Meet Kiri

Tech, AI, and knitting clubs – IT lets Kiri live life to the fullest

Want to make the most of both work and life? With her job in IT, Kiri explores the latest technology to make a difference in society while still making space for everything life offers outside the office.

Meet Kiri Koppelgaard. 30 years old. Creative, logical, and full of life. She also happens to be an excellent data scientist in Systematic’s healthcare innovation team.

“We’re experimenting with using technology—particularly AI (artificial intelligence)—to ease processes in the healthcare sector. I’m a very rational thinker, which is important for this type of work. Even so, AI is inherently a bit unpredictable, which makes for a fun mix,” Kiri says.

Her primary project focuses on municipal home care, where she’s coding a solution to make the workday easier for care personnel.

“Healthcare workers are busier than ever, and there are fewer and fewer hours for compassionate hands-on care. Our goal is to make their work easier so they can spend more time doing what truly matters - taking care of citizens. And that makes going to work really meaningful for me,” she says.

Freedom in IT

Although work must be meaningful and challenging, Kiri values her private life highly. That makes the IT industry a perfect fit for her.

“I’ve always loved math and logic, but part of the reason I chose to apply those skills in an IT context is the industry’s working conditions: job security, flexibility, high salaries, and a work-life balance that lets you live as a whole human being with hobbies and interests,” she explains.

For her, that means a 37-hour workweek, sprinkled with yoga and Pilates, ceramics on Mondays, and the occasional beer with friends. She’s also part of a sea swimming club and organizes multiple knitting groups—because “one simply isn’t enough!”

Another perk of being an in-demand IT professional is the freedom to pick and choose among jobs.

Of course, shaping a great workplace is a shared responsibility, she adds:

“When you enter a workplace as a new employee, you step into an existing set of norms and culture. I’ve found that it’s about balancing respect for how things are done while also recognising that, even as a young professional, you have something valuable to contribute and that your preferences matter, too.”

In a field of rapid development, work stays fun

Getting into healthcare innovation was a natural path for Kiri. A Bachelor’s in Cognitive Science gave her a strong foundation in statistics, communication, coding, and neuroscience, while her Master’s led her toward IT. For now, she’s exactly where she wants to be.

“I really like my job, and I love having my nose in the technical stuff, exploring new technologies and how they can help people. Plus, tech evolves so fast that I don’t need to change roles to stay challenged. The role changes itself all the time as technology advances. Honestly, I always feel like we’re one step behind,” she laughs.