About
From carpenter to
Principal Engineer.
I'm Tor — a Principal Engineer at one of Norway's critical infrastructure operators, where I bridge the gap between operational technology and modern data systems. Through Stava Tech, I build software products and share what I've learned.
The long road here
My career started in a workshop. I began as a carpenter at 16, working hands-on with my father for years. When back problems made physical work unsustainable, I moved to factory floors — operating CNC machines, producing doors and windows. That combination of physical craftsmanship and computer-controlled precision planted a seed.
I went back to school, earned a degree in Energy & Process Technology, and was recruited into the oil & gas industry before I graduated. Fourteen years later, I'm a Principal Engineer at Gassco — Norway's gas transport system operator — leading digitalization initiatives that make operational data accessible across the entire organisation.
Along the way, I earned two Master's degrees while working full time, built production infrastructure at home, and developed a deep understanding of the full data pipeline — from control systems to analytics dashboards.
The thread connecting all of it? I see systems that don't work well, I understand them end to end, and I build something practical to fix them.
Career timeline
Education
Core expertise
My unique value lies in understanding the complete data pipeline — from control systems and operational technology, through data engineering and infrastructure, to the analytics tools and use-cases that create business value. I connect the OT, IT, and data science worlds that most organisations struggle to bridge.
Beyond tech
I approach everything with the same engineering mindset — understand the system, find what can be improved, and build something better. Some of these interests are just for fun. Others might become products.