Proposal Specialist
While Averna is dedicated to help global customers produce market-leading high-tech products, this could not be achieved without their talented team of employees. Averna understands that each group and department are linked, and every individual is required to make the company a success. In this series, Averna will chat with one of these individuals and understand their point of view on their contribution.
With an incredible range of personal and professional experiences, Katarzyna Jasińka brings her unique point of view to Averna. Through many diverse interests and a thirst for knowledge, she supports the sales team to provide customers with the right potential solution for any application. As a proposal specialist, she enjoys the mix of technical expertise and commercial know-how.
Q: Where were you before Averna?
A: My career path is filled with changes here and there, one could say it has been a winding road. I’ve been privileged to try different things within different fields and reinvent myself – to be honest, also through learning to fail, and then starting again. To make a long story short, I went through period of teaching, I worked for the city as part of a team selling the investment areas for new investors and building economic environment for local companies. For few years I worked for Marshal Office were I was engaged with creating programs for regional development through European Union Funds. And before joining Averna, I was supporting a project concerning improving air quality! I have been surrounded by impressive innovation throughout my professional life and now I have the opportunity to learn how it is done from the concept to actual machines. And to be honest it still blows my mind.
Q: What is your favorite aspect of your current role?
A: Definitely being engaged in different opportunities and projects and working with so many highly intelligent people. This is what makes it all so interesting.
Q: Is test engineering a more challenging field for your job with the range of technologies that must be mastered?
A: 100%! It’s quite a challenge for me, and it’s the best part of it!
Q: Have you had any key mentors or people who deeply influenced who you are, what you believe in and what you’re committed to in your work and life?
A: How much time do you have? It might be a cliché but truly a big part of who I am today, are the books I've read. Honestly, once you are introduced to critical thought through such great thinkers as Theodor Adorno, Henri Lefebvre, Pierre Bourdieu or Michel Foucault, it’s almost impossible to see things through so-called “common sense”. You will always doubt, re-think, and ask questions…it will be part of your DNA. Unfortunately, you may also become a highly annoying person – you’ve been warned.
In real life, I was privileged to have an opportunity to learn from some of the greatest and most famous contemporary representatives of my discipline in my country. I am very grateful for that. But what truly made me who I am are the people in my nearest surrounding. I do not know how or why, but on my way I have met quite the range of personalities, a variety of weirdos but exceptionally intelligent and impressive people, who have greatly influenced who I have become. The bookstore owner who shared his coffee and life stories over a cup of coffee and with whom I spent endless hours discussing new and old books. A former teacher with whom I argued so much that we became best friends. Engaged people with different backgrounds and disciplines who are trying to change the world, and some inspiring artists. And of course I can’t forget those who have seen me through my worst, but still pick up the phone when I call.
Q: Do you feel you achieve a good work/life balance?
A: No, I do not. I’m partially kidding, but not entirely. I’m really struggling with it, when I’m into something I tend to forget about the world existing around me. It makes it really difficult to maintain any balance at all. So, balance and I are not on the best terms. I’m learning though…I have a very good reason to maintain a healthy balance, and I think I’m getting better at it.
Q: What are you most proud of?
A: I’m still here am I not? You know what they say, when life gives you lemons, take out the salt and the shot-glasses and fill them up with tequila. I’ve had a fair share of the lemons already, and yet I’m still tequila resilient; so to me, that is a big win!
Q: What have you learned from Averna that will be a takeaway for the rest of your life?
A: That you should not bring cake to someone that is working in a lab with very high precision equipment. If warm flow of air comes into a cold cleanroom, simply by opening a tiny door, the machine structure can destabilize and mess up the whole &%^# thing.