We never tire of mentioning how instrumental our people are to our success—because it is so incredibly true. Everything we have achieved and continue to do at Intelligencia AI and in the industry is because of our dedicated, intelligent, motivated professionals who tackle challenges and spot areas of opportunity every day with enthusiasm, creativity and the dogged determination needed to raise the bar.
But our people are more than just senior developers, customer experience experts or machine learning gurus; they are exceptional, unique and interesting individuals we want you to get to know.
Throughout our “Day in the Life” blog series, we’ll introduce you to our global team and introduce you to the intelligence – our people – behind Intelligencia AI. Our next profile is with one of our Product Liaisons for Clinical Data Excellence, Konstantina Saraki. Konstantina discovered Intelligencia AI through her own research. Connect with her on LinkedIn and read the Q&A below to learn more.
When did you start at Intelligencia AI? And how did you find out about the company and role?
I started at Intelligencia AI in June of 2020. I learned about the company and role through a website advertising job openings. At the time, I was working on my PhD and looking for new opportunities. I was interested in the job description and Intelligencia AI’s focus on working with clinical data using artificial intelligence. This aligned well with my background and interests. So, I applied, went through the interview process, and got the offer. So that’s how I ended up joining the company.
What inspired you to say ‘yes’ to your first role at Intelligencia AI?
The job description was very attractive – I felt it was an excellent fit for my skills, interests and experience. As a molecular biologist, I was excited by the opportunity to take my expertise in clinical data and apply it in a new operational context. Additionally, merging my scientific background with advanced AI technology was an incredible opportunity. That’s why I decided to apply and accepted the job offer.
Can you briefly explain your role and responsibilities?
In my current role, I work on the product team, which focuses on unifying data from various sources. There are two main parts to this: our SaaS-based platform, which our customers use, and the application behind the scenes, where the clinical data team captures the vast biological and clinical data. My main focus is providing clinical data input to the team and ensuring we represent the clinical data as accurately as possible within the application.
I focus on translating the clinical data into a digital format in the most efficient and time-saving way. This involves a lot of cross-functional collaboration. I work closely with the engineering team, the clinical data team and the data science team. My goal is to ensure the clinical data is accurately input by the clinical data team and then further analyze and present it to the other teams and our customers.
What’s your favorite part of your role and working at Intelligencia AI?
My favorite moments working at Intelligencia AI are when we successfully deliver new features or improvements that help improve internal processes. More broadly, I enjoy the cross-functional nature of my work. Because of my time collaborating closely with the engineering, data science and product teams, I better understand the perspectives and needs of these different functions, which is so vital for delivering a cohesive product.
Overall, the best parts of my role are the team-based projects where we make tangible improvements that benefit both our internal teams and our customers. Seeing that collaborative effort come to fruition is what I find most fulfilling.
What advice would you give to your younger self?
If I could give advice to my younger self, it would be not to be afraid to stray from the predictable, paved path.
As a student and early in my career, I could only envision one way forward: the traditional academic and research route. But I’ve since learned that there are multiple ways to do what you love, even if they don’t fit the mold of what’s considered the “normal” trajectory.
Often, the most exciting journeys aren’t found on the conventional path. Don’t limit yourself to one prescribed way of achieving your goals – be willing to think creatively and consider alternative routes. That’s where real growth and adventure can happen.
What advice would you share with someone wanting a career or job in AI, tech and life sciences?
For someone looking to get into a career in AI, tech, and life sciences, my advice would be to think completely outside the box. Don’t just rely on the knowledge and skills you gained in your academic studies.
The key is to recognize that everything in these fields ultimately comes down to data – whether it’s biological data, clinical data, real-world data, etc. Your background in the life sciences and understanding of things like human health and disease will be invaluable. But you must be willing to apply that knowledge in new ways beyond just the traditional bench research.
In AI and tech, you’ll be working with data in a completely different manner than you did in your studies. Instead of just reading and analyzing data from others’ research, you’ll be tasked with taking that data and finding new ways to extract insights and drive innovation.
Recognize that your core skills, such as working with data and understanding patterns and trends, are highly transferable. It’s just a matter of applying them in a new context within AI, tech and the life sciences.
Be open to learning new tools and methods, and don’t be daunted by having to pick up new technical skills. The most important thing is leveraging your existing domain expertise in innovative ways.
Tell us more about yourself outside of your work life.
- What is your favorite quote to live by? “Between un-being and being” – T.S. Eliot
- Who would you want to have dinner with? Pink Panther
- What would it be if you had to eat one thing for the rest of your life? Prawns
- Last place you traveled to? Japan
- Beach or mountains? Beach, but hiking is fun.
- How do you enjoy spending your free time? My free time is dedicated to my loved ones. Walking around the city with good coffee, going to the movies, traveling or simply staying home — no matter the place or the activity, I’ll be surrounded by my loved ones.