Cool People – Rashida’s Story
When Rashida Arvonen joined Bluefors in 2018 as a Site Planning Engineer, she brought with her a wealth of experience from the construction and consulting industries in both Australia and Finland. But what has truly shaped her journey at Bluefors isn’t just her background in civil engineering – it’s her curiosity, persistence, and passion for continuous improvement. Read on to learn more about Rashida’s journey from inquisitive self-starter to motivational manager.
Asking the Right Questions
Rashida’s background in construction and consulting meant learning a whole new field when she joined Bluefors. While she didn’t know much about quantum technology or how things worked at the company, she was curious and eager to learn. Her self-starting attitude was key to her success.
“Because it was a new role, there wasn’t really anyone to show me the ropes, so I had to figure things out myself,” Rashida recalls. “I learned a lot very quickly. People are always ready to teach you if you’re brave enough to ask questions – even the so-called stupid ones.”
By 2021, Rashida had been promoted to Senior Site Planning Engineer, and just a year later, she stepped into her current role as Director, Configuration Engineering & Site Planning.
A Blend of Technical Expertise and Creativity
Today, Rashida leads a diverse department of 17 engineers and designers representing 11 different nationalities. The department is organized into three specialized teams: Configuration Engineering, Layout Engineering & Site Planning. Her team plays a central role in delivering customer projects and is recognized for its innovation, adaptability, and technical expertise.
“Our focus is on customer delivery projects, but we also support Offering Development in all design and engineering-related work,” she explains.
The work requires both solid technical expertise and a healthy dose of creativity to find solutions, even when the scope isn’t clear. “Customers may not always know exactly what they want or need, so we often have to come up with customized solutions that meet both their technical and spatial requirements.”
Driving Collaboration Across Teams
Collaboration is a major part of Rashida’s role. She works closely with departments across Bluefors’ global offices and maintains strong ties with the Sales and Installation teams in Tokyo, Japan. While she no longer has much day-to-day contact with engineers on site, she continues to guide her team when new challenges arise – especially those related to customer needs.
On a typical day, Rashida spends her time in meetings, making decisions, and helping her team move projects forward. “Most of my work is about communication, collaboration, and conflict resolution. I guess my true value lies in removing bottlenecks so my team can do their best work,” she laughs. “I get things done – that’s probably my superpower!”
An Environment that Fosters Success
Rashida describes herself as both cool-headed and warm-hearted.
“A cool head is important because I have to make a lot of decisions, often quickly, but I also care deeply about my team,” she shares. It’s no surprise that for Rashida, the best thing about Bluefors is the people.
“This is a welcoming place. I’ve never been made to feel inferior because of my background, gender, or age,” she says. “That’s rare in my experience, and it means a lot. When I worked in construction and consulting, things were more competitive. At Bluefors, people genuinely want you to succeed.”
Rashida is a strong advocate for continuous learning and is proud of the growth she’s achieved at Bluefors. “I know that I am good at what I do: I solve complex puzzles and help others do well. Coaching and mentoring are the parts of my job that I enjoy most. I want to help my people grow and succeed, and to feel proud of what they accomplish.”
Living the Bluefors Values
Of the Bluefors values – excellence, passion, collaboration, and innovation – Rashida identifies most strongly with collaboration.
“Collaboration for me is about lifting others up and building something better together,” she says. “I’m good at motivating people, pushing people with ideas forward, and making things happen.”
She also finds inspiration in the passion of those around her.
“It’s exciting to work with smart people who design exciting things like KIDE or the Ultra Compact LD System. Their passion for innovation is contagious.” And excellence? That’s a given. “We aim to exceed customer expectations, not just meet requirements. The system obviously has to fit the space it’s intended for, but we also make sure it looks good and is a pleasure to use.”
A Horizon full of Growth and Exciting Possibilities
Rashida’s path to leadership wasn’t paved overnight, and she sees plenty of opportunities for growth ahead too.
“I know Bluefors will continue growing, and there will be exciting products and solutions. Personally, I like variety and speed, so I trust there’ll always be something new and exciting on the horizon. Who knows, maybe one day I’ll switch departments altogether!”
From managing construction sites in Australia to leading a team of engineers and scientists in Finland, Rashida’s story is a testament to what happens when curiosity meets determination – and when collaboration becomes a way of life.
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