Print

Although he is only 24 years old, Roope Kajoluoto has already established himself as a seasoned veteran in the field of software development at Patria. At the company, he can combine interesting work with his computer science studies.

Roope Kajoluoto started working as a Software Developer at Patria in spring 2019 immediately after completing his military service. Only 19 years old at the time, he was due to start his computer science studies at Aalto University in the autumn.
– I had been engaged in various coding projects at home for a considerable time. These projects allowed me to demonstrate my capabilities during the job interview, despite not having completed a single day of formal education in the field, Kajoluoto remarks.

Combining work with academic studies at Patria has been a great opportunity, made possible by the company's flexibility

Since then, Kajoluoto has been employed at Patria while simultaneously pursuing his degree. He notes that embarking on a career prior to university studies and remaining with the same company throughout one's degree program is uncommon in the IT sector. 

– During the summer and Christmas breaks, I've worked full-time, and part-time during the academic year as my schedule permitted. The opportunity to combine work with academic studies has been invaluable. Patria has offered this flexibility.

From a trainee to more challenging roles

Initially a trainee, Kajoluoto progressed to a junior software developer and now holds the position of software developer. 
– From the outset, I've been involved in software development and have acquired a vast array of new skills. I've gradually taken on more complex tasks and larger projects.

Upon completing his BSc in Computer Science, Kajoluoto has turned his focus to machine learning for his master's studies, specifically natural language processing (NLP), which aligns with his work at Patria. 

– I've managed to effectively bridge my theoretical studies at the university with practical applications at Patria. Kajoluoto acknowledges Patria's significant contributions to machine learning. 

Kajoluoto says that Patria is doing great work in machine learning

– The company possesses the resources to engage in research and continual innovation. In contrast, the scope of operations at a small start-up would be considerably more constrained.

Machine learning is already being utilized in applications developed by Patria. A prime example is Patria’s CRAWLR cyber intelligence software, which gathers targeted and precise information from various sources, including websites, social media, and dark web pages.

Roope Kajoluoto's thesis for Patria focuses on topic modeling, a machine learning technique that enables the automated clustering of large text collections.
– While working on my thesis, I've observed that current large language models are computationally expensive when applied to topic modeling, and their results for extensive data sets are often not particularly remarkable. The large language model I've further trained as part of my thesis demonstrates a marked improvement in this task.

Large language models are sophisticated AI systems that leverage substantial data sets and advanced algorithms to comprehend and generate human language. Well-known applications include Google’s Gemini and OpenAI’s ChatGPT.

Meaningful work at Patria is appealing

Roope Kajoluoto has found his work at Patria as very rewarding. He appreciates that the company draws intelligent, well-educated professionals, making it effortless to collaborate and exchange ideas. 
– My two thesis advisors at Patria possess a licentiate and a doctorate in technology. At a smaller company, I wouldn't have access to such a robust support network for my academic pursuits.
Kajoluoto concedes that he has explored summer job opportunities at other software industry companies each year. However, he has consistently chosen to return to Patria.

– I've thoroughly enjoyed my time at Patria because it's a place where I'm constantly learning. I feel that the work I do here has enduring value, likely to remain relevant for years to come. 

– Developing software with merely short-term financial goals doesn't inspire me. At Patria, I'm convinced that our efforts have long-term significance.

I’ve had a great time at Patria because it's a place where I'm constantly learning

Upon completing his thesis, Roope Kajoluoto will conclude his studies at Aalto University. He expresses a keen interest in continuing his work at Patria beyond his MSc. 
–  The tasks are consistently growing more intriguing, he remarks.