My name is Violeta Sâmbotelecan, I am 25 years old, and I have been working as a surveyor for approximately 2 years.

It’s 9:00 in the morning, in July. We are in Constanța County, near the border with Bulgaria. With a 3.5-meter tape measure at her waist, Violeta is already out in the field, taking measurements.

“We are at the beginning of the construction site, and I am the one who opens the way—I mark out whatever they need to start with. Today, I began marking the perimeter of a fence around a plot, and next we will continue either with the roads or with the poles for the structure that will hold the panels.”, says Violeta.

She walks several kilometers every day, from one end of the construction site to the other. These kilometers turn into precise measurements that form the foundation of photovoltaic and wind park construction. So far, she has contributed to building more than 300 MW of green energy in Romania and Germany. Her first project was also the hardest one—120 hectares to be measured.

“I really enjoy being on site—the places I get to travel to, the people I meet, the situations, the challenges—it all keeps me energized. Considering that I grew up in the countryside and also worked the fields harvesting wheat or corn, you can imagine how it feels now, seeing this evolution: from where I started, I still ended up back in the fields, but doing something much more complex.”, says Violeta.

She graduated from the Faculty of Forestry and Cadastre in Cluj, then pursued a Master’s degree in Monitoring Systems and Cadastre. She says that surveying is not a field where you encounter many women on site. The statistics confirm this: in 2021, there were 3,449 male surveyors and 1,909 female surveyors active in Romania. The gap remained significant in 2023, with 1,751 more men than women working in the field.

“I tested, I liked it, and that’s what I chose to do. Every time I’ve been part of a team, I’ve been open to listening, understanding, and even helping. And they welcomed me with open arms — especially since I’m the only girl, which is something new for them. They’ve always supported me, and in turn, I’ve helped them however I could.”, says Violeta.