Employee Spotlight: Hiroya Matsubara

This week in our Employee Spotlight series, we meet Hiroya Matsubara, who discusses his career and experiences at JERA. Don’t forget to like the JERA page for more employee stories and to keep up to date with our latest position openings.

Please tell us a little about you

My name is Hiroya Matsubara. I was born in Japan and moved to the US for my parent’s work when I was 12 years old, where I spent the next 10 years.

After returning to Japan, I did volunteer work to get used to life in Japan after being away from it for so long. After that, I worked for 3 years at a non-profit organization providing employment support for people with intellectual disabilities, and 13 years at a beverage wholesale company doing various jobs related to in-house IT.

On weekends, I enjoy going out with my family to various places, and we go somewhere almost every week. I spend meaningful time sightseeing, going to the zoo, shopping, and so on. I also enjoy swimming and playing games to refresh myself.

What is your role at JERA and what do you enjoy the most about your role?

In my current role I work in Data Integration. It is very important for us to integrate data correctly in order to become a data-driven company. I am very happy to see that our team is automating data extraction and importation, so that data that could only be obtained monthly can now be linked in real time and that the various systems are working smoothly overall.

However, the most exciting thing about working here every day is that I am blessed with a great team of supervisors and team members who support me. My team has members of different nationalities, ages and even companies. I am the only JERA employee in my team.?Even when I must take a day off to take care of my child, I can leave the job to the other members without any worries (although I feel sorry). I am truly grateful every day for such a supportive environment.

What attracted you to JERA as a company?

The salary and benefits are of course attractive, but even more so is the fact that JERA is an infrastructure company, and you can directly feel that the business itself is useful to people's lives.

For a company that deals with specific products or services, it is difficult to say that the products or services are "useful for everyone" because they are limited to the targeted demographic. I am very happy to work for such a company provides a service that everyone uses.

What has been the most transformative experience you had since joining JERA?

I think the biggest difference I felt after started working at JERA was the demand for high quality. At my previous job, the priority was to meet deadlines, and the quality of what we created was an afterthought.

However, at JERA, quality and safety are prioritized above all else.

I have come to understand the reason for this. As an infrastructure company, we have a responsibility to ensure we supply a high quality, safe and consistent product to our customers. We cannot afford to have anything less than the best for the sake of society and the economy. This mindset ensures that JERA’s work culture is one where every employee perseveres to maintain that high standard.?

What’s one piece of advice you would share with your younger self?

No effort is wasted, and one day it will come in handy for you somewhere, so don’t stifle your curiosity and pursue every interest and project you find sparks that curiosity.

What would you tell someone that is interested in joining JERA?

JERA is a company that cares about the global environment, customers, and employees, and aims to improve the world through various initiatives and challenges.

We hope you enjoyed getting to know Hiroya and learning about his journey at JERA. If you are interested in learning more about?#LifeatJERA ?or you’re looking for a new challenge this year, check out the open positions under “Jobs” and stay connected with us by following the JERA LinkedIn page.