I am a Nuclear Chemistry Engineer and Water Clarity Project Lead for EDF Energy. My role involves project management for water clarity projects in nuclear power stations.

After finishing an MRes in Chemistry at Bath I joined EDF’s graduate scheme. During this time I learnt French and moved to Paris to join the primary group, where I am based today.

My working week

Over the course of a week, I have significant technical input as well as contribute to the direction of the projects, for example interactions with the Research and Development team. I have meetings with colleagues, suppliers, research and development, amongst others. I’ll spend around 50% of my time writing my technical work.

Taking on the technical challenge

The thing I enjoy most about my role is blending specialist capabilities with communication skills and seeing a real result at the end. I also enjoy working solely in French. Challenges include finding a good balance between technical inputs. In order for the company to make a profit, I need to consider all constraints of a project. In the future, I would like to build on my experience and move into project management.

Gaining technical expertise

Studying for a master’s at Bath gave me the knowledge to be competent and respected in my field. It taught me how to treat problems critically.

I would advise any prospective student that a strong educational history is vital for career development. The degree opened doors for me, allowing me to not only show my technical expertise but also the softer skills which are required at the workplace.