What path has your career taken since graduation? 

I’ve been working for Syngenta for almost 12 years since graduation (2012) in Process Engineering , Production roles, and Project Management roles. 

Initially I started working at the Grangemouth site as a Graduate Process Engineer. I did this for four years; supporting manufacture of existing products for 18 months, then design project for a formulation plant, followed by an 18-month secondment as a Production Manager. I then spent 5 years working at Syngenta’s Huddersfield site as a Process Engineering Team Leader looking after manufacture of new products. A key highlight of this time was leading a process engineering team on a new product introduction project from feasibility study through design, then commissioning and initial manufacture.

I have spent the last 3 years working in Project Management roles both supporting deployment of digital HSE tools, and now managing technology transfers between sites and asset strategy projects. It's an exciting place to be helping to shape the manufacturing footprint required to meet our customers needs!

What is your current role?

Project Manager within Formulation, Fill and Pack. I support teams working on technology transfers where we moved a product from one site to another, and I'm involved in larger scale projects such as setting up new manufacturing lines with internal sites and third parties. 

What experiences do you feel helped you get to your current position?

• Technical background - established through degree and placement. 
• Experience gained on the job. 
• Soft skills - ability to connect with people and teams, questioning mindset
• Relevant training courses - including PMP (Project Management Professional), Supply Chain & Logistics diploma

How have you used the skills and/or knowledge developed during your degree in your career?

I’ve utilised engineering design calculations and good fundamental understanding of unit operations for both design and troubleshooting of manufacturing processes.

Having a good understanding of process safety fundamentals has also been invaluable too. 

What advice would you give to students who are interested in your area of work?

1. Take advantage of any opportunities for site visits, internships, and meeting experienced engineers. You’ll learn something from every interaction.
2. Keep up to date with industry trends and developments.
3. Build up your supplementary skills such as leadership, communication, and planning through a range of activities including extracurricular activities and work experience.
4. Remain open to learning after completing your degree. Your career will require you to continue to gain new skills and develop. Graduation is a key milestone but not the end of the journey! 

This profile was published in October 2021, updated January 2024.