There are CVs that read like a straight ruler. And there are CVs that read like an adventure novel. At QAware, we are also fans of the second type. Because software engineering is more than just syntax and semantics. It is the sum of experience, perspective and personality.
Lior Gronau, Software Engineer* at QAware, doesn't have one of those smooth CVs. She has a story. A story about arriving, about biting through and realizing that you don't just have to write code, you also have to feel it.
Lior's story begins in a country known for its vibrant startup culture and drive for innovation. From an early age, she was shaped by the idea of how technology, for example in the field of energy tech, can change our everyday lives in a sustainable way.
Lior describes herself as someone who loves to operate outside of her comfort zone:
"I'm never in my comfort zone, but I find that's exactly what pushes me forward and gives me the opportunity to improve."
This urge to develop further was to become her most important companion when she made a decision in her home country. A decision that changed many things. She went to Germany.
Once she arrived in Munich, Lior initially faced a major challenge. She arrived without any knowledge of German and still remembers the feeling very well when, for example, the train broke down and she couldn't understand the announcements: "It annoyed me that I didn't understand anything," she says.
Giving up was never an option for Lior and she took a job at the airport security checks. The shift work was demanding. But Lior had a plan: she spent her free time learning German. For a year and a half until she mastered the language.
Her efforts paid off. Not only did she become fluent in German, she was also promoted to HR manager at her station. Suddenly she was responsible for 30 employees and had to deal with salaries, contracts and much more. She showed that she could take the lead and solve challenges.
The coronavirus pandemic forced her to take a break, which meant she had a lot of time on her hands. This allowed Lior to devote herself intensively to her desire to study. Computer science is a subject that fascinates her greatly. She was greatly inspired by her uncle, a tech CEO and an acquaintance at an international tech company.
A video on a major social media platform became a valuable moment. She watched a two-hour video on the topic of "Introduction to computer science" and was convinced: "I was really interested in that. I like this logical thinking."
She enrolled at Munich University of Applied Sciences to study computer science. What followed, however, was the next hurdle. A highly complex course in a foreign language and the Bavarian dialect in a university context. "I would have needed subtitles," says Lior with a laugh when she thinks back to that time. In many places, she had to work harder than others, translate technical terms and understand logic. In addition, female fellow students were few and far between. But Lior didn't let this put her off: "I learned to stick with it," she says proudly.
The first encounter: why QAware was different
At the HOKO trade fair at Munich University of Applied Sciences, Lior was looking for a company where she could write her bachelor's thesis. When she came to the QAware stand, she didn't find a traditional HR presentation, but a real conversation at eye level.
She remembers the first special moment very clearly: "I immediately spoke to Sara Kosanović. It was a nice moment for me to see that there was a woman, a software engineer, who really told me about her everyday life and who really does programming." The openness of the team, represented by colleagues such as Charlotte Kuhn and Nicholas Aiken, won her over immediately and showed her that people count here: People count here.
Lior took part in the HOKO again this year. This time as part of the team and inspired students for QAware.
Lior, as part of the QAware stand staff, at HOKO 2025 (from left: Charlotte Kuhn, Jens Wetterich, Michelle Trybel, Lior Gronau)
Her path at QAware led from her bachelor's thesis to a permanent position. A key moment for her sense of belonging was the Engineering Camp. Although she was still a student at the time, she went along with the whole team. She was given her own room, just like all the full-time team members, and sat together with the team in the evenings. "I didn't know anyone except my supervisor, but everyone talked to me and I immediately felt like I belonged."
Lior sums up what she likes about QAware in three words: "Appreciative, learning-oriented and flexible."
She also appreciates the basic trust that is placed in employees. Whether intern, working student or permanent employee. Nobody is checked to see if he or she is sitting at a desk. The trust is simply there.
Even when her professor suggested publishing her bachelor's thesis as a paper, QAware supported her without hesitation.
Today, Lior works in her role as a software engineer* at QAware, in a challenging project for an international car manufacturer. The task: the new development of a complex front end for the after-sales program, which is to replace and integrate huge legacy systems.
The challenge is demanding. The specialist systems are huge and the domain knowledge is complex. At QAware, you learn very quickly to ask the right questions in order to develop the right solution.
Lior was enthusiastic about the immediate assumption of responsibility. When she realized that support was needed on certain points, she didn't hesitate to ask for it. There are no barriers at QAware. There are no reproaches here, just immediate support.
Lior also brings another valuable impulse: "As women, we sometimes perceive things differently". For her, software is not just a functioning code, but: "Technical knowledge plus interpersonal skills." She makes sure that the interface not only works, but also feels good for the person using it.
The goal of her work is clear: the customer's employees should "have to do as little extra work as possible to find their work packages." The motto: efficiency through intuitive operation.
For Lior, the best reward for this effort is the direct feedback. When she recently presented her results in the sprint review, the person responsible for the product at the customer was delighted: "She was completely happy and said so. That's a happy moment for me.". This is proof that their work creates real benefits and is seen.
She also notices how much IT has changed Lior's way of thinking in her private life. Her passion is baking. She used to be annoyed when she had to convert recipes by hand in order to bake in smaller quantities. Today, a self-written program takes care of that.
When Lior looks back today, she sees a path that took courage. Her message to young women thinking about a career in IT is therefore clear and powerful:
"It won't be easy, but take heart. It's worth it. You don't have to be perfect at the beginning. The most important thing is to ask questions, stay curious and don't be scared if you're the only woman in the room. This perspective is needed."
Lior's story shows what QAware is all about: we are looking for people with real enthusiasm for IT, people with character and the ability to think outside the box. Because technical excellence is created where people feel safe, where they learn and surpass themselves.
* Gender, origin, etc. are not evaluation criteria for us. The main thing is that you are just as enthusiastic about technology as we are.