Meet the Hidex Team: Kari Niittymäki

What does a 20 year journey at Hidex look like?

Kari Niittymäki applied for the position of Application Manager, back in 2002, when he came across an interesting job description in the local newspaper Turun Sanomat. As we chat over a cup of coffee, Kari talks about his journey at Hidex and how he has witnessed the company to flourish to what it is today, one step at a time.

“Over the past two decades a few more hairs have turned silver from the additional wisdom, but otherwise time has gone surprisingly quickly.”

He has dedicated his expertise in the field of Biochemistry to the development of the Hidex Sense, a microplate reader product line that is equipped with both radioactive and non-radioactive detection technologies.

Astonishingly, Kari has held on to the newspaper clipping for the Application Manager position that was published in the summer of 2002, and the newspaper has been preserved with surprising longevity. A small time capsule of the humble beginnings of the company that has steadily grown into a pioneer for radiation detection.

What advice would you give to individuals interested in pursuing a career as an Application Manager?

Kari suggests that individuals interested in the role of an Application Manager should sharpen their oral and written communication skills and be attentive in documenting scientific results. He believes his prior work experience in analytical biochemistry has proved useful for his tasks and to provide support to distributors and customers. Constantly developing one’s laboratory skills and ability to work on multiple projects simultaneously is another asset in a high-technology SME (small and midsize enterprise).

What are his future plans?

After having contributed 21 years to the company, Kari looks forward to partly retiring and taking longer summer vacations. He is happy to continue contributing but also wants to make the most of the long and warm, beautiful Finnish summer days. He is excited to spend more time on the basketball court, listening to operas, and traveling.

What compelled him to stay at Hidex and what kind of future does he envision for Hidex?

Being one of the first ten Hidex employees, Kari is proud of the customer centric brand Hidex has grown to become. When asked what compelled him to stay, he responds that a stable job and the promising growth of the company has been motivating. He is also pleased at how the company has prioritized continuous product development, allowing the products to constantly be top performers in the radiation detection industry. Over the years, he has travelled for business domestically and to other European countries, visiting customer sites and always prepared to listen to customer feedback.