Ambiens is created by people – a group of individuals who are Amicable Motivated Buoyant Intelligent Energetic Noble-hearted Supportive and aim for the same goals. Among them is Justyna Iwasiuk – an Environmental and Permitting Consultant, who took her first steps at Ambiens as an intern.
How did your adventure with Ambiens begin?
I found out about Ambiens, when I was doing master’s degree. I came across the company while searching for an internship offer that would be in line with my field of study. Industry portals were very helpful in this and quite quickly redirected me to the Ambiens website, where I saw that the company’s area of expertise suited me very well, as I was eagerly absorbing the subject of renewable energy sources during the course in Environmental Protection at Warsaw University of Technology. When I saw that an internship programme at Ambiens was available, I quickly submitted my application there. To my surprise Paulina Potyra-Kaczerowska – the Vice President of Ambiens, called me the very same day (!) and invited me for an interview. The recruitment process was conducted in a friendly atmosphere, which, for a stressed “rookie” was so important. It allowed me to open up and present my advantages, because as a student I didn’t have much experience in the industry. Initially, I was mainly interested in completing the mandatory student internship. Yet learning more about Ambiens’ operations and work environment made me realize that I would love to be part of #oneteam. I was fortunate that the satisfaction with cooperation was mutual. And that’s how I started my adventure with Ambiens. I am extremely grateful to the owners of the company – Paulina and Michał for the opportunity to develop.
You mention that you started working during your studies. Was it easy to combine the two?
I won’t deny that studying and working simultaneously was exhausting at times, especially during the flurry of classes and exams. On the other hand, thanks to the patience of my bosses, I was able to adjust my working hours to fit in with activities at the university and research deadlines for my master’s thesis. Thus, I navigated my week between work in the Warsaw office and the university campus, and somewhere in between (as if daily duties weren’t enough :D) I got snowed under with documents that were necessary to sort out my wedding. So the first half of 2021 was very, very demanding for me, but as they say “where there’s a will there’s a way.”
What would you tell a college graduate who wants to join Ambiens?
It’s always worth trying! With a great team and a family atmosphere, a lot of interesting and developing challenges on the biggest RES projects and many opportunities – you just want to work in such a place. Do I really need to add anything else?
What are you currently doing at Ambiens?
I am currently working as an Environmental & Permitting Consultant. I’m in charge of preparing environmental documentation and I’m responsible for project communication with the Investor, which is necessary to better understand their expectations. Together with other team members, I prepare studies including preliminary environmental analyses, project information sheets and environmental impact reports. These are only names. These studies include a number of tasks and analyses that need to be performed in order to provide the most reliable assessment of the environmental impacts of an investment. Every new project brings excitement combined with curiosity – what optimal approach to adopt and what path to take. Keeping tabs on the changing legislation or performing analyses in accordance with current guidelines are just a few of the activities that need to be done during the project.
You’re at work until the afternoon hours, what do you do after? Tell me how you spend your free time?
When the weather outside is beautiful, I enjoy long and romantic walks with my husband, particularly in Old Ochota. Narrow streets and buildings overgrown with vines bring atmosphere of Parisian neighborhoods. I could walk there for hours holding his hand, with a cup of coffee (necessarily with a lot of milk) and weave stories about the inhabitants of the surrounding buildings. Such an evening walk often ends with a hunt for a surprise food package from a nearby pub or store with the “Too good to go” app. We do that to contribute to reducing food waste and have a surprise breakfast at work the next day.
On rainy days don’t you give up walking?
When the weather is less conducive to walking, I indulge in my passions:
– zumba – this has been my great love for more than a few years. At first, my friend and I were shyly standing in the last row, and over time we’ve become regulars getting on so well with the instructor. Deep down I still dream of becoming a Zumba Fitness instructor. I think it would be a developmental challenge for me that would allow me to build more confidence and openness to people. So who knows – maybe someday we’ll meet in the dancehall and dance together to “I Aint’t Worried” by OneRepublic?
– macramé – the pandemic time allowed (probably not only) me to discover a new passion. This amazing art of crafting textiles by tying decorative knots knots brings me great satisfaction and relaxation of the mind. Handbags, wall-hanging macramé and dream catchers are something I enjoy creating. The variety of cord colours and patterns makes it possible to design diverse and unique pieces.
– jigsaw puzzles – I can put them together for hours, while listening to podcasts by e.g. Martyna Wojciechowska, in the background. This is my childhood love at first sight, which continues to this day and will probably stay forever (although in adulthood it is a little harder to find time for it).
The sea or the mountains?
Picturesque mountains by the sea! This combination makes standing on the edge of a cliff take my breath away. The boundlessness of the water meets the towering enormous rocks crafting spectacular waves and an ear-soothing noise. Is there a more pleasant way to relax and explore? For me, not!
