When I finished school in 2005, I imagined my future would be in medicine or chemistry. What I didn’t imagine was that a different path - an apprenticeship as a Chemical Laboratory Technician - would open up a career full of opportunities I could never have planned!
An apprenticeship as a Chemical Laboratory Technician has proven to be one of the best decisions I could have made.
Over the years, I've had opportunities to build laboratories, contribute to Lean transformation initiatives, support pioneering Cell & Gene Therapy programmes, mentor apprentices and lead safety programmes. Each experience took me in a slightly different direction and ultimately brought me closer to a long-held goal: becoming a people leader.
But getting there certainly wasn't a straight line.
In 2014, I took a short career break to become a full-time "family manager" when my daughter Lena was born.
Becoming a mother brought a new chapter and new priorities, but my curiosity and enthusiasm for science remained strong.
When I returned to Novartis 15 months later, I did so on a part-time basis, finding a balance that allowed me to continue developing professionally while making space for family life.
From there, my career continued to evolve. Rather than returning to one fixed path, I moved between scientific, operational and safety-focused roles, building new skills and discovering strengths and interests along the way. I embraced opportunities that pushed me outside my comfort zone and accepted challenges I never expected to pursue.
That experience taught me that career growth doesn’t always come from having a perfect plan. Often, it comes from being curious, staying open to new opportunities and trusting yourself to take the next step, even when the destination isn’t completely clear.
Today, as Quality Control Team Lead Analytical Sciences & Technologies in Kundl, Austria, I lead a multidisciplinary team supporting analytical method validation, method transfer and innovative analytics across plasmid and protein programmes. Yet one of the most rewarding parts of my role isn't the science itself, it's helping others grow.
As an apprentice mentor and people manager, I have the privilege of supporting the next generation of laboratory professionals, just as others once supported me.
When I reflect on my journey, what stands out most isn't any single promotion or achievement. It's the people. The mentors who believed in me. The colleagues who supported me through change. The teams that encouraged me to keep learning and growing.
Working at Novartis has shown me that careers don't have to follow a predefined path. With curiosity, perseverance, and the courage to embrace new challenges, unexpected opportunities can lead to extraordinary places.
My advice to anyone considering their next career move?
Be patient. Stay committed. Keep learning.
You never know which opportunity will open the door to your next chapter.
