Career path — Luukas Kuusrainen
Scroll down and discover what a Manager of AI Services does at Pinja!
More than project management – finding opportunities and solutions for clients
I'm Luukas and I work as Manager of AI Services, Software at Pinja. For several years, I worked as a Project Manager and have since shifted more towards AI. In my daily work, I work with a wide range of projects across industries. My bread and butter is working with manufacturing and industrial environments. In recent years, I have focused on finding ways to optimize processes for our clients through AI and analytics.
Before joining Pinja, I worked with different tasks related to programming and software. I was also already familiar with industrial environments and machinery.
Over the years, I have worked with a number of interesting projects. Project management at Pinja includes planning, monitoring and communication with clients – yet it is much more than that. The ultimate goal is to provide genuine benefits for our clients and to make their operations more efficient.
This involves, for example, streamlining processes, production design and automation solutions. Areas I have found to be particularly meaningful are demand forecasting through automation and different types of optimization projects, for instance in production planning and logistics contexts. Tangible results of the projects I have been involved in include reduced food waste, improved security of supply and increased production efficiency.
Processes and working methods are under constant development at Pinja, both within our team and across the company. The world is changing, and we are changing with it. We have team activities in which we work through demos and improve project management – and spend time together.
I work in different project teams, and also a core team of six other people who work with diverse tasks. My colleagues are true professionals in their work – highly motivated but never taking things too seriously.
The best thing about my workplace is: My work community and reliable team.
My career path
The development of my career path
Graduated from Seinäjoki University of Applied Sciences and started work at Pinja
I earned a degree in automation engineering at Seinäjoki University of Applied Sciences, specializing in electric automation. During the same year, I made the important decision to begin working at Pinja (formerly Jubic) part time as a Software Engineer.
After some months, I shifted more towards project management, which I was more drawn to. Projects were small at first and then grew in scope.
Shifting towards project management
During my Pinja career, I have dived into diverse projects within Pinja’s customer base. All my workdays are different. There have been several memorable projects that have revolved around demand, production planning and process control, in the food industry among others.
Graduated as Master of Science in Technology
Alongside my work at Pinja, I studied industrial systems analytics at the University of Vaasa. I graduated in 2023 as a Master of Science in Technology.
In my studies I dived into areas such as analytics, project management and mathematics. While my studies provided theoretical knowledge, working at Pinja has given me practical expertise, especially in project management.
Embracing the world of AI and machine learning
The hype around AI has grown. Our clients are becoming more interested in AI, language models and what we can offer them. Over the years, I have shared Pinja's expertise on AI to various audiences. At the Subcontracting Fair Finland in 2024, I spoke on the possibilities of AI in industrial environments, especially for improving production and maintenance.
Self-development and team engagement
At the start of 2025, my work title changed to Manager of AI Services, Software. Participating in fairs and training events is a valuable addition to my daily work. In my work, I’m most proud of being able to juggle several things at once.
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Processes and working methods are under constant development at Pinja, both within our team and across the company!
What does being a datalover mean to me?
At Pinja, I work as part of a large team creating implementations that truly matter. I believe we can make a difference in the world.