Bek Kobro

About Me

Hi there!

I am Bek, an Automation Engineer based in Minneapolis.

I earned a Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering (2015), a Master's degree in Electrical Engineering (2021) from a university in Germany, and recently completed a Master's degree in Computer Science at North Dakota State University.

Professionally, I've worked across data engineering, automation, NLP/ML research, electrical engineering and research assistant roles. Along the way, I gained experience in cloud computing, databases, SQL, Python, web frameworks such as Django, Flask, and React, open-source LLMs, and related technologies.

I enjoy learning new technologies and applying my skills to technical challenges. My current interests include cloud-to-edge systems, programmable devices, and cybersecurity.

Outside of engineering, I enjoy cycling, photography, exploring emerging technologies, and podcasts.

Experience

Automation Engineer, Wellness USA

Minneapolis, MN | Aug, 2025 – Present

Developed database integration for historical product quality test-data logging, diagnostics, and performance analysis. Programmed embedded controllers for wellness pods and infrared heating systems to process real-time sensor data, automate device operation, and optimize performance.

Engineering Intern, Xcel Energy

Minneapolis, MN | May, 2025 – Aug, 2025

Automated pre-deployment validation for Gen5 Riva Itron smart meters at the Chestnut Service Center, replacing manual single-device testing with scalable multi-meter monitoring. Enabled engineers to validate multiple meters simultaneously, improving testing speed and consistency.

TA, North Dakota State University

Fargo, ND | Jan, 2023 – May, 2025

Teaching assistant and grader for courses: CSCI 114 Computer Applications, CSCI 312 Survey of Programming Languages, CSCI 336 Theoretical Computer Science, CSCI 366 Database Systems.

Data Engineer, University of Regensburg

Germany | May, 2022 – Jan, 2023

Researched schema evolution for SQL and NoSQL (polystore) systems. Developed data models, automated data processing pipelines, and data quality validation. Implemented CI/CD automation, testing, Docker packaging, and workflow streamlining.

Graduate Researcher, University of Rostock

Germany | Sep, 2020 – Apr, 2022

Conducted research in high-temperature electronics, VLSI design using FPGA and VHDL on Xilinx platforms, and natural language processing for scientific text information retrieval.

Electrical Engineer, General Power PLC

Addis Ababa, Ethiopia | Sep, 2015 – Aug, 2018

Developed and commissioned PLC, HMI, and VFD automation systems for HVAC, power distribution, and lighting, with database integration and industrial communication protocols.