Senior Engineer Emphasizes Both Technical & Soft Skills

Name: Ilaria Sanzari

PhD: Electronics and Electrical Engineering, University of Southampton, 2017

What is your current job?

I am a Senior Engineer for Sphere Bio, based in Cambridge, England.

I work on projects investigating microfluids.

What is your favorite thing about your job?

It is wonderful to engage with people.

What is the most important skill you developed or experience you had during your PhD that now helps you in your current position?

Polymer Science, Micro and Nanofabrication.

How did you build the skills necessary for your current role?

Work experience as consultant for 5 years

How did you find this position? What were the career steps you took to get to where you are now?

LinkedIn

PhD ➡️ Postdoc ➡️ Consultant ➡️ MarieCurieFellow ➡️ BDManager ➡️ SeniorEngineer

If someone is interested in a similar role, what would you recommend they start doing now to prepare?

Learn technical skills in the lab and also software like CAD (computer-aided design) software.

Why did you decide to not pursue a career in academia?

Chaos plus lack of clarity about the future. Only a few people can stay due to the professor's sympathy and personal relationships.

What advice do you have for someone getting their PhD and looking to pursue a career outside of academia?

Learn as much as you can about soft skills and how to deal with clients for projects. Learn how to manage projects as well.

Are there any components of your identity you would like to share, including how they have impacted your journey?

I have always been proactive and willing to learn new things. I never stuck in a single topic.

And for those interested, what was your main area of research?

I studied the development of smart scaffolds for cardiac cell stimulations for an in vitro model.