People of Pema | Joel Nurmi, Mechanical Design Engineer

Joel Nurmi works as Mechanical Design Engineer at Pemamek and has been with us for almost 2 years now. As a Mechanical Design Engineer, Joel works with 3D modeling to design products and parts for said models, as well as calculate and simulate the strength of the machines and their functionality. 

Joel has worked at Pema since 2020. However, his connection to Pemamek goes back even further. Joel first came to Pemamek in the summer of 2018 and liked it so much that he came back in 2019 as a trainee in Mechanical Design Engineering. In his studies, Joel specified in product development and shortly after graduating from Turku University of Applied Sciences in 2020, he signed a contract with Pemamek.

3D modeling is like solving puzzles, but the puzzles are big machines. You can design anything you want and I really like it!

When did you decide to take your career path towards 3D modeling?

It was when I was studying mechanical engineering and I was interested in the 3D modeling courses they had there. I looked very much forward to having those courses. We used Solidworks at school and I liked the tasks we did. That was when I knew, a career within 3D modeling and mechanical design engineering was something that I wanted to pursue.

What is your favorite aspect of 3D modeling or the work you do at Pema?

I like making new designs for little things, like shapes and what shapes fit in certain machines for the whole machine to work. It’s like a puzzle. You are solving puzzles, but the puzzles are big machines.
I also own a 3D printer that I use outside of work. You can design everything yourself with any 3D modeling program and that is something I find really interesting. You can easily make any object you want, and I now have tools for that.

What are some challenges you face at work?

In almost every project, we redesign something or design it for the first time, or “tailor” it for the customer. We try to use as much as possible equipment that has already been designed and modify it to achieve the goal. Sometimes the challenge comes from situations where the design must be redone. For example, if there is a delay in the delivery of a part and this threatens to delay the whole project, we must find a replacement part and replace it with a design. Such situations require a rapid response and are also laborious – if you change one part, you usually need to change ten others.

How would you describe working at Pemamek?

I like my colleagues; they make my job smoother and easier. We have the same sense of humor, no one ever takes it too far. If someone gets annoyed, everyone knows when to quit.
Colleagues are also very helpful which is important. If I don’t know something, there is for sure a person who knows more and can help. At Pema, it’s easy to get help from my colleagues. Back when I started, it was also very straightforward to join the team.

What advice would you have for people applying for a job here at Pema?

When it comes to my team – you must love 3D modeling and have those basic skills from what you learned at mechanical engineering school. And it helps if you are an outgoing person and not so shy and can ask other people for help.

Read more career stories and keep an eye on new openings in our Team on the career pages!