A Cure for our Economic Ills? Pharmaceuticals - Engineers Ireland

www.engineersjournal.ie Volume 66: Issue 3 I May/June 2012 125

A cure for our economic ills?Pharmaceuticals create growth

and jobs for engineering graduatesA special report in association with the Engineers Ireland Chemical and Process division

"We're delighTed To reporT near 100% employmenT of our graduaTes".

dr paTricia Kieranucd school of chemical and bioprocess engineering

126 Volume 66: Issue 3 I May/June 2012 www.engineersjournal.ie

The Irish pharmaceutical sector is one of the world’s largest export-ers of pharmaceuticals. In 2009, pharma exports exceeded €20.5bn (Enterprise Ireland, May 2012) and five of the top best-selling phar-maceutical medicines, the ‘blockbusters’, (12th Annual Pharmaceuti-cal Executive Top 50, May 2011), are produced in Ireland.

The blockbustersLipitor is the world’s best-selling medicine. Manufactured by XX

Pfizer at Little Island, Cork, it is a cholesterol-lowering drug used to reduce the risk of heart attacks. Seretide/Advair is a bronchodilator that relaxes the muscles in XX

the walls of the small air passages in the lungs, and is used to treat asthma and similar diseases. It is manufactured by GSK. Diovan is manufactured by Novartis. It dilates blood vessels XX

and reduces blood pressure. It is used in the treatment of high blood pressure and congestive heart failure. Zyprexa is manufactured by Eli Lilly. It is used in the treatment XX

of schizophrenia, depressive episodes associated with bipolar disorder, acute manic episodes and maintenance treatment in bipolar disorder. Singulair is used in the treatment of asthma and to relieve XX

symptoms of seasonal allergies. It is manufactured by Merck.

Why Ireland?With a substantial indigenous industry of over 100 companies engaged in pharmaceutical and chemical-related activities, Ireland has been extremely successful in attracting major phamaceutical investment. There are several factors that have contributed to this success. Firstly, of course, there is the corporate tax rate of 12.5 per cent, backed by an exceptional regulatory compliance track record and the quality and availability of experienced personnel.The relative proximity of significant pharmaceutical facilities to each other is particularly helpful; as is the openness of pharmaceutical industry professionals here in working with each other, sharing experi-ences and actively contributing to promoting the industry. Our employment legislation is flexible relative to continental Europe and the Irish workforce enjoys an international reputation for produc-tivity and a strong work ethic. Ireland is one of the most global and open economies in the world and is seen as being strongly pro-business while providing excellent intellectual property protection.The resulting relative ease of doing business here has led to sustained re-investment by multinational companies in Ireland.Ireland’s success in establishing itself as the location of choice for the pharmaceutical industry has been the result of a unified and cooperative

A prescription for growth– the pharma blueprintAs the Irish economy attempts to steady itself, the global success of our life sciences sector – exemplified by the pharma-ceutical industry – provides a spur to our economic recovery, a template for strategic market development and a much-needed boost to national confidence. Kevin Smyth Chartered Chemical Engineer explores the ever-evolving picture of the pharmaceutical manufacturing industry in Ireland: who is here and why; where they are located; and what they make. He also looks at the steady flow of major investments that point to groundbreaking new directions


strategy. Ireland’s State agencies, such as Enterprise Ireland, IDA Ireland, Science Foundation Ireland and Forfás, make a significant contribution to the growth of the life sciences sector in Ireland, by attracting FDI, promoting Irish enterprise, investing in R&D, and guiding Government policy-making. Our universities continue to produce graduates of the highest calibre to support the pharmaceutical industry. Government policies strive to keep FDI investment in Ireland with low corporation tax and open economy policies. And our workforce continue to excel in performing to the highest standards, as our exceptional regulatory compliance record shows. The pharmaceutical industry in Ireland is a good news story we can all be proud of.

Key playersNine of the world’s top 10 pharmaceutical companies have manu-facturing operations in Ireland, (see Table 1 above). The commitment of pharmaceutical companies, as indicated below, demonstrates the phamaceutical business community’s confidence in Ireland as an investment location and in the country’s ability to maintain its posi-tion as a world leader in all phases of pharmaceutical manufacturing, from product development to packaged, finished product.

Abbott LaboratoriesAbbott has been operating in Ireland since 1946 and employs almost 4,000 people at eight manufacturing facilities located in Clonmel, Cootehill, Cork, Donegal, Longford and Sligo. It manufactures and

Positive about pharma …

Comments from some key personnel at companies involved in shaping the future of Ireland’s pharmeceutical sector reflect the confidence with which the industry views the future.

“In the past five years, we have hired and trained some highly talented people and now have a technical talent base and capability in biopharmaceutical commercialisation and manufacturing that makes us a very attractive company for highly skilled people.” Ed Canary, general manager of the Eli Lilly Kinsale site.

“Abbott Sligo has had a presence in Ireland for more than 65 years and began manufacturing in the country in 1974. Sligo is an important part of Abbott’s pharmaceutical manufacturing network and we are pleased to expand it to support future production needs. The success of our Sligo facility is due to the dedication of its staff and management.” Dr Azita Saleki-Gerhardt, president, global pharmaceutical operations, Abbott.

“The decision to locate a worldwide pharmaceutical R&D centre in Ballydine was due to a number of factors, chief among which was the credibility, track record and expertise of the Ballydine team, the technology and infrastructure at the site and the support we have received from the Irish Government and IDA Ireland.”Willie Deese, executive vice president and president Merck manufacturing division.

“To date, our Irish operations have proven their ability to implement additional investments and new activities with great success and without delay. This gives us the assurance that this new facility (MSD Carlow) will be constructed and up and running in accordance with our demanding deadlines and the very high standards we require. We are very excited about coming to Carlow, one of the fastest growing towns in Ireland. It is centrally located and has an excellent Institute of Technology capable of supplying the necessary skills that we require. It is a very attractive place to live, with a wide range of competitively priced housing and plenty of amenities.” Dr John T McCubbins, vice president of global vaccine manufacturing for Merck Inc

“With pharmaceutical and chemical products accounting for over 50 per cent of Irish exports and a long history in pharmaceutical excellence, Ireland is a prime location for this major investment. The Grange Castle project is a strategic initiative that will allow us to further align and strengthen our manufacturing and supply network in an environment that is continually focused on quality, flexibility and application.” Frank D’Amelio, executive vice president and CFO of Pfizer Inc.

“The EU is a strategically important region for Elanco investment and growth and our Sligo plant is critical to Elanco’s vaccine business development in the region.” Dr Stephen Chu, distinguished research fellow, Elanco.

“ As we expand internationally, Dun Laoghaire will enhance our global production capability, ensuring continuity of supply of Amgen medicines for seriously ill patients worldwide.”Martin VanTrieste, senior vice president of quality at Amgen.

Table 1. The gianTs of Pharma

Ranking (2011) Company Manufacturing Facility in Ireland?

1 Pfizer Yes2 Novartis Yes3 Sanofi (Genzyme) Yes4 Merck (MSD) Yes5 Roche Yes6 GlaxoSmithKline Yes7 AstraZeneca No8 Johnson & Johnson Yes9 Eli Lilly & Co. Yes

10 Abbott Laboratories Yes(Source: 12th Annual Pharmaceutical Executive Top 50, May 2011.)

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markets a broad range of health care products includ-ing medical devices and pharmaceutical, diagnostic and nutritional products. Abbott has recently commit-ted to invest €85m at its pharmaceutical manufac-turing operation in Sligo. The investment will result in the creation of up to approximately 175 highly skilled jobs, according to Abbott. The expansion of the facility is scheduled for completion in 2014. The expansion will provide additional space for manufacturing operations to support Abbott’s future pharmaceutical pipeline in the key therapeutic areas of virology, oncology and nephrology and provide additional capacity in Abbott's global pharmaceutical manufacturing network. The new jobs created will be highly skilled and include roles in engineering, qual-ity, pharmaceutical science and other science-based areas. The majority of the jobs will be added during the construction phase and the remainder will come on-stream post the completion of the expansion.

Allergan Pharmaceuticals IrelandAllergan Pharmaceuticals Ireland is to invest €270 million-plus in its Westport operation to expand both its development and manufacturing capabilities. The expansion will result in the creation of approximately 200 new jobs at the site over the next four years and an estimated 250 indirect jobs locally during the construction period. This investment will enable Aller-gan to expand the manufacturing capacity for Botox (botulinum toxin type A) and to develop a manufactur-ing base for the next generation of biologic products currently in the Allergan pipeline.

AmgenAmgen is a multinational biotechnology company and has been a leader in biotechnology since 1980. Amgen pioneered the development of novel products based on advances in recombinant DNA and molecular biol-ogy and launched the biotechnology industry's first blockbuster medicines. Its products include Neupogen, Aransep, Xgeva, Enbrel and Vectibix. Amgen recently announced the start of a $200m-plus expansion

Leading the wayPfizer, the largest pharmaceutical company in the world, was one of the first US pharmaceutical businesses to locate in Ireland where it set up its first production facility in Ringaskiddy in 1969. It has major sites in Cork where it manufactures Lipitor. It also owns a site at Grange Castle, Dublin, where Enbrel drug substance (rheumatology) and the Prevenar 13 vaccine are manufactured. Pfizer is making a substantial investment of €145m at its Grange Castle biotechnology manufacturing facility in Clondalkin, Co. Dublin. The investment will enable Pfizer to introduce two new processing suites to the site and expand current production and product testing capabilities. The Grange Castle facility is one of the largest biotech manufacturing sites in the world and is currently involved in the production of two of the company’s blockbuster medicines – Enbrel and Prevenar 13. The Grange Castle facility is strategically important to Pfizer globally. Since opening in 2005, it has evolved into a highly specialised site for manufacturing, testing and developing medicines for patients around the world. The site currently employs approximately 1,100 full-time staff.


programme of an existing fill and finish facility located in Dun Laoghaire, Dublin which it purchased last year. It is expected to result in the creation of 100 jobs with a further 350 jobs expected during the construction period. The project includes the construction of an approximately 11,700 m2 building extension, a new produc-tion plant, an expanded warehouse and the major refurbishment of the existing buildings. A research and development investment will also see the Dun Laoghaire facility undergo a major technology process enhancement to transform the plant into one of the leading biotechnology manufacturing sites in the world.

Eli LillyLilly first established a manufacturing presence in Ireland in 1981, in Dunderrow, Kinsale. It manufactures the active ingredients for a number of Lilly’s most important medicines, including Alimta, Evista, Strattera, and Zyprexa. The products from Kinsale are shipped to finishing plants around the world, where they are converted to final-dosage forms such as tablets, capsules or injectibles. Eli Lilly is investing €330m in a new biopharmaceu-tical facility in Cork, which, when fully operational, will require up to 200 highly skilled employees. In addition, a further 300 construction jobs will be created on the site during building works. The planned 240,000-square-foot biopharmaceutical commerciali-sation and manufacturing facility announced earlier this year will further enhance the company’s ability to bring treatments for illnesses such as cancer and diabetes to patients worldwide. It is the second

large investment the company has made at its Kinsale site in recent years. In 2006, the company announced a €300m investment in its first biopharmaceutical manufacturing and new product commercialisation facility at its Kinsale campus, which came on-stream in 2010.

Genzyme Genzyme, a Sanofi company, employs 500 people at its biotechnol-ogy site in Waterford, which has seen capital investment of €500m since the company’s arrival in Ireland a decade ago. The most recent investment has increased capacity at the company’s manufactur-ing operation, accompanied by additional development capability, laboratory facilities and administration offices.

GlaxoSmithKline GSK is the world’s fifth largest pharmaceutical company and a world leader in the areas of anti-infectives, the central nervous system and respiratory medicines. It has three manufacturing sites in Ireland, at Cork, Dungarvan and Sligo. The Cork facility is a strategic global new product introduction site. It is a highly automated manufacturing facility, and is currently the primary production site for a number of GSK’s top selling medicines. The site also has an R&D pilot plant with pilot plant laboratories.

MSDMSD employs 2,300 people directly in Ireland through its eight opera-tions at sites in Carlow, Cork, Dublin, Tipperary and Wicklow. In the

Competitiveness IMD* Competitive World Handbook 2011 ranking for Ireland

First for corporate taxesXX

First for availability of skilled labourXX

Fourth for labour productivityXX

Seventh for flexibility and adaptability of peopleXX

Ninth for higher education achievementXX

*The IMD school, based on the shores of Lake Geneva, collaborates with individuals, teams and organisations to resolve real business issues, build capabilities and prepare for the future. IMD is a self-owned foundation with no financial support from government and serves the international corporate community, helping develop and retain the best qualified management talent for global leadership.

continued on page 132


Table 2.

Indigenous Pharmaceutical Sector Key CompaniesDrug development/biotech:Drug discoveryDrug deliveryEnabling technologies

Cellix, Luxcel, EiRx, Merrion, Opsona, Newport, Sigmoid, Pharmatrin, Genable, Optigen

Pharma/VetPharma:Finished products including nutraceuticals

Crossvet, Chanelle, Ovelle, Pharmaplaz, Nutriscience, AlphaOmega, Eirgen, Rice Steele, Univet, Agriway, TRM, Europharma, Foran Chemicals

Chemicals:Fine chemicals (API, intermediates, catalysts, reactants, etc.)Plant protection productsLubricantsDetergentsSterilising tablets

Arran Chemicals, Medentech, Hygeia, Topchem, Celtic Catalysts, Servem, Micro-Bio,Barclay Chemicals, Auxiliary Chemicals, Alltracel, Chemserv, Labscan

Pharma Services:CROsLaboratory Equipment/supplies

ICON, Bioclin, Shandon, Life Scientific, Clinical Trial Endpt, Amartus, Dabl, Identigen, Real Regulatory

*Pharma IT:Compliance softwareMRP/ERP systems

Seabrook, Performance, Automsoft, Qumas, Biancamed, Garvio, Helix, IMEC, Orbis, Softtrace

Nutrition:Nutritional supplementsVitamins and minerals

Beeline, Sona, Hangover Prevention


last five decades the company has invested over €2.2bn in Ireland. The Carlow site is MSD’s first stand-alone human vaccine facil-ity, €220m having been invested in the design of the plant. The Brinny site specialises in the fermentation, purification and sterile filling of Biotech products, including two of the company's most successful treatments for hepatitis C and rheumatoid arthritis. The Ballydine site in Co. Tipperary produces candidate medicines and supplies material in support of MSD's clinical research programme worldwide. Construction on the new R&D facility at the existing Ballydine site began in September 2007 and since then 70 new high calibre roles have been created. It is anticipated that this number could increase to 120 as further innovative medicines are developed at MSD in Ballydine. An additional €6m investment phase to extend the new facility and add extra capacity is already in progress.

Mylan Inc. Mylan Inc. recently announced an important investment initiative to expand its operations in Dublin and Galway. Through annual invest-ment of up to €76m ($100m) over the next five years, including fund-ing for expanded research and development (R&D) capabilities, and support from the Irish government through the IDA, Mylan says it will add more than 500 new positions to its Ireland-based workforceby 2016. Mylan is currently the largest generics pharmaceutical manufacturer in Ireland. In addition to the aforementioned FDI companies we have a thriving

indigenous pharmaceutical sector. The life sciences industry provides direct employment to in excess of 50,000 people in Ireland, of which 6,000 are in Enterprise Ireland supported indigenous companies – see Table 2 (page 131).

Special acknowledgement to Michael Sweetman (MSD), Guy McDon-nell (Pfizer), Martina Dolan (Pfizer), Paul McCabe (Amgen), Annette Condon (Amgen), Dr Tom Kelly (Enterprise Ireland), Dr Patricia Kiernan (UCD), Vicki Shanahan (PM Group), Bernard O’Brien (PM Group), Ruth O’Neill (Jacobs), Ann Galvin (Jacobs), Niamh Hutchin-son (Jacobs), Emma Thornton (Jacobs), Tim Latham (Jacobs), Shane Breslin (Jacobs), Gerry Loughrey (Jacobs) , Suzanne O’Meara (Jacobs) and Frank Conlon in IDA Ireland.Source material from IDA Ireland and Enterprise Ireland has been reproduced in this article.

Kevin Smyth BE, MIEI, CEng MIChemE graduated from the School of Chemical Engineering, UCD in 1988. Kevin has worked in the pharmaceutical sector for over 20 years and is process engineer-ing manager with Jacobs Ireland.


Graduating from UCD Chemical Engineering in 2011, Lisa McDonald, has already had the opportunity to work on one of the biggest pharma projects in the country: “I spent four months in the Jacobs design office working on the Pfizer Grange Castle Network Strategy Implementation projects (NSI). All areas of the project were being prepared to be ‘issued for construction’ including equipment packages and process P&IDs, which were my main area of focus. I am currently working in Pfizer Grange Castle as a verification engineer on the NSI Suite 2 project.”

Life is never dull!John Hannon is a 25-year-old process engineer with PM Group. He qualified two years ago from University College Cork and is currently working on the design of a large biotech manufacturing facility: “At the moment I’m involved in the design of chemical distribution systems. That includes everything from piping to pumps to calcula-tions,” says John. “Since college I’ve worked on an API project and this is my second bio project so I’m building on the tools I learned in UCC and getting great experience. I like going to site too. It gives me the chance to interact with people from lots of disciplines – other engineers, construction people, EHS, QA, QC, etc. In a way, I’m running my own mini-projects in that I have to get each job done right and completed on time. I get a buzz from seeing it all working well in the end. Life is never dull here! I’ll shortly be moving onto my next challenge in Belgium. I’ll be working on the commissioning and qualification of the biopharma plant that I helped design. I’m looking forward to living in Belgium, experiencing a new culture and meeting new people. This move will give me the opportunity to develop new skills.” Orla O'Connor chose chemical and process engineering at CIT because: "It combined the parts of science and maths that I found most interesting. The Chemical and Process Engineering department

at CIT focuses on the practical side of engineering and has well-established links with industry. After I graduated, I continued to study at CIT, obtaining a research masters in chemical engineering. This Masters was sponsored jointly by FMC Biopolymer and the Irish EPA. I really wanted to travel which was another key reason I chose chemical and process engineering. Since graduating from CIT, I have worked in the UK, Singapore and Germany before returning home to Ireland. I have worked for both process design companies (PM Group and Jacobs) and manufacturing companies (FMC Biopolymer, Novartis and GSK Biologicals).

“Working in Singapore was an interesting experience from a career and personal point of view. I worked for GSK Biologicals on the construc-tion, commissioning and qualification of their first vaccine facility in Asia. I spent two years working there where I got a tremendous opportunity to work with many of Asia’s diverse cultures.”

Value of graduate programmesAfter graduating from UCD with a BE in Chemical and Bioprocess Engineering in 2010, Ruth O’Neill joined Jacobs, the multinational engineering consultancy firm: “As a young chemical engineer work-ing in Ireland, I can honestly say that I've never had a dull moment. I’ve now been 18 months working with Jacobs and I have had the opportunity to be involved in a variety of high profile projects, work-ing alongside a number of the world leaders in the pharmaceutical industry. Ireland was Jacobs’ first overseas office, and it has contin-ued to thrive as one of the leading contributors to the company’s success. I get to work alongside chemists, schedulers, other engineers and clients to create and design efficient, safe and cost-effective methods of producing some of the top pharmaceutical medicines in the world. The diverse nature of my work as a chemical engineer has introduced me to a wide range of aspects of the pharmaceutical industry in Ireland. My daily tasks can range from presenting work

Generation pharma–graduates find what they’re looking for in thriving industryThe pharmaceutical industry in Ireland presents exciting opportunities for specialist industry professionals (engineers, scientists, architects) who are directly involved in the design, construction, qualification, operation and maintenance of these facilities. For the young engineering graduates featured here the reality of working in the sector has matched and, in many cases, exceeded their expectations

Denise Croker Oliver Fay Ann Galvin Fionnuala Hayes

Sarah Hinchin Richard Keogh Kate Ohle

Lisa McDonald Orla O’Connor Ruth O’Neill Emer Somers

John Hannon


to a client to coordinating with other offices around the globe to production scheduling and capacity analysis. I am currently working as a design engineer based in the Jacobs Dublin head office where I am involved in the design of a Fill Finish expansion project for Amgen, Dún Laoghaire.”

“Working in the design world has given me the opportunity to take on highly technical responsibilities, while also introducing me to the world of project management. Being involved in a graduate programme in Ireland means that I am getting continuous training as a professional engineer and gaining experience that will be valu-able in developing my future career.” Ruth has just been seconded to the Jacobs Paris office to work on the design of a major pharma-ceutical facility.Chemical engineer Oliver Fay graduated from UCD in 2006: “I have more than five years’ experience as a process engineer in the design, installation, commissioning and validation of biopharma and fill and finish facilities. I really enjoy the diversity in my work, from crouching down to fix a particle sensor under an e-beam system, which uses an electron beam to sterilise packs containing syringes, to altering the design of an autoclave for installation at a client’s site. Currently

on the Pfizer Grangecastle site, I am involved in the installation and testing of equipment before handover to production.”Ann Galvin graduated in 2010 and was fortunate enough to obtain a place on the Jacobs design team of a high profile biotech project at the concept stage: “I was able to follow the project through to construction and see it when it was built in the field. My work included drawing and developing process flow diagrams, performing utility load and sizing calculations, and specifying and buying process equipment, as well as liaising with the client and with vendors around the world. I also had the opportunity to get involved with the hazard and operability studies (HAZOP) for the project, which allowed me to gain a greater understanding of the process, particularly from a safety point of view.

“All of these activities allowed me to gain great exposure to both the technical and non-technical sides of working on a large scale project and I have come to appreciate that the benefits of working in a design office, particularly for a young engineer, are numerous. In addition to performing challenging engineering work day-to-day, there is great opportunity to grow and expand technical skills through training courses and by working alongside the leading engineers in our field. Many design consultancies offer graduate development programmes


that are tailored towards helping young engineers become Chartered Engineers, but which also facilitate networking with other young engineers globally.”Emer Somers graduated from Univer-sity College Dublin last year with a 2.1 honours degree in Chemical Engi-neering: “My initial plan was to go to Newcastle University in September and do a masters in Chemical Engineering, but that changed after I completed a summer internship working for Jacobs and realised how interesting the work was and how much I enjoyed working as an engineer and learning new things.

“While in college I learnt a lot from my final-year design project, for Pfizer in Ringaskiddy, during which I not only designed a bubble column but I also learned how to organise meetings effectively, present to the client and my university mentors, and to work as a team member with my peers and more expe-rienced engineers. Since graduating, I have built on this experience and have learnt a lot of new skills through my work with Jacobs. Chemical engineering is a good base degree for any further educa-tion, either in engineering, science or business. Chemical engineering in UCD is accredited as a masters by IChemE UK. I have found I am using a lot of the skills and knowledge I learnt through my degree in my job every day.”

From concept to realityAfter a number of years in university, 2010 UCD chemical engineering gradu-ate Richard Keogh says: “It’s exciting to actually work in the industry and watch your theoretical design become a physi-cal reality. Every day provides an oppor-tunity to utilise the skill set developed

already nearly half This year’s class of ciT chemical and biopharmaceuTical engineers have found employmenT. nearly all

graduaTes over The pasT feW years have found WorK.”

cilian Ó súilleabháin charTered engineer,lecTurer, chemical and biopharma

engineering, corK insTiTuTe of Technology,


in university for practical purposes. Through teamwork and multi-discipline co-ordination, partnered with a strong work ethic, projects of the largest scale become manageable. Working as a process design engineer, having a ‘big picture’ attitude is essential. Along with speci-fying an array of equipment ranging from pumps to hydrogenators, understanding implications of the smallest changes both inside and outside your area of interest becomes necessary.“UCD 2008 graduate, Kate Ohle, has found herself working in some unusual locations: “My work places have included an office at a comfortable 20oC, working in a portacabin on a construction site, crawling up/under/between pipes across ceilings, and on top of a flat roof at sub-zero temperatures following the pipe lines. I have been a part of cross-functional project teams including other members of the design team, client team members, sub contractors, site maintenance person-nel, and operators. I enjoy the challenge of the different work environments, the experience I gain along the way, and the new team I get to work with during each project.

“I have still only had a flavour of what there is out there, and I am looking forward to the next project and developing as a process engineer. Since graduating, I have worked in Sweden, Holland, Belgium and Ireland. The aspects of engineering that I have been involved in include process design, quality, computer aided engineering, construction, and site safety, all related to pharmaceu-tical installations. Kate is currently on secondment, working on a biotechnology design project for Jacobs in Manchester.Nicola Magill has worked in the phar-maceutical industry with MSD Ballydine for the past three years as a chemical en-gineer: “I work in manufacturing which can be quite a fast-paced environment but I really enjoy it as there are always new and exciting challenges. I find each day is a new experience with new op-portunities to learn and I look forward to what I can learn tomorrow.”Fionnuala Hayes graduated with a de-gree in Process and Chemical Engineer-ing from UCC in 2011 and now works within the process development and commercialisation department with MSD Ballydine: “As an engineer, my work is varied, innovative and technically chal-lenging. In my first year with MSD, I have run a kilo-scale manufacturing campaign, acted as solvent recovery development engineer (developing recovery models as well as managing the installation and commissioning of a small-scale distilla-tion column) and as technical shift sup-port to the factory during the validation

of one of our new drugs. Engineering has been a fantastic career choice - the environment is stimulating and there’s never a dull moment on site.” Being an engineer has allowed Denise Croker, also of MSD Bal-lydine, to work in a diverse range of industries, including synthetic diamond technology, alumina refining and pharmaceuticals: “My role is constantly evolving to remain up to date with emerg-ing technologies and standards. Day-to-day work is interesting and challenging, usually focused around problem-solving and delivering results. I have had the opportunity to join professional groups, travel and work abroad and interact with a broad range of peers and colleagues. You will never be bored with a career in engineering.”

A Cure for our Economic Ills? Pharmaceuticals - Engineers Ireland

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