Consumer Healthcare Research and Development Industrial Placement 2022

We are recruiting for multiple roles within this advert. You will be able to select your preferences and we will accommodate these where possible. 

Why Consumer Healthcare?

In GSK Consumer Healthcare, we are on an incredible journey as we prepare to create a new, standalone, world leading company with a 100% single-minded focus on everyday health. We are doing this at a time when the work we do has never mattered more. With the COVID pandemic, people are increasingly looking for ways to manage their own health and wellbeing and to take care of their families.

This is where we come in. With category leading brands such as Sensodyne, Voltaren and Centrum, built on trusted science and human understanding, and combined with our passion, knowledge and expertise, we are uniquely placed to deliver better everyday health to millions of people around the world and grow a strong, successful business.  This is an opportunity to be part of something special.

Microbiologist Role

The microbiology placement in our R&D facility in Weybridge will give you hands-on practical application of the theory from university. Our Weybridge site develop principally oral health care products but as a global function the microbiology team also work on respiratory and pain products. You will be trained and tasked with microbiology responsibilities for developing and managing R&D projects and building capability aligned to the needs of business and consumer insights. Successful learnings from this project will help with the design of future products going to market to benefit our consumers.

What will you do?

• Lead microbiology research projects, by first seeking to understand key objectives, success criteria, deliverables & timings and structuring your work accordingly
• Take accountability for project leadership, providing early communication if there is a risk of not meeting a deliverable.   
• Design meaningful experiments (Design to Value) and conduct laboratory work to good scientific practices and GMP  
• Maintain laboratory notebooks and documentation relevant to the duties and responsibilities assigned
• Review scientific literature to bring new ideas and potential technical solutions
•  Prioritise work in accordance with he needs of the business
• Adopt a strong teamwork ethos, showing a willingness to contribute to other projects (both Innovation and NPD) and also disseminate projects learnings to build the wider groups capabilities 
• Write technical papers/presentations/reports to enhance personal, departmental and corporate reputation 
• Seek advice from colleagues and Management when unexpected results occur or when major changes to project plans are considered and acts pro-actively to address these
• Look for innovative improvements and better ways of working whilst working to eliminate non-value-added steps out of processes and procedures
• Ensures all work is conducted to appropriate EHS and Quality requirements as appropriate  

Throughout this role, you will be applying the skills you already have and developing new skills such as team working, effective communication and time management with a leading Consumer Healthcare company.

You will work with and learn from an experienced team. They will coach and mentor you during your year to help you achieve your potential. Successful findings from your project could be used to help shape the future design of consumer health care products on the market!

What will you need?

• An academic background in microbiology/biomedical or life sciences  
• A passion for Microbiology in a consumer healthcare R&D environment  
• Attention to details  
• Accountability and a drive to get things done  
• Team player  
• Continuous improvement mindset  
• Excel/Data skills  
• Experience in biofilms and virology would be advantageous though not essential as the candidate’s ability to utilise technical problem solving would be of greater value for this role. The necessary Microbiology training needed for this project will be provided

Sensory Science within the Consumer Science and Product Understanding Group Role

You will work on a wide range of consumer science research projects across all stages of the new product innovation process, from early stage qualitative exploration research to iterative prototype testing to final prototype validation quantitative studies.   

What will you do?

• Engage with people both internally and externally  
• Work on a wide range of consumer research projects across the Oral Health category  
• Ensure all studies are completed according to relevant SOPs (Standard Operating Procedures) and compliance requirements, including documenting all compliance requirements in the online study management system.  
• Designing and executing consumer research studies, leveraging the appropriate methodologies (qualitative/quantitative/hybrid) to deliver the business objective of the research   
• Working with key stakeholders to get consumer studies approved. Managing the timelines and communications with research agencies on critical study steps such as release/shipment of test samples, recruitment of consumers, fieldwork, etc    
• Understand consumer needs and expectations and how these can be translated to product attributes and user experience  
• Gain experience and first-hand knowledge whilst working on several critical projects 

What will you need?

• Ability to build strong relationships with colleagues  
• Be well-organised, flexible thinking individual demonstrating strong problem-solving skills  
• Passionate about product understanding, proactive at all times  
• Good communication and presentation skills   
• Good ability to work with different teams from R&D to commercial  
• Demonstrated ability to take a proactive approach and work on own initiative  

Innovation Scientist (Oral Health Innovation) Role

You will work as an Innovation Scientist in Consumer Healthcare, in the Oral Healthcare category, supporting the development of new products from consumer insights, innovation conception right through to formulation. The Innovation Scientist will support the invention and development of oral care products by developing formulations and providing analysis and evaluation of material and products at all stages of the process, considering scientific and timing objectives.

This individual would have various levels of involvement in areas which may be as diverse as; problem solving, validation of laboratory models, development and validation of analytical methods and development and scale-up of formulations. Areas of focus in the group are microbiology, cell biology, materials science, surface science, inorganic and organic chemistry, surfactants and polymers and therefore an interest in one or more of these areas would be expected.

Key Responsibilities 

• Works on or contributes to the evaluation of new product ideas, opportunities or technologies and successfully helps transition them into the development pipeline  
• Work on initiatives to visualise the mode of action of products/treatments on tooth enamel, dentine and oral soft tissues  
• Considers or seeks the voice of the consumer in the evaluation of new ideas, opportunities or technologies and helps to establish early consumer input into early stage projects  
• Manages or contributes to one or more projects in support of departmental plans. Exercises a wide degree of technical sophistication in accomplishing assigned objectives  
• Design experiments and carry out scientific work with an awareness of state-of-the-art technology. Creates research plans to fit overall project objectives  
• Maintain awareness of scientific literature to assist work progression and understanding
• Write or contributes to technical papers, with agreement of superiors, to enhance personal and departmental reputation   
• Maintain precise experimental records; issues reports at project milestones; writes invention records to protect scientific discoveries   
• Set and reset priorities to remain focused on objectives in rapidly changing circumstances  
• Ensure all work is conducted in accordance with written procedures (e.g. quality and safety), methods & batch documents, etc.  
• Identify, challenge, develop and implement written procedures (e.g. quality and safety), methods & batch documents, etc.  
• Ensure all work is conducted following good scientific practice (always) and Good Manufacturing Practice (where required).  
• Takes responsibility for specific equipment in accordance with site procedures
• Produce or contribute to, departmental quality documentation (including SOP’s, batch documentation, validation protocols & reports)
• Highlight own training needs and working with manager develop a training plan and achieve training goals  
• Specific safety and quality responsibilities for department and site (e.g. GMP, Audits, Health & Safety)
• Responsible for the development and implementation of the technical transfer of methods or processes

What will you need?

• Ability to apply scientific principles and techniques to assigned projects  
• Clear communicator in both oral and written form with both internal departments and external organisations  
• Demonstrates ability to take initiative, think and work independently, problem-solve, work effectively in teams, and multitask
• An ability to organise and report study data from internal and external sources
• Flair for creativity and innovation  
• Computer literate
• Basic understanding of statistics and its application to experimental work
• Clear communicator in both oral and written form with both internal departments and external organisations 
• Ability to influence senior stakeholders  
• Well-developed negotiation and influencing skills  
• Demonstrates ability to take initiative, think and work independently, problem-solve, work effectively in teams, and multitask 
• An ability to organise, analyse and report data from internal and external sources 
• Ability to manage and communicate across diverse cultures, time zones and geographies

Degree Requirements

You will be studying a Chemical, Biomedical, Physical, Biological, Microbiology, Science, Life Science or relevant engineering degree. You will have completed a minimum of 2 years of your undergraduate degree, but will not have graduated at the start of your placement. You may be expected to provide evidence from your university to show you will be an undergraduate student for the duration of the placement year and they are supportive of your placement.

Application Deadline

We recommend you apply as soon as possible, because we accept ongoing applications and will close this vacancy once we have enough applications. This placement lasts, approximately, 1 year and will start on the Summer of 2022.

Benefits

• A salary of £21,000, plus a bonus  
• Access to GSK resources such as employee assistance programmes, private healthcare, and training and development

Get to grips with our Recruitment Process

If you have what we’re looking for apply today!

This opportunity has the following recruitment stages you must successfully pass to be offered a placement year with GSK for 2022:

• Eligibility Form
• World of GSK Online Assessment
• Application Form
• Virtual Assessment Centre  

You’ll find hints, tips and guidance on our recruitment process on our website.

We have changed the way we recruit in light of the COVID-19 pandemic, you can learn more about how our practices have adapted here. 

We’re 100% open to all talent – whatever your gender, marital status, religion, age, colour, race, sexual orientation, nationality or disability. We want to recruit the right people for GSK from the widest possible backgrounds, so we can better serve the diversity of our patients and consumers. And also because it’s the right thing to do. You can learn more about Inclusion and diversity at GSK here. 

Need help with your application?

Please email us at  UK.InternRecruitment@gsk.com and let us know how we can help you. Or email us your number and we’ll call you back. We’ll make all reasonable modifications to support you throughout the recruitment process and we’ll treat all information you give us in confidence. Please get in touch to help us process your application as soon as possible. 

As a company driven by our values of Patient focus, Transparency, Respect and Integrity, we know inclusion and diversity are essential for us to be able to succeed. We want all our colleagues to thrive at GSK bringing their unique experiences, ensuring they feel good and to keep growing their careers. As a candidate for a role, we want you to feel the same way.

As an Equal Opportunity Employer, we are open to all talent. In the US, we also adhere to Affirmative Action principles. This ensures that all qualified applicants will receive equal consideration for employment without regard to race/ethnicity, colour, national origin, religion, gender, pregnancy, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity/expression, age, disability, genetic information, military service, covered/protected veteran status or any other federal, state or local protected class*(*US only).

We believe in an agile working culture for all our roles. If flexibility is important to you, we encourage you to explore with our hiring team what the opportunities are.

Please don’t hesitate to contact us if you’d like to discuss any adjustments to our process which might help you demonstrate your strengths and capabilities. You can either call us on 0808 234 4391, or send an email ukdiversity.recruitment@gsk.com

As you apply, we will ask you to share some personal information which is entirely voluntary. We want to have an opportunity to consider a diverse pool of qualified candidates and this information will assist us in meeting that objective and in understanding how well we are doing against our inclusion and diversity ambitions. We would really appreciate it if you could take a few moments to complete it.  Rest assured, Hiring Managers do not have access to this information and we will treat your information confidentially.

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