Synthetic Organic Chemist Review

by GSK

Best Student Employer

This review was submitted over 4 years ago, so some of the information it contains may no longer be relevant.

Rating

4.3/5
  • The Role
    4.8
  • The Company
    4.4
  • The Culture
    3.4

    The Role

  • 1. To what extent did you enjoy your work placement or internship?
  • I greatly enjoyed my placement. I have learned beyond the scope of my university degree and I have developed many soft skills in the process. This placement has given me more confidence and a greater understanding of my subject area. I enjoyed working at the forefront of research, trying to make medicines for people to live better lives.

    5/5

  • 2. To what extent did you feel valued by your colleagues?
  • I feel valued by my colleagues. The work I was doing was also valued and taken seriously, despite being an IP student. They took my work and my opinions seriously and they helped me if and when I was stuck. I knew that I could rely on my supervisor and my team.

    5/5

  • 3. To what extent were you given support and guidance by management/your supervisor(s)?
  • I had a great supervisor that allowed me to be responsible for my own learning. There was no babysitting or spoon-feeding, I was very much responsible for my work and if I was stuck or had a question, I would approach my supervisor who would then explain everything to me until I understood. He would explain the theory behind what I was doing and why I'm doing it.

    5/5

  • 4. How busy were you on a daily basis?
  • I was very busy on a daily basis, but that was my own choice. I was given a certain list of compounds to make for a particular series and I could choose how many experiments I wanted to do daily. If I found that I was running out of experiments to do I would approach my supervisor for some more work.

    5/5

  • 5. How much responsibility were you given during your placement?
  • I was part of a team, but I was responsible for my side of the project. No one would repeat my experiments, the data produced from my compounds was used to inform the project and decide a way forward. I felt like I was making a real contribution to the project and my supervisor trusted that the work I was doing was done well.

    5/5

  • 6. To what extent did/will the skills you developed, and training you received, assist you in your degree studies and beyond?
  • This placement has allowed me to develop both on a professional, scientific and personal level. I have learned so much whilst on placement, from being able to run experiments on my own to being able to talk to colleagues from different levels of seniority. I am extremely happy that I decided to do this placement.

    5/5

    The Company

  • 7. What was the general atmosphere in your office?
  • The office was a working atmosphere, where noise was kept to a minimum, however you could have a conversation with your colleagues if you wanted to. However, in the lab adjoining the office, we were able to play music and enjoy our time as we were running and preparing experiments. The lab I was in was very social, we always had a laugh.

    5/5

  • 8. How well organised was the overall work placement or internship set up?
  • It was very well organised! Before you begin your placement in August, you are invited to a Familiarisation Day in June, where you meet your supervisor and all the other IP students on site. It's a great day to find housemates and get to know some people. During the placement you are a part of a team and all the work you do is driven by the project.

    5/5

  • 9. In terms of personal training and development, to what extent did the company or firm invest in you?
  • During our first week, all the chemists went for a week away to Bristol Uni, to do a training week in some of the commonly used chemistry techniques and experiments. It was meant to get everyone up to speed with working in the lab safely and efficiently. It was also a great social experience to meet the other chemists in GSK. The rest of the placement was mainly driven by the project and the support from your supervisor. There were many lectures going on throughout the week from GSK and outside speakers that everyone could attend and enrich their knowledge.

    5/5

  • 10. What were the perks on your work placement?
  • Flexi Time

    Subsidised/Company Gym

    Company Parties/Events

    Staff Sales/Staff Shop

    Above 25 days holiday

    4/5

  • 11. How appealing are future employment prospects within the organisation?
  • GSK has a Future Leaders Program in a wide range of the business area. You can apply for a graduate program within research and development or you could move into a business sector. They also have opportunities to do a PhD in industry in chemistry with GSK in collaboration with Strathclyde Uni. There are a few opportunities but all are extremely competitive.

    4/5

    The Culture

  • 12. Was there a good social scene amongst any fellow placement students/colleagues?
  • At the beginning of the year you can apply to be in IPUnite - a team that organises social events for IP students. They organised quite a few social event s in and outside of work. The boat party towards the end of the year is a great experience. Some students would go out often and do trips together, and some would focus on their uni work as some universities have a large workload for students on placement.

    4/5

  • 13. What was the cost of living and socialising in the area you worked in?
  • GSK is based in Stevenage which isn't the most glamorous area, however it also avoids London prices, so you can get a drink relatively cheap. You are also very close to London with only a 25 min train journey to Kings Cross. There are quite a few opportunities for socialising depending on the night you want to have.

    4/5

  • 14. What was the Nightlife like in the area you worked?
  • GSK is based in Stevenage which isn't the most social, there are quite a few bars but no real nightclub. However London is not far away if someone wants to go on a nice night out.

    4/5

  • 15. Were there many opportunities to get involved in activities outside of work?
  • There are quite a few sports teams at GSK that play matches during lunchtime. You can also sign up to the gym that is on site, which is quite cheap. There are quite a few restaurants and pubs where we sometimes go after work to socialise, but otherwise there isn't much to do in Stevenage.

    3/5

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Details

Placement (10 Months+)

London

May 2019


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