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Kalina Krzak

from High school tutor to Senior Network Strategist
I help predict future electricity needs and technologies with algorithms and simulations.
Industry
Energy, gas and oil
Company
Powerlink
Job Level
Senior

Ask me about

  • The most interesting AI projects I've worked on
  • Why I decided mechanical/aerospace engineering wasn't right for me
  • How my data science skills help me as a network strategist
  • How AI changed the way I work

About me

Some people grow up knowing exactly what they want to be; that was definitely not me! High school was not a great time for me, and I missed a big chunk of my senior years due to illness. After graduating, I enrolled in a dual engineering/science degree and picked aerospace for my engineering major (because rocket science!) and maths for my science major (which I only discovered I liked in Year 10, thanks to an awesome teacher).

Halfway through university, I learned about the field of machine learning/AI through my work experience and pivoted to data science, where I spent the first 5 years of my career. I’m now at Powerlink, where I get to play with maths and code every day in a super interesting field driven by climate change and world events.

About my role

  • Analytical
  • Curious
  • Focused
  • Innovative
  • Sensitive

The job of network strategists is to figure out what we need to do to keep our electricity grid reliable and efficient. They answer questions like "what are the right amounts of wind, solar, batteries and gas to make sure we have enough electricity during bad weather?" or "how do our electricity needs change if electric vehicles become more or less popular than we expect?" To get the answer, they run simulations of the electricity market under different scenarios. They will analyse the results and communicate the impacts to different stakeholders, such as government bodies designing policy and electrical engineers designing network upgrades. Network strategists experiment with different data sources and algorithms to improve simulation speed and accuracy.

Education

  • Bachelor of Engineering (Hons) - Dual major in Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering
  • Bachelor of Mathematics

Subjects

  • Chemistry
  • English
  • Languages
  • Mathematical Methods (Maths B)
  • Specialist Mathematics (Maths C)

Hobbies

  • Cooking
  • Gaming
  • Gymnastics
  • Hiking
  • Reading

Pets

  • 1 Dog
  • 1 Cat

15 year old me!!

“You don't need a perfect plan for your career or life--just choose what feels right at this moment, and adapt as you go!”

My career journey

Curious to know how I got here? Here’s a snapshot of my career pathway.
  1. Studied abroad for a semester
  2. Decided to propose my own thesis
  3. Interned at a cybersecurity start-up
  4. Landed a graduate job in consulting
  5. Changed jobs and found my home at Powerlink

My typical day

My employer

Powerlink Queensland is a leading Australian provider of electricity transmission services, focused on delivering a safe, cost-effective and reliable high voltage electricity transmission network for Queenslanders. We’re committed to helping our people thrive - offering inclusive benefits, meaningful career paths, and a supportive, down-to-earth team. With Powerlink, you'll find opportunities to develop your career and make a lasting impact in the energy sector. From apprenticeships and graduate programs to diverse roles across Queensland, we welcome fresh perspectives and forward thinking.