In 2025, EPSE welcomed three new professionals from different parts of Finland and with completely different backgrounds. One of the newcomers is Tanja Pikkarainen, who moved from Harjavalta to Tampere and started working at EPSE as a laboratory worker. Pikkarainen has extensive experience of working in an industrial laboratory, and she brought with her a wealth of experience and insights into “how things are done elsewhere.”
We asked Tanja what made her decide to leave a stable, long-term job at a large industrial company for a small water laboratory on the outskirts of Tampere. “I had been dreaming of returning to research for a long time – I wanted to do something concrete and good, taking into account the current state of the world,” Pikkarainen sums up. “By chance, I found EPSE’s job advertisement and decided to go for it. Soon I found myself holding a new employment contract, calling my employer at the time in a state of confusion to tell them that I was leaving. They were happy for me.”
“I had been dreaming of returning to research for a long time – I wanted to do something concrete and good, taking into account the current state of the world.”
This was followed by a move to a new town, a new job in an international company, and completely new colleagues. “The first week was exciting and a little anxious, of course, and I felt like I had forgotten everything I had learned in my field over the years. I spent the first few days getting to know my colleagues and the company. Over the months, I got used to the laboratory routines and my position gradually began to take shape. I was given space and time to adapt,” Pikkarainen says.
According to Pikkarainen, the work varies greatly depending on the projects. The summer has been a good time to delve into research and development, and the work challenges her. “Communication and delegation are straightforward because our core team is small. We discuss things together and make use of everyone’s expertise,” Pikkarainen sums up. “So far, this has been exactly what I dreamed of. Every morning, it’s been nice to go to work with a firm belief that we are making tomorrow a little better.”
This article was written by
Anni Honkonen
EHSQ Manager
anni.honkonen(a)epse.fi
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