Inspired by International Women’s Day, at Starship we also celebrate the powerful women of our international community. Did you know that of the nearly 1,000 Starship employees, only ¼ are women? So the more we care for and appreciate them, and luckily the number of women on Starship is already growing.
If Karoliina’s story inspires you or if you’re interested in working at Starship, be sure to check out our career page, as we currently have over 120 positions open worldwide.
Happy Women’s Day, Karoliina! Please tell us a little about your career so far.
During the last year of my undergraduate studies in Computer Science and Biology, I was taking a robotics class. The course took place at the same time as the world’s largest robotics competition, Robotex, which took place in Tallinn. Accompanying a robotics enthusiast, my friend, I volunteered to be a contest judge. My world has changed forever since that day.
In the meantime, I joined the Robotics Club at Tallinn University of Technology to build my own robot. In addition, I started teaching robotics to children at Tallinn Science High School. And when all the other stars lined up too, I joined the coolest kids on the blog, Starship Technologies.
While still a student, I joined the company as a robot operator, and with great enthusiasm I began my work as a robot technician less than a year later. I am currently in charge of the service team in Tallinn / Helsinki.
Today I am as in love with robots as I was when I first walked through the doors of Starship in 2018. Since that day, the journey of growth and discovery in the tech world and in Starship has been amazing and I have loved every moment. .
Wow, you and the robots really go hand in hand from the start. How is your usual day in your current position?
In addition to my robots in Tallinn, where Starship’s development office is located, being a technician has also taken me to the UK, Washington, California and Wisconsin, which means I contribute worldwide by donating my hand where our robot friends need it. Recently, my dedication was rewarded, as I was offered an exciting new position as a team leader in Estonia and Finland.
My day job at Starship is very versatile. In the mornings, our team usually has a review meeting of the to-do list. Our top priority is to keep our robot fleet healthy. Being a robot technician is a lot like being a doctor. You have a number of patients whose names and problems you know by heart. They come with complaints or for monthly health check-ups and our job is to give them the best care. We keep the detailed documentation of each robot and a strict eye on all the updates and corrections that are needed.
In addition to robot repairs, I also work daily with construction electronics testers, testing, diagnosing, and repairing our printed circuit boards (PCBs). One of the things I fell in love with as a novice technology enthusiast was PCBs. The ability of a small but powerful electronic board just opened up a whole new world to me, the electrons moving through a miniature city to complete the task of a program still seems like magic to me.
Plus, I can work with the brightest minds on the field at Starship, and it’s an absolute honor.
We love your ideas! Can you please enlighten us about the Starship culture as well?
Starship culture is like no other. I get up every day wanting to go to work, and I often don’t even notice when it’s time to go home at night. The people at Starship come together to share a common passion, and I don’t have enough! The company has grown (and continues to grow!) Fast and furious, but able to maintain a sense of family among new and old team members.
We love it! Finally, do you have any advice for women who also want to enter the field of technology or join the world of robots?
Growing up with an older brother and always being among his friends soon taught me that more important than your gender is how you present yourself. That is, I have never felt like an outsider in the often male-dominated field of technology, because more important than your gender is the passion and love you bring to the table and your team every day.
At Starship, employees are valued based on their skills and passion for robots, regardless of gender. I have always felt appreciated and cared for by every member of the team.
