Reinforcement for Customer Service

Sonja Heiska wanted to work for Polar Night Energy because she found the concept extremely interesting and the company culture appealing.

Sonja Heiska started as an assistant at Polar Night Energy in October 2022. Her main responsibilities are customer service and billing.

After a story was published by the BBC last summer, Polar Night Energy’s ’sand battery’ unexpectedly became an international viral hit. The company received hundreds of inquiries, which continue to come in.

“My main task has been to go through the customer contacts,” says Sonja Heiska.

Sonja Heiska graduated from Tampere University in the Environmental and Energy Technology program as a Master of Science in Engineering in 2019.

“In addition to the natural sciences, I studied, among other things, water management, material flow management, remediation of contaminated environments, circular economy, and sustainable development. I chose environmental and energy technology because I wanted to improve the world.”

For her thesis, Heiska worked as a research assistant in the university’s project, which examined the recovery of nutrients from wastewater using microalgae.

“The use of algae is an interesting field with a lot of applications, such as the production of nutrients and feed.”

Sonja Heiska wanted to work for Polar Night Energy because she found the concept extremely interesting and the company culture appealing.

“It’s nice to work in a job where you can really make a difference in environmental issues. I see a lot of potential in our solution. The sand battery can increase the use of renewable energy and reduce the use of fossil fuels. This has a huge impact on climate change and the environment.”

According to Heiska, the company takes care of the well-being of its employees, the work is flexible, and the teamwork is good.

“The job has been enlightening. Someone said that in terms of learning, “a year in a startup is equivalent to 5 years in a normal company.”

Heiska has a background in competitive sports, but now she practices “seasonal sports”.

“In the winter, I ski, skate and I am hooked on ice swimming. In the summer, I cycle, rollerblade, and run. During the dark months of autumn, I attend group exercise classes,” Heiska says.