Balance doesn’t mean perfect: ExxonMobil engineer Ayu shares her advice for moms in STEM

Ratih Ayu Novitasari joined ExxonMobil Indonesia as an engineer straight out of university. Over the years, she expanded her expertise, including a move into a planning role that broadened her perspective and strengthened her understanding of the business. Now, with thirteen years of experience, she leads a team of engineers as a Corrosion & Integrity Supervisor while balancing her successful career with family life.

Inspired by this year’s International Women’s Day theme, #GiveToGain, we invited Ayu to give her insights on her career journey – to help the next generation of female STEM graduates map their own path to success.

What have been the highlights of your ExxonMobil career far?

One of the biggest highlights has been growing from a fresh engineer (who honestly barely knew what “corrosion” meant), into someone trusted to help keep our assets safe and reliable. Corrosion sounds niche, but I learned that it’s a huge responsibility. The decisions you make in this role can prevent failures that impact safety, cost and operations.

I’ve also enjoyed building my confidence as a woman in engineering. Over time, I’ve learned to trust my knowledge and speak up, which was hard at first, especially in moments when I was the only woman in the meeting room. Now, leading a team feels meaningful because it gives me the chance to empower others the way I once needed. I hope it will make the journey a bit easier for the next generation of women in STEM.

Can you tell us about earning the ASM Material Integrity recognition in 2022?

The Advanced Skill Milestone (ASM) program was created to celebrate the evolving talent and contributions of ExxonMobil employees. That recognition reminded me why I love what I do. It didn’t happen overnight and what truly helped was maintaining a “never stop learning” mindset.

I kept pushing myself to explore and to understand the “why” behind situation. I was open with my managers about the skills I needed to grow and progress. I also gained so much by reaching out to global counterparts, asking for help, learning from their experiences, and adopting best practices that strengthened the way I work.

What advice would you give to others considering a STEM career?

Stay curious. STEM is about wanting to understand how things work and being willing to keep learning. Don’t worry about not having all the answers.

Surround yourself with people who help you grow. I wouldn’t be where I am without mentors and teammates who shared their knowledge and challenged me to think differently.

And finally, enjoy the process. STEM careers look different for everyone and that’s the beauty of it.