Giant Leap Trainee, Data Management

Are you ready to take a Giant Leap? We’re looking for a Data Management Intern for our Giant Leap program – a project-based internship in our HQ in Vantaa. You will lead the “Practical Data Governance” initiative as part of the Data Foundations for Future Vaisala project, making data governance actionable within Vaisala’s new data platform and governance tools.  As a Giant Leaper, you will get your own project to lead for three months, starting in June.

Vaisala is a global leader in measurement instruments and intelligence helping industries, nations, people, and the planet to thrive. From predicting hurricanes to optimizing renewable energy production, our technology is used where it matters the most – from data centers, windfarms and laboratories to airports, the Arctic and even the surface of Mars. Vaisala is recognized in TIME Magazine's World's Best Companies in Sustainable Growth 2025 study. Our team of over 2,400 experts and 59 nationalities around the world is committed to taking every measure for the planet. Driven by our shared purpose, curiosity, and pioneering spirit, we stay ahead and make a difference. At Vaisala, you don't have to fit in to belong.

Giant Leap is a unique opportunity for you to be the project manager of your own project, with the support of your teammates and project supervisor. Every year, these projects are carefully selected by our leadership teams, meaning that you get to work on real-life questions that are important for us as a company.

We invest in your growth with training sessions throughout the summer. Along with lessons from your own field and work life in general, you have a chance to learn, for instance, presentation skills, project management and problem solving. Connections built with fellow Giant Leapers, Vaisala’s brilliant experts and our leadership form an invaluable network for your career. Many of our former Giant Leapers have also gone on to build impressive careers at Vaisala after the program.

What will your summer look like?

Your summer will consist of making data governance practical in the context of Vaisala’s new data platform and data governance tools, as part of our Data Foundations initiative. You will lead your own “Practical Data Governance” project and focus on how we define, manage, and use data and AI-related assets in a structured, responsible, and value-adding way.

In practice, you will:

• Map & Document: Identify key data assets and AI/ML use cases on our new platform, documenting ownership, purpose, and quality expectations.
• Collaborate across Teams: Work directly with data owners, platform engineers, and AI practitioners to understand their current workflows and identify where governance can bridge the gaps.
• Pilot New Practices: Help define how we document datasets and models, approve AI use cases, and use metadata tools to support our operations.
• Enable Responsible Data & AI: Create simple guidelines, checklists, and examples that explain how to use the data platform and governance tools in a compliant, secure, and value-adding way – including principles for responsible AI (e.g., transparency, data protection, appropriate use).

You will be supported by your supervisor and our data platform/governance experts and will be part of the Giant Leap community, gaining hands-on experience in combining data governance, modern data platforms, and AI governance in a real business environment.

The work will be conducted in our Vantaa office and there are possibilities to partly work remotely. Practicalities will be agreed on when the project is starting.

What kind of skillset are we looking for?

You are a university student (Bachelor or Master level) in a relevant field such as Information Systems, Industrial Engineering and Management, Data Science, Computer Science, Business Analytics, or similar. You are genuinely interested in how data platforms, governance tools, and AI/ML solutions are used in organizations, and you have some basic understanding from courses or previous experience (e.g., databases, cloud/data platforms, analytics, or AI/ML concepts).

You are structured, curious, and comfortable talking with both technical and business stakeholders. You enjoy bringing order to complex topics and can present technical and governance topics in clear, simple language. Additionally, you are proactive, take ownership, and are willing to explore topics like data quality, metadata, access control, and responsible AI (e.g., fairness, transparency, data protection) in practice. Solid skills in common office tools and good communication in English are expected; Finnish and familiarity with analytics, cloud, or documentation/collaboration tools are considered a plus.

Are you ready to take a Giant Leap?

Please apply by February 1, 2026, and include your CV.
We’d also love to hear what inspired you to apply for this role and to Vaisala in a brief cover letter.

Schedule and steps of the recruitment process:

• Application period: January 12 – February 1
• Invitations to the interview events: during week 6
• Interview events at Vaisala, Vantaa (F2F): week 7

If you want to know more, feel free to reach out to the hiring manager / project supervisor N.N. via email janne.kokko@vaisala.com and joel.friman@vaisala.com.

Please note that applications sent via email cannot be processed due to privacy reasons.

Kindly note that we are not able to provide support in relocation or work permit-related matters.

Interested in learning more about Vaisala and our Giant Leap program? Join us at Career Night on 20 January 2026, 16:30–19:00 at our Vantaa HQ to meet experts and explore real projects you could work on this summer. Read more and register to the event: www.vaisala.com/careernight