My name is Pinja, and I am studying Health Information Technology at Tampere University. Currently, I am working in Murata Finland’s Test Software Development team in R&D, but for the past two summers, I have worked in MEMS sensor manufacturing. I originally applied to Murata because of my interest in health technology. Additionally, I know people with job experience at Murata who recommended the company to me at just the right moment.

I started in the assembly of MEMS sensor products in the summer of 2022; my fascination with working in a cleanroom prompted me to apply there. The orientation towards ways of working was very comprehensive, and my colleagues in assembly were always willing to help when needed. In assembly, one can follow the completion of products step by step and influence how processes progress on schedule, ensuring that faulty products cannot be forwarded. While working in assembly can be quite routine, I appreciated never being alone in any area.

I got along so well with everyone in assembly that I returned for another summer internship last year. This time, I decided to explore Murata’s organization a bit more; as a result, I had a career development discussion with Murata Finland’s HR Manager Tuomas Nurmi. In that discussion, I explained my interests and skills. Based on this information, Tuomas introduced me to the organization in more detail, which led me to R&D. Through our conversation about career development, I discovered many different teams that aligned with my interests and skills. I contacted the managers of these teams to learn more about their work tasks and ways of operating. Luckily for me, one of these teams was looking for summer recruits this year—resulting in securing an internship with the Test Software Development team.

This summer, we received a project right from the start alongside another intern: developing a Python-based application for ASIC testing that improves data analysis from testing machines. We also gained experience coding in LabVIEW and became familiar with all software platforms used both in production and laboratory settings—all developed by Murata in-house. Additionally, we conducted several characterization measurement tasks within the lab environment. A typical day as a software developer may include Scrum meetings, completing various Jira tasks, and participating in code reviews; it is also essential to be prepared for unexpected problems.

Although my studies and previous job experiences at Murata have provided valuable support this summer, I’ve learned quite a lot on top of that knowledge base. It is rewarding to apply theoretical knowledge while being part of a larger software team where multiple people collaborate on shared projects. The days don’t repeat themselves much; there are challenges along the way that keep work interesting. Moreover, it has been delightful collaborating with other R&D teams as well! One highlight from both production and software development has been the fantastic working atmosphere— even now when I run into former assembly colleagues; we take a moment to catch up.

This autumn marks my fifth year at university as I’ll be heading abroad as an exchange student at ETH Zürich in Switzerland where I’ll focus on artificial intelligence and computer vision—and hopefully robotics too!

Pinja Koivisto
Software Design Engineer Trainee