My name is Sumith Khiva, and I come from India. I completed my Bachelor degree of Science in Physics, Mathematics, and Computers in 2009. This technical background laid the foundation for a career that has taken me across industries, countries, and roles, ultimately leading me to Murata Finland.

Early Career and Industrial Experience

After graduation, I began my career in the industrial engineering and manufacturing sector, where I worked for over eight years in roles such as Technical Sales Expert and Assistant Manager in Export Marketing and Sales. I handled international customers across the globe and represented my companies at trade shows and exhibitions in Asia, the EU, and the USA.

These roles allowed me to develop strong technical and commercial expertise, while gaining extensive experience in customer interfacing and international business.

Moving to Finland for Education and Growth

In 2018, I moved to Finland to pursue a master’s degree in international business (MBA) at Jyväskylä University of Applied Sciences (JAMK). My goal was to strengthen my skills in project management, quality management, supply chain management, and business management.

After completing my studies, I worked as a Sourcing Manager for a US‑based manufacturing company, where I gained hands‑on experience in supplier qualification, vendor approvals, quality inspections, and supplier audits.

Joining Murata: Starting From Production

I joined Murata Finland in April 2023 as a Production Operator in the MEMS sensor component testing, becoming the first English‑speaking production operator at the site. Although my background was technical and managerial, I was ready to start where the opportunity opened and prove my capabilities.

I had followed Murata for a long time and applied for many roles before finally getting this opportunity. During my interview, I explained that I saw the operator role as a learning platform and a step toward future growth—and that mindset became reality.

Learning in Production and Overcoming Challenges

In production, I worked in component testing, learning the complete process from magazine changers to final packaging. My work included temperature cycle testing and calibration, machine cleaning, laser marking, component separation, and vacuum packaging.

This experience taught me how critical quality is in MEMS sensor manufacturing, where even a tiny particle or scratch can cause defects. Being a non‑Finnish speaker initially slowed my learning, but the support from colleagues and my own effort to improve my Finnish helped me overcome these challenges.

My Current Role: Account Quality Manager

Today, I work as an Account Quality Manager in the Account Quality Management Team. This team works like “Customer Voice” at our company. My role is to ensure that customers receive timely, accurate, and high‑quality responses and reports on quality‑related topics. I am involved in customer audits throughout the entire process, from audit preparation to the verification of corrective actions.

I participate in continuous improvement initiatives aimed at enhancing customer quality and am responsible for tracking customer quality-related inquiries. I manage and monitor customer feedback and coordinate activities with multiple other teams, including Product Quality Control, Process Engineering, Supplier Quality Management, as well as Failure Analysis and Logistics.

What Quality Means to Me

From my perspective, quality means complete customer satisfaction. In production, quality is about precision and defect prevention. In my current role, it means delivering clear, reliable, and value‑adding solutions for our customers.

In today’s competitive and innovation‑driven market—especially in the automotive and semiconductor industries—quality is essential for long‑term success. Customers expect defect‑free products, long lifetime, and excellent service.

Final Thoughts and Advice

What I enjoy most at Murata is the strong culture of respect, support, and career development. Many colleagues have shown that growth is possible when effort and capability meet opportunity.

For anyone building a career at Murata, my advice is simple: Understand your strengths, study job requirements carefully, communicate your interests, and never fear failure. Persistence and continuous learning truly make the difference.

The semiconductor industry offers vast opportunities across engineering, quality, and business. As a child, I dreamed of serving society and working with people—and today, I am grateful to be doing that in an international environment at Murata.

Sumith Khiva
Account Quality Manager