Traineeships That Don’t Suck!
Dalma Systems proudly presents…
We are releasing the first traineeship opportunities at Dalma Systems! Details can be found on our website, but if you would like a little more context, check out the FAQ below.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is it and who is this for?
These are traineeships meant for enthusiastic young humans with MSc grades in mechanical or electrical engineering, and who would like to work alongside robots. You can check them on our website. You must be eligible for an IEFP traineeship!
Why young? Are you discriminating against older people?
We are not discriminating, but the truth is we are looking for inexperienced, entry-level engineers, and those often come at a young-ish age. Besides, we have been young up until very recently and we still remember how much we liked to daydream, to wonder, and taking the road less traveled. Dalma needs that. Oh, and there’s also the matter that these traineeships are sponsored by the Portuguese Labor Institute (IEFP), and we’re aiming for the “people under 30” type of traineeship.
I’m not yet a graduate, may I apply all the same?
Not for these vacancies, sorry. This type of sponsored traineeship requires a Level 7 (MSc) degree, according to the Portuguese and European Qualifications Framework. Nevertheless, feel free to talk to us, there may be other opportunities for you at Dalma.
What about the Covid-19 crisis and the lockdown? How come you are still hiring?
There’s no hiding the fact that continuing to hire during such a crisis is very risky for an early-stage company. But so is not hiring. We are going against amazing competitors with limited resources, so we need to give it all during 2021 — lest we fail miserably. Whatever the case, you will certainly have a good story to tell and a lot to learn by coming to Dalma. We also believe it is the duty of all companies to carry on creating job opportunities and investing in, and developing, new talent. Despite the adversity, we are not an exception.
I’ve heard traineeships are a synonym for expendable work and after all you are just a shady startup. Are you sure this isn’t a sham?
We understand your qualms, but just consider the following: Dalma is a startup focused on an extremely competitive market, we are not in Silicon Valley where the money is unlimited, we have a herculean vision to carry out, and we have zero tolerance for bullshit. Do you really think we would be spending our time and money with people just to discard it all in the end? No. You are coming for the long run, my friend.
I’ll keep reading, but tell me again why your traineeships don’t suck.
Because they don’t. They just don’t. Others do, but ours don’t. Everybody’s saying they are the best, they are tremendous traineeships. Dalma traineeships are so beautiful they will make you cry. Dalma made traineeships great again. It’s true, you’ll see.
I’m still a bit worried about joining some obscure joint when I could go for some blue-chip company…
If that fundamental doubt is in the back of your head, we recommend you do join a blue-chip company. Here’s a nice list, for your convenience.
Let’s say I wanna join… what’s in it for me exactly?
As mentioned, these traineeships are co-funded by the Portuguese Labor Institute (IEFP). They have a 9-month duration and they are allowed a pre-established grant by IEFP according to your qualification level. Yes, we know those grants are not ideal, but we believe it falls upon the companies to go the extra mile and guarantee the decency of their compensation policies. As such, according to our 100% dignity, 0% bullshit motto, we will throw in a decent bonus and some perks that will help with your everyday quality of life.
Will I be able to play with robots all day?
Probably not. You will have to work all day, which, at times, may overlap with playing with robots. On the other hand, you will have complete visibility over the company roadmap and objectives, so you will understand why we are doing things a certain way, and you will actively contribute to alternatives. Check out the job ads to know more.
I guess this is meant for me after all! What’s the next step?
Quite simply, make us an offer we can´t refuse. Write us a nice email, call us, or come to our office. Tell us your story and the reason you would like to join Dalma Systems. We will appraise your proposal, roll some dices, add some modifiers, flip a coin, and, if the dungeon gods allow it, we may yet be colleagues.
What openings do you have and how long will this process take?
We just asked IEFP to approve two electrical engineer and two mechanical engineer grants, so four spots in total (check them here). We will have to wait for IEFP’s approval (we’re counting on it, we’re the good guys!) but given the urgency, we need to start receiving your applications right now. We intend to close the process by mid-February and the traineeships are meant to start in March. You can check the job details on our website, so… go, go, go!
What is it like to work at Dalma?
That’s a good question. We shouldn’t probably be the ones answering it, but we’ll give it a shot. We are a small but organized and process-oriented team. Even though we are young, we have a very respectable array of skills and past experience, so we’re confident you will be able to learn a lot with us. No, we don’t have everything covered, but we make it a point to acknowledge and work on our gaps. We don’t care about working lots of hours, in fact, we prefer not to, but we do care very much about commitment, accountability, and work quality. We make a lot of mistakes, but we don’t hide them. You won’t have to hide yours either. Most of all, we are very decent and reasonable people who just want to be happy at work and in life in general.
