative steering via Wales—yet very concrete in its work: tools run inside projects; emulation runs on-screen; planning logic runs in the Basic Engineering Tool. This combination of international footprint and day-to-day hands-on work defines how the team operates.

If you enjoy that mix, you’ll find the right environment here: collaboration across time zones, with tasks that deliver visible results every day.

Junior or senior? Motivation and fit matter most

“We’re hiring developers, junior or senior.” This is stated early—and meant earnestly. The team embraces a wide spectrum of backgrounds and experience as long as motivation, willingness to learn, and team fit are there. That’s consistent with the team’s age diversity and its emphasis on providing “all possibilities” for specialization.

Our read: Juniors will appreciate the structured entry point with clear tools, processes, and a tidy stack. Seniors who want ownership can influence a lot—technically and organizationally—within a small, focused setup.

A closer look at day-to-day reality

Field Emulation is an excellent proxy for daily work. Instead of coordinating materials and people on-site, teams configure digital test scenarios and run them repeatably—“a mouse click.” Results come fast, and optimization follows swiftly. The working environment is controlled: office, screen, coffee. That calm and repeatability promote focus and avoid the “noise” of construction-site conditions.

At the same time, the real world stays front-and-center: each system ultimately runs on-site. That’s exactly why the tight loop of emulation, evaluation, and optimization matters. The tools aren’t an end in themselves—they’re the way to prepare better commissioning.

Technology paths with purpose—no dogma

The team doesn’t chase hype; it pursues coherence: C#/.NET as a base; WPF for Windows front-ends; visualization via a purchased framework; NVIDIA Physics where simulation is needed; GitHub as today’s repository standard; and a practical move to Jira for planning. The team acknowledges that tech switches can be mandated—and then executes them decisively.

Many engineers will find this attractive: solid foundations, pragmatic extensions, and continuous modernization—without the churn of adopting something “new” every month.

Collaboration that allows authenticity

One detail we liked: the deliberate choice to run first interviews on MS Teams. “Candidates are usually a bit calmer and more authentic and not so nervous.” That human touch continues in round two: two to three hours on-site, meeting the team, seeing the work, and having real conversations.

This style of collaboration begins in recruiting—and continues day-to-day: small teams, direct communication, and high practical relevance.

Final thought: A team for engineers who value impact and clarity

Our impression from “Klausmair Philipp, Head of Global Controls Tool Development bei TGW Logistics Group”: in a young, global, and focused team, a set of tools is taking shape that measurably accelerates and stabilizes project realization. Virtual commissioning, global consolidation in basic engineering, a pragmatic, modern stack, and a hiring process that treats people seriously—all of it fits together.

If you’re looking for engineering with clear purpose, international collaboration in small teams, and transparent processes, this is worth your attention. As Klausmair puts it: “We are open to new team members.”

—

If this resonates with you: applications are centralized under the unified titles “Junior Software Developer” and “Senior Software Developer” via the main HR. From there, you’ll enter the MS Teams first interview and the on-site second round based on tool fit. Good luck!

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