[1] In 1925, she started her professional career as a household consultant at the Finnish Marttaliitto.

[3] She became the first woman in Finland to hold a doctorate in the field of home economics, receiving her degree in 1947 from the Faculty of Arts of the University of Helsinki.

[1][4] She was appointed as a professor of home economics at the Faculty of Agriculture and Forestry, University of Helsinki in 1950, and she continued in this job until her death in 1966.

[1] Creation of a position of professor in home economics at the University of Helsinki in 1946 is being considered as “the first professorship of its kind in Europe.”[3] In addition to her academic activities, Saurio acted as the editor-in-chief of the Emäntälehti magazine from 1934 to 1944 and as a member of the editorial staff of the Kotitalous magazine from 1952 to her death.

Over her career, she was also a member in various national and Nordic committees and commissions on subjects relating to home economics, as well as a board member in associations such as the Family Federation of Finland [fi].