Inspired by International Women’s Day, Starship celebrates powerful women in the global community. Did you know that out of Starship’s nearly 1000 employees, only ¼ are women? It is increasing steadily.
If Karoliina’s story inspires you, or if you’re interested in working for Starship, check out our career page.
Happy Women’s Day, Karolina! Please tell us a little bit about your career so far.
During the last year of my bachelor’s degree in IT and biology, I was taking a robotics class. The course coincided with Robotex, the world’s largest robotics competition, which happened to be held in Tallinn. I volunteered as a contest judge, accompanying a friend who is an avid robot fan. From that day on, my world changed forever.
During that time, I joined the Robotics Club at Tallinn University of Technology and built my own robot. In addition, he started teaching robotics to children at the Tallinn Secondary Science School. And when all the other stars lined up too, I joined the coolest kids on the block: Starship Technologies.
I joined the company as a robot operator when I was a student, and with enthusiasm I started working as a robot engineer less than a year later. Currently I am the leader of his service team in Tallinn/Helsinki.
Today, I love robots as much as I did when I walked through Starship’s door for the first time in 2018. Since that day, the world of technology and her journey of growth and discovery on Starship has been amazing and I love every moment of it. .
Oops, you and the robot really went hand in hand from the beginning. What is his typical day like at his current position?
In addition to my robots in Tallinn, where Starship’s development offices are located, I have also traveled as an engineer to the UK, Washington, California, and Wisconsin. In short, we are contributing globally by reaching out to our robotic friends wherever they need us. My dedication has paid off as I was recently offered a new and exciting position as team leader in Estonia and Finland.
My day-to-day work at Starship is very diverse. In the morning, our team usually has a to-do list review meeting. Our top priority is to keep our robot fleet healthy. Being a roboticist is very similar to being a doctor. We have a certain number of patients who memorize names and problems. Our job is to provide the best possible care for patients who come to us with complaints or monthly health checkups. We keep detailed documentation on each robot and closely monitor all necessary upgrades and fixes.
In addition to repairing robots, we also build electronics testers, test, diagnose and repair printed circuit boards (PCBs). One of the things I fell in love with as a novice tech enthusiast was PCBs. The functionality of small but powerful electronic boards has just opened up a whole new world for me. Electrons traveling through miniature cities to perform program tasks still seem magical.
Plus, at Starship, it’s an honor to work with some of the brightest minds in the field.
I love your insight! Tell us about Starship culture.
Starship’s culture is like no other. I wake up every day looking forward to going to work and often don’t even know when I’ll be home at night. People at Starship come together to share a common passion. The company has grown rapidly (and is still growing!).
we love it! Finally, what advice would you give to women who want to enter the world of technology and robotics?
Growing up with my brother and always being with his friends taught me early on that how you present yourself is more important than your gender. I mean, I’ve never felt like an outsider in a tech field that is often dominated by men. More important than your gender is the passion and love you bring to the table and team every day.
At Starship, employees are evaluated based on their abilities and passion for robotics, regardless of gender. I have always felt appreciated and cared for by each team member.
