After 2 years selling blinds, I decided I wanted to find a career and better myself, which was when I fell into recruitment (like many do) following a recommendation from a previous colleague. I started at STR as a Level 1 Recruitment Consultant in October 2012, 10 days before my dad passed away from pancreatic cancer. I have, ever since, used this as my ‘why’: my reason to make an impact and give back to the life sciences sector.

When I started recruiting for engineers in life sciences, I recognised that this was what I should have been doing with my problem solving and maths skills all along.

I never looked back, and, following several promotions, which took me to Operations Manager level, I went on to create a brand dedicated to the life sciences industry, Blackfield Associates, almost 5 years to the day I started at STR. We significantly diversified and now cover many disciplines, although have never left behind our engineering roots.

I was further promoted to Director of the brand in January 2019 and then to Executive Director in January 2023. Blackfield Associates has since gone from strength to strength, and we have become a well-known and respected international life sciences recruitment company that covers some really niche and challenging skill sets.

It can be tough, but it’s also fun and the people are great. I believe anything easy is not worth getting excited about and I carry this ethos through into my work.