Tag: EMEA

Not your typical engineering path: Laura Corbella speaks to building trust, one hospital at a time

A challenging start in biomedical engineering

My name is Laura and I am a biomedical engineer in Spain. My early career path wasn’t straightforward. After completing my Bachelor’s degree in Biomedical Engineering, I faced a common challenge for job seekers in Madrid—limited industry opportunities in a market dominated by distributors rather than manufacturers. This lack of opportunities led me to pursue my Master’s degree in Ireland, with a focus on product design and biomedical engineering research and development (R&D).

Navigating change during the COVID pandemic

The COVID-19 pandemic threw my carefully laid plans into disarray. When everything started shutting down, I decided to return to Spain due to concerns about family members with delicate health conditions and travel restrictions. This unexpected move forced me to completely reimagine my career path.

Finding my place at Radiometer

I decided to pursue a career as a Field Service Engineer (FSE) to help customers fix issues with their medical instruments. I initially applied for a role with Danaher at a different Operating Company, but that didn’t work out. However, the recruiter recommended that I apply for an FSE position with Radiometer. During the interview with my future manager, we instantly connected on our vision and approach—a connection that would prove invaluable as I started my job at Radiometer.

Breaking ground as an early professional Field Service Engineer

Being the only female FSE in Spain and Portugal came with a unique set of challenges. Starting this role at a much younger age than the other FSEs, I often faced skepticism due to my lack of experience. Customers would watch me work and sometimes ask, “Are you sure you can put this back together?” These moments taught me to handle doubt with confidence and professionalism.

Growing into leadership

Four years later, I have progressed in my career from FSE to Area Manager, overseeing central and northern Spain, as well as the Catalonia region, while also leading a new call center project. What drives me? Two things: the satisfaction of fixing broken equipment and knowing that my work impacts patient care through medical diagnostics.

Working at Radiometer

What sets Radiometer apart is its culture. Seeing colleagues stay here for 30-40 years speaks volumes about the company. Our Spanish team operates like a family, making even the toughest days manageable. When you work with people you genuinely care about, it transforms the entire experience.

Advice for future FSEs

The FSE role isn’t for everyone. It requires a flexible schedule, as you don’t have a 9-to-5 job, the ability to adapt to the varied challenges of fieldwork and strong stress management skills. Success here is about having the right personality and attitude, embracing challenges and finding practical solutions.

Looking forward

There are excellent opportunities to develop your career at Radiometer. My own journey from FSE to Area Manager demonstrates the potential for advancement available here. And I have seen colleagues grow both within the company and throughout the Danaher enterprise. As long as you possess dedication, adaptability, and eagerness to learn and grow professionally, opportunities will be available.

Looking back, the unexpected changes during the COVID-19 pandemic led me exactly where I needed to be. Sometimes the best opportunities come disguised as challenges, and I’m grateful for every step of my journey at Radiometer. For those considering this path, remember that the right attitude and determination can open doors you never expected.

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May 26, 2025
4 Things I’ve Learned on My Journey to CIO – Bryan Smith Shares Some Perks of the Danaher Culture
Some people know their career inclinations early on. Not Bryan Smith. When he joined Pall (a Danaher business) in 1996, he admits he was still figuring out what he wanted to be when he “grew up.” Today, 29 years later, Bryan channels his diverse experiences gained over three decades into his current role as Pall’s Chief Information Officer.

Here are some of his valuable learnings:

Danaher’s unique offerings gave Bryan Smith, Pall CIO, a unique and unexpected rise to leadership.

1. Career paths aren’t always a straight line.

Bryan started working for Pall in an unassuming role—production control at Pall’s Portsmouth (UK) manufacturing plant. Over time, his interest in IT slowly grew.

“I’ve always had an appreciation for solving problems and attention to detail, and through my early career roles, my interest in IT-related topics slowly developed. That, coupled with the explosion in IT, e-commerce and the internet, encouraged my interest in continually learning and developing in this field.”

Setting his sights on a career in IT, Bryan decided to go to college and gain formal IT qualifications. He moved into his first IT role in 2003, working for Pall’s Business Systems team. From there, Bryan worked in a variety of IT functions over the years supporting project management, digital transformation, HR systems and enterprise architecture. He also worked on some major projects, such as Pall’s global SAP rollout.

“When Pall joined the Danaher family in 2015, I had a number of opportunities to support other Danaher operating companies—all of which have been great stepping-stones for my career growth,” he said.

All of Bryan’s experience and leadership roles culminated in his promotion to Chief Innovation Officer in November 2023.

2. Danaher’s multi-business structure provides diverse career opportunities.

In Bryan’s experience, Danaher’s global footprint and common culture provide a unique opportunity to have a varied career with relatively low risk, as opposed to changing companies and the unknowns that can bring.

One of Bryan’s most memorable experiences was supporting the acquisition of Cytiva (a Danaher business) from GE in 2020, a highly complex and strategic transition.

“My role involved ensuring a seamless IT separation and integration, while maintaining business continuity—something I likely wouldn’t have had the opportunity to do if not for the unique way Danaher operates,” he said. “Danaher’s multi-business structure, cross-functional collaboration, and unique Danaher Business System (DBS) tools enabled me to navigate the challenges of integrating a multi-billion-dollar business, while working with teams across different Danaher operating companies to deliver a successful outcome. That experience reinforced the immense value of strategic IT leadership in large-scale transformations and the impact of Danaher’s unique business model in making such initiatives possible.”

Bryan and his wife visiting St. Pierre, Wales (UK).

In his free time, Bryan enjoys traveling with his wife around Europe and the UK (shown here in London).

3. With DBS, everyone can accelerate innovation to make measurable improvements.

Danaher’s culture of continuous improvement means never settling for the status quo. At Pall, Bryan leverages DBS to challenge inefficiencies, enhance customer experiences, and drive innovation. This mindset ensures that every project—whether optimizing IT service management or modernizing our SAP landscape—is approached with a focus on long-term sustainability and measurable impact.

“A great example of a way in which we used DBS tools to solve a real challenge was in improving our employee onboarding process, which was performing poorly and sometimes led to new hires waiting up to seven days to receive their IT equipment,” explained Bryan. “This delay negatively impacted their productivity and first impressions of the company.”

“Using DBS tools, we analyzed every step of the onboarding workflow to pinpoint the root causes of delays,” he said. “From there, we streamlined approvals, improved coordination between teams, and eliminated bottlenecks. As a result, we reduced lead times and now ensure 100% of new hires receive their IT equipment on day one, significantly enhancing their onboarding experience and early engagement.”

4. Even functions like IT contribute to meaningful global impact.

Danaher provides a unique environment where IT isn’t just a support function—it’s a strategic enabler of business success. The company’s commitment to continuous improvement through DBS ensures that innovation, efficiency, and problem-solving are deeply embedded in everyday work.

According to Bryan, “IT professionals looking for impactful careers will find that Danaher’s multi-business structure offers diverse opportunities for growth, cross-functional collaboration, and exposure to cutting-edge technologies.”

Want to make a impact working in Life Sciences?

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Read other stories about life at Danaher:
- April 24, 2025
  
  4 Things I’ve Learned on My Journey to CIO – Bryan Smith Shares Some Perks of the Danaher Culture
- February 12, 2025
  
  Four Companies in 10 Years: Marcy Engelstein’s Dynamic Career Journey with Danaher
- June 22, 2023
  
  Tam Emerson on Cultural Change and Pushing Pall Forward
April 24, 2025
An Introduction to Danaher University Programs
Norman Jones, Director of Global University Recruitment, sits down with the Internship Show to share insight into Danaher’s University Recruitment programs.

Press play to hear him speak about the opportunities at Danaher for early professionals!

Norman Jones is the Global Director of University Recruitment at Danaher. He has 17 years of experience working in Inclusion, Employment Brand, Strategic Partnerships and Talent Acquisition. His primary role is overseeing all of Danaher’s early career recruitment activities, including interns and full-time hires from universities.

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Unlock a world of possibilities with exciting student opportunities at Danaher. Dive into the Jump Program or explore a range of dynamic internship options that can shape your future and enhance your skills.

Learn more about early careers at Danaher

Click here to read the full transcript

Parker Pell: On this episode of the internship show, we speak with Norman Jones from Danaher. Norman talks about their internship and full-time opportunities within their university programs, shares why he loves working at Danaher and so much more. Stay tuned, the show is coming up next.

Parker Pell: Norman, thanks much for taking the time and joining the show.

Norman Jones: Thanks for having me here, Parker.

Parker Pell: Super excited to dive into all things Danaher and Danaher’s university programs in our conversation today. But just for starters, do you mind just introducing yourself and talking a bit about your role at Danaher to the audience?

Norman Jones: Sure. My name is Norman Jones. I am the Global Director of University Recruitment here at Danaher. I’ll hit my two-year mark at the end of August of this year. And my main job is to make sure that we’re bringing in early career talent, whether it’s interns or full-time hires from universities. And I could be undergrad, masters, PhD and MBA talent to be the future leaders of our company. So happy to be here with you and to engage with you.

Parker Pell: Excited as well. And I mean, let’s introduce Danaher for a second. For an audience that might not have heard of the company before. Can you talk a bit about who is Danaher and talk about what the company does as well?

Norman Jones: Danaher is a leading global life sciences and diagnostics innovator, helping to solve many of the world’s most important health challenges. Ultimately, improving quality of life for billions of people today while setting the foundation for a healthier and more sustainable tomorrow.

Parker Pell: And I’m always curious when we bring guests on the show. To hear your perspective, Norman, what do you love about working at Danaher?

Norman Jones: I love that at the end of the day, our main mission is to ensure we’re improving people’s health. It makes me proud to say I work at Danaher. Also, I have an amazing manager who believes in me and is actively developing me, which is important to me as a working professional. And lastly, I have an amazing team of recruiters that I get to lead as we bring on the future leaders of our organization.

Parker Pell: I love that Danaher is so invested in bringing in early talent, whether it’s intern or full-time individuals to the company to really make an impact. I’m curious, Norman, as your team is going out and recruiting this awesome talent, could you talk a bit about maybe some of the skills that you and the team are looking for in a candidate for whether it’s your internship or your full-time opportunities?

Norman Jones: Of course. For our intern and full-time, entry-level associate roles, we recruit for talent that has, that wants to leverage their degrees in whether it’s in the corporate environment, the R&D space, or the manufacturing supply chain space. So some majors we’re recruiting for include accounting and finance, biology, chemistry, engineering, whether it’s mechanical, biomedical, electrical, computer, industrial.

Parker Pell: I love to hear that, Norman. And I mean, for students that show those skills and get that opportunity to come and join Danaher, I want to focus a bit on the internship program for a second. Can you give us an overview of what the internship program is going to look like for a Danaher intern?

Norman Jones: Yeah. So our internship program here at Danaher is 12 weeks long. Typically, sometimes 10 depending on a school timeframe of some students and where they go to school at. But typically, it is 12 weeks long. And even before you start our internship, our intern program lead is reaching out to you to get to know you, to get you excited about coming on to Danaher. We work with the hiring manager to make sure that there’s meaningful work that the interns are going to be doing, that they’re going to find to be a value add to their future. And then once you come on board, it’s all about how to make sure you’re doing great work that’s going to be beneficial to Danaher but also having fun. So we work hard to make sure that while you’re learning a lot that you can add to your resume, you’re also building camaraderie amongst other interns here. So we work very hard to build engagement, bring people together, celebrate you, do lunch and learns, do executive talks where we bring leaders in to engage with you. And just make sure at the end of the day, you had a great experience overall.

Parker Pell: We know that community and that engagement is really what students are looking for when they’re choosing a company, obviously, to go in intern for. You talked about those lunch and learns, maybe the executive speaker series, any other kind of workshops or events y’all are hosting throughout the program that you could speak to, that interns are going to have the opportunity to attend?

Norman Jones: Yeah, I think one of our biggest things that we do is we bring the interns together for what we call DBS week. We DBS stands for Danaher Business System. It’s our core values. It’s our culture. It’s what we live and breathe here at Danaher.

So we bring our interns together at a location somewhere in the US for a week long immersion into DBS. We bring on one of our DBS experts who come in and facilitate what DBS is, whether it’s educating them on what kaizen’s are and putting them through a mini kaizen, whether it’s putting them through PSP, which stands for Problem Solving Processes, whether it’s talking about the five Y’s to get to the root of the problem. So we try to have that immersion where you get to learn what we live and breathe here at Danaher because our hope is that you’ll be able to take that back to your school environment and apply DBS as you’re working through problems in class or preparing for exams or team presentations. So DBS is a huge thing for us and bringing those interns together is a great way for them to learn truly what makes Danaher, Danaher, but also allows them to engage with each other in person because we have interns flying in from all over the country.

Parker Pell: I think that’s so cool and such a unique component to Danaher’s internship program, right? Because they’re getting that experience, obviously, of interning, working at Danaher, getting to network, but the practicality behind what they’re learning throughout their internship and being able to apply that back to when they’re in school, right? I think it’s just invaluable. And I’m sure that Danaher interns are loving their experience. Do you have any feedback from former Danaher interns that you could share about kind of what generally they’ve said their experience has been like?

Norman Jones: Yeah, of course. And I’m one who likes to focus on both positives and areas for development. You know, sometimes I’m not going to just tell you all the great things that interns have said because I don’t think that’s realistic. No internship is 100% perfect. But with regards to the positives, we’ve heard interns say that they love the experience because they felt like they really got to do meaningful work. We’ve had interns talk about how they love the culture of the operating company that they’re a part of. We’ve had interns talk about how they love coming together. We really got the network and bond with other interns, how they really enjoyed that DBS week. We’ve had also some other interns who gave us feedback on how we could be better. You know, I mean, like I said, at Danaher, we’re all always about continuous improvement. How can we continue continuously get better because that’s what we strive for.

We feel that perfection is never really something you can obtain or something you’re always reaching for. You know, so we asked our interns for feedback that let us know what we could do better so they could have a better experience. You know, so we do want the instructive feedback as well as the positive feedback.

Parker Pell: I love that though, because it’s a two-way street, right? And I think that the receptiveness for a company like Danaher to feedback from interns even goes farther to elevate y’all’s program overall. And you’re putting a ton into bringing in this early career talent into Danaher to really make an impact. Norman, as your team thinks about the goals for the internship program, what would some of those be?

Norman Jones: Yep. And I can tell you now, Parker, we have four goals that we always set for ourselves. And we stand by the first goal, is for interns to have a meaningful internship experience, where they can put where they can apply what they’ve learned in their classes in a work environment. Our second goal, is for our interns to experience our culture of learning, teamwork, knowledge sharing and continuous improvement. Our third goal, is to make the internship a fun experience for all of our interns. And our last goal is conversion. We want to ensure that all our interns that are successful are converted, whether it’s to come back as a full time associate the following year, or to come back as a returning intern the following summer.

Parker Pell: Norman, this has been so fun to not only learn about Danaher, the company, but also Danaher’s university programs, both intern and full time and all the investment that y’all are putting into delivering this awesome experience for early talent that gets an opportunity to join Danaher. I’d love for us to close out the show, and it’s going to be a tough question. But if you wanted a listener to leave the show, knowing kind of one thing about Danaher or about other of the programs that we’ve discussed today, what would you want to leave listeners with?

Norman Jones: I would like a listener to know that Danaher is a great place to start, grow and end your career. You know, I’ve been here for almost two years, and I don’t see myself leaving anytime soon. I thoroughly enjoy the work I do. But more importantly, I really enjoy the people I work with. And again, like I said, at the end of the day, our mission here is to improve the lives of every human on this planet. And for me, that’s made me so proud to say how we’re going to Danaher.

Parker Pell: Couldn’t agree with you more, Norman. Thanks so much again for the time today. We really appreciate the conversation.

Norman Jones: Thank you, Parker. It was great talking to you.

Parker Pell: So fun chatting with Norman to learn about Danaher, Danaher’s university programs, and so much more about everything early career going on at their company. Stay tuned for the next episode of The Internship Show and have a great day.

Explore more stories from Danaher associates
April 17, 2025
Innovation at Danaher Diagnostics

At Danaher, we are committed to advancing precision medicine through innovative diagnostic solutions and enabling healthcare providers to diagnose disease with unprecedented speed and accuracy. We foster innovation through collaboration across our diverse businesses and cutting-edge technologies.

Hear from some of our top associates on why they love working at Danaher’s diagnostics companies and about the impact of their work on patient outcomes around the world.

Want to learn more? Explore the links below:

Search jobs with Danaher’s Diagnostics Companies

Learn more about Danaher Diagnostics

March 1, 2025
From Intern to Impact: An Electrical Engineer’s Journey at Radiometer

My name is Zana Dauti and I have worked at Radiometer for over seven years. I started as an intern and was only supposed to stay for six months but fell in love with the culture and purpose of our work. As an Electrical Engineer, I work in the test and manufacturing processes department. This serves as the link between research and development (R&D) and production. My team ensures that products are ready for manufacturing and handles any additional testing or documentation needed.

My role involves working with test equipment and software for electrical circuit boards. We take the functional requirements from R&D and find solutions to create a production-friendly version of the prototypes. It can be challenging, but it’s rewarding to see our products used with the knowledge that they are helping people in critical health situations.

Our work at Radiometer is incredibly meaningful, creating medical devices that help save lives. It’s fulfilling to be part of such an important mission and to know that our work has a real impact.

Harnessing Potential: A Culture of Growth and Support

Radiometer is an amazing place to work. One of the reasons is due to the supportive and encouraging environment. Even though I’m often younger than most of my colleagues and one of the few women in the department, I’ve always felt valued and respected. I appreciate that everyone is willing to lend a hand or point you in the right direction when you need help.

I’m currently working on duplicating some of our test equipment. This job is a balance between fun and necessity, and while the tasks aren’t always the most fun, knowing that my work positively impacts lives motivates me to get out of bed and come to work every morning.

The other half of my job involves developing alternatives to our existing products. I ensure that once our R&D team has identified an alternative component, all necessary documents and test processes are in place so that manufacturing can proceed smoothly.

In my professional growth and development, I have received tremendous support from my managers and colleagues at Radiometer. They have helped me improve my skills through various courses and have encouraged me to raise the bar. I’ve always had the freedom to take ownership of my tasks, and I am encouraged to make improvements to my work where I see fit within our regulatory limits. This freedom and support has greatly helped me grow professionally and personally.

The fact that Radiometer is part of Danaher has many advantages, especially in knowledge-sharing. Some of my colleagues are part of an interest group where they meet engineers from other companies within Danaher to discuss their work, challenges and solutions. It offers a chance to learn about the different testing systems and processes used at other companies and share knowledge more freely as we all play on the same team.

Internally, we have a monthly meeting among electrical engineers where we present specific projects and insights. This knowledge-sharing is invaluable and often sparks ideas for how to do things differently.

Trailblazing Women in STEM: Fostering a Culture of Inclusion

In my personal life, a lot has changed over the past seven years, but one constant has been my work at Radiometer; the strong connection to my colleagues and work makes this place feel like a second home. Our work environment is supportive and nurturing and places value on mental health.

Despite being the only woman on my team, I have found my place here and feel a sense of belonging. As an electrical engineer, I am first and foremost an engineer and focused on the job at hand. My team has always included me and gave me space to be myself. Despite being the only woman on my team, I have never felt like my voice isn’t heard.

I always recommend Radiometer as a workplace to my friends and other women in the field. I’ve noticed that generally, women tend to doubt themselves more and hesitate to apply for jobs if they do not meet all the qualifications. This is why it is crucial to break down these barriers and create a more inclusive workplace where everyone feels empowered, but also to be transparent outside the company and showcase our authentic culture. I believe we have a strong culture here at Radiometer and we should be proud of it.

Interested in joining Zana and the rest of the Radiometer team? Check out open roles across Danaher or join our talent community today.

December 7, 2023
How Structure and Transparency Help Johan Gärdsmark Lead HemoCue´s Firmware Team

Johan Gärdsmark, Manager of Firmware and Project Manager at HemoCue, strives for open communication when his team members face new challenges and steep learning curves. As they build new software and support HemoCue’s point-of-care blood diagnostics products, Johan’s perspective on teamwork and what success actually looks like comes from a surprising place: coaching his son’s volleyball team.

What is your role at HemoCue?

I’m the manager of our firmware team and a project manager here in Sweden. My team´s and my job is mostly about defining and designing features for new products. Another part of my role is to collaborate with my colleague in India, Shanti Pi, who leads the work with our cloud and application development.

The way I split my time varies. Depending on the situation, I may spend 20% of my time as a manager, 50% as a project manager and 30% on other activities, for example supporting people who need help.

How would you describe your leadership style?

As a software engineer, you have to be very structured and detail-focused. Because of my engineering background, I thrive in an action-oriented environment with clear decisions and responsibilities. I like when answers are black and white, but in reality, they are often in the grey zone. Nonetheless, they also need to be handled to drive action and decisions.

Transparency is important to me. I’m quite open with my team—as much as I can be—about plans and what’s happening. If someone is delayed, it’s never a problem to say, “This took much longer than we thought it would,” as long as they are vocal about it. It all comes down to keeping commitments, being completely transparent if there are problems, and communicating clearly and accurately.

Also, I’m very flexible about working hours. We have the privilege of working with software, and most of the time, it doesn’t really matter if you’re in the office or at home. If someone feels like they perform better at home, they are free to decide for themselves. On the other hand, it’s important to me that we have a good team atmosphere and I encourage the whole team to meet at least once a week.

As a coach to my son’s volleyball team, I see similarities between coaching that team and coaching team members here. It’s about team spirit, making everyone feel engaged and wanting to reach common goals together.

For example, we were at a volleyball tournament and we lost the bronze medal match. But I’m 100% sure everyone on the team was excited and had a great experience regardless. Even if the ultimate goal is to win, we can enjoy the challenge and celebrate our learnings which will make us stronger in the long run.

You touched on transparency. Can you speak more about how that comes into play on your team?

It can be seen in our daily work and how we collaborate. When we review each other’s code, there can be opposing opinions and conflicts, but I expect everyone to keep it at a professional level. It’s important to be open about defects. For example, if we identify a defect in software, I want my team to be open, not passing on problems to the next person. Obviously, it’s never good when we miss something, but we should celebrate the fact that we caught it before it reached the customer.

From a company perspective, my team members are viewed as experts in anything that has to do with software. That’s not always the case, but because we are small in numbers, we need to have a broad set of competencies rather than being specialized in one area. We must take on assignments that may require a big learning curve for us. For example, new technology platforms that may require a certain set of development tools, programming languages, architectures or design patterns.

Together, we’re getting started on that journey. We find a plan and learn from the experts. If someone is uncomfortable with an assignment because they feel like they lack the correct competence or experience and they’re open about that, then it becomes a discussion. That discussion might end up with me telling them I want to challenge them, and then I make sure to act as support throughout their journey.

What could someone new to HemoCue expect?

The first thing I noticed when I came to HemoCue was that everyone said “Hello” in the corridor, even though I didn’t know them. It’s a welcoming feeling. You have this closeness and access to the different departments. We take time to help each other because we have a common goal. It’s quite easy to get the bigger picture of what we’re doing and why we’re doing it.

We’re creating medical devices, so documentation and understanding the complete system are important. If you only want to code without really thinking about how it helps healthcare professionals, then HemoCue might not be the right company for you. Our focus is on the outcome and on stable, robust, reliable devices with a high focus on quality, so we’ll never do fast, progressive, weekly updates to our software.

What continues to draw you to HemoCue?

As I mentioned, we’re a small team, and at HemoCue that means we’re agile and flexible. That’s the advantage of being a small company. But that also means the priority can switch quite fast. You need to be willing to adapt and take ownership at work. If you’re willing to do that, it’s very engaging because then you have an opportunity to learn and grow.

I can honestly say that I never planned on staying at HemoCue for 12 years, but many factors have kept me here. I have been challenged, I have great colleagues and the atmosphere here overall has made me stay.

How could a new associate expect to grow professionally?

As soon as I joined, I became the expert at low-level development because I came with that background and there was no one else with those skills. I felt that I was responsible from the beginning. If someone joins who has expertise within a specific area that they want to develop in, they may soon become the expert with growing responsibilities.

Another great thing about working at HemoCue is that we can actually influence the customer’s experience of our new products. If you’re in an organization with thousands of people working on the product, you have a very, very small chance of doing that. For example, we’re developing a new product with a graphical user interface. Somebody on my team might say, “We should not use that icon; we should use this symbol instead.” And that feedback might be put to use straight away in the design process. You can really impact the design of the final product. That’s really, really cool.

What are you excited about?

I’m looking forward to further growing my team as software always seems to be on the critical path for every project. Also, to continue collaborating with Shanti and her team in India and see how we can grow together.

I’m also excited about our endless number of opportunities. We are a global company with several hundred thousand analyzers on the field in 130 countries, testing 400,000 patients per day. From a global health perspective, it’s mind-blowing to think about what we could do with that data.

But mostly, I’m looking forward to my team supporting the rest of the organization with new products.

Interested in joining our team? Check out open roles across Danaher or join our talent community today.

November 9, 2023
The Welcome Rewards of the Long Haul

Helen Kuroczycki never assumed she’d be working at IDBS for as long as she has, but she’s also never found a reason to leave. Her long and varied tenure reflects a career where one opportunity always leads to the next. Below, she explains what she’s working on and how she’s able to keep growing while staying put.

First, tell us about your background. What brought you to IDBS?

I originally thought I wanted to be a scientist. I studied to be a molecular microbiologist, and I loved being in the lab. Then, as I was working on my PhD, I realized that my interest in the science part was waning, but at the same time, I was developing a passion for computers. Even in the lab as a postgraduate, I was something of an unofficial de facto IT person, and I was always figuring out ways to work on projects on my computer. So I began considering a different career path.

My initiation into working at IDBS was a good example of being in the right place at the right time—and also being prepared. I was nearing the end of my PhD at University of Surrey and didn’t know what my next move was going to be. IDBS is based literally across the street from the campus, and a friend of a friend’s sister was working there as a consultant. She said, “Hey, they’re looking for software testers. People with a science background like you, but who also like IT.” I applied and got the job. It was a relief to get an IT job, but also know that my science background wasn’t going to waste.

Tell us about the many titles you’ve held over the past 17 years.

I started out on the Test team; I took every opportunity to learn about our software and build up my skill set, and I eventually became the Test team lead, responsible for managing the testing. I was on the Test team for about seven years, and then I had the chance to move into program management. So I kind of jumped ship from software testing to the software development side, making sure everything comes together for a software release. That was interesting because the role had typically gone to a software developer, and I didn’t have the exact technical skills, but my experience was relevant.

I went on to have a few different management positions, and I’d been in my role as a software engineering development manager for about four years when I realized that I wanted to move to the next level, but I didn’t want to go any further in Engineering. So I had a lot of open conversations with my boss at the time, and I identified gaps in my skill set—I wanted more commercial experience. And then I got the opportunity to join the Customer Success team.

I’ve been in my role as a customer success manager since last July, and it’s been a really great move for me because I’ve had the opportunity to build on skills I already had, pulling different parts of the organization together, but I’m also getting to work really closely with some account managers and the Services team to build out the commercial side of my skills gap.

Why do you think you’ve stayed at IDBS this long?

I’ve stayed partly because of growth opportunities and the ability to learn new things. The company was initially quite small when I started. There were eight to ten of us on the Test team and maybe only twice as many developers. Our small size meant I could do a lot of other people’s jobs—everyone kind of pitched in to do whatever was needed. I learned very early on that opportunities were everywhere, and I took every chance I could to upgrade my knowledge and abilities.

There’s also something to be said for the people I’ve worked with. Everyone wants to help each other because the underlying mentality is that the best team wins.

There’s always been a great camaraderie, and before COVID-19, there were a lot of socials and holiday parties. Especially when I was new, the social element really helped solidify a familial feeling within the whole company.

In fact, I actually married one of my co-workers, and I’d say a lot of the wedding reception guests were IDBS people because they were some of our closest friends.

What’s challenging you these days?

Right now, working remotely is the hardest part for me. I’m quite a people person, and I can’t wait to get back to the office. A lot of software and IT people fit the stereotype of being introverts, but that’s not me. A big part of my job is building relationships with the customers. Now, meetings with customers are more functional, and it’s harder to find that personal touch remotely.

The same goes for my co-workers. Some people on my team are people I’ve known for years at IDBS, but I’ve only met our new account manager once, and every interaction since has been completely remote. It’s weird because we work so closely. There’s something lost there, but we make do for now.

What part of the job excites you for the months and years ahead?

I’m always excited about what I’m going to learn next. I’m still fresh in my current role and that means I’m learning new things all the time. I have a lot of experience as a line manager, but now I’m focusing more on the commercial side of things, and that’s where I see myself progressing; head of a department on the commercial side, but probably still within Customer Success.

I’ve spent my whole career at IDBS so far, and I think in most situations, it would be normal to wonder what else is out there—I actually spoke to my boss about this a couple weeks ago. So it’s not that I’d never take a job outside the company. But I love IDBS, and having the huge Danaher framework only expands my career possibilities. The truth is, I don’t see any reason to leave.

Interested in joining Helen and the rest of the IDBS team? Check out open roles across Danaher or join our talent community today.

October 11, 2023
How Cytiva’s Fast Trak Team is Making a Difference

In an industry driven by scientific breakthroughs and new drug discoveries, Anne-Cécile Potmans and her Fast Trak team are helping Cytiva customers who manufacture life-saving drugs make their processes better and faster. Below, Anne-Cécile reflects on what brought her to Danaher, explains some of the exciting projects Fast Trak is tackling, and shares what she does to encourage creativity on the team.

What do you do at Cytiva?

I’m the general manager for the Fast Trak organization within Cytiva, an operating company that’s part of Danaher’s Life Sciences platform. Cytiva supports customers who research and manufacture pharmaceuticals, and Fast Trak’s role in that work is threefold. We offer training and education to help our customers upgrade their bioprocessing skills and processes, we optimize their processes to address any challenges they’re facing with drug process development, and we handle what’s called “bridge manufacturing,” producing materials for use in clinical trials. The therapies our customers are creating will save lives, so our goal is to help get them to the market as quickly and safely as possible.

Tell us about your background and what brought you to this role.

I’m an engineer by training, and I started my career as a management consultant in France, working for companies in the biopharma and biotech space. After six years there, my husband and I decided to move to Sweden—my husband is half-Swedish—thinking we’d just try it out. But we’ve been here for 10 years now.

My work is definitely a reason we’ve stayed; so is Scandinavian culture, which I really respect for equally valuing men and women—both at home and at work. When we moved, I joined GE’s Life Sciences division, which is now Cytiva, and I’ve had many opportunities over the years to take on more responsibility and build new skills. Most recently, I was part of a four-year leadership accelerator at GE similar to Danaher’s General Management Development Program, which taught me a lot not just about leading a team, but about the companies we work with.

I took the Fast Trak GM role after my last rotation in that program, about a year ago now, and then continued in the role once we officially joined Danaher and became Cytiva.

I think we were all excited leading up to the acquisition, but it’s still been incredible to see everything this team has accomplished in just a few months—especially in the midst of a global pandemic. We’re simultaneously launching new products, supporting COVID-19 research, and completely rebranding the company. I don’t know of many companies that could produce such results under these circumstances, but we are fortunate to have some really amazing people at Cytiva.

Innovation is a big part of your work. What enables it?

Two things: collaboration and culture. Sharing ideas between teams is critical to what we do, because even getting to the same outcome will take much longer if we’re working in silos. Fast Trak is a global organization—we have locations in China, the US, EMEA, India, and Korea—so we hold regular technical meetings with associates from each site to make sure we’re learning from each other by sharing what’s working and the challenges we’re facing. We also collaborate across functions, so commercial, product management and R&D are all working together to improve our customers’ products and processes.

Fibro chromatography, a new technology Cytiva is developing, is a recent example. It combines high capacity with high flow rates, which substantially reduces purification times in research and product development, and provides a single-use solution for manufacturers. Our EMEA organization took the lead, driving the analytical work and coordinating efforts, while our team in Korea made new monoclonal antibodies for each center to test. And while R&D developed the new technology, Fast Trak is developing a service to help our customers evaluate and implement this powerful tool.

These advancements are possible thanks to the synergy between teams, as well as the constant support of Research and Development and Product Management.

They’re also due to the culture of innovation we’re creating. To me, that’s about making sure team members feel comfortable taking risks. Of course, there are situations where we want to minimize risk entirely—but if you want to do something new, accepting the possibility of failure is part of the job. It’s when we take risks that we make the most important discoveries.

What do you do to encourage a culture where people feel safe to take risks?

Part of it is the nature of our work. When customers come to us, it’s because they have a problem they haven’t been able to solve on their own—so we know we aren’t going to make much progress if we don’t use our expertise and get creative. And everyone on the team likes a challenge; that’s why we’re here in the first place.

I think it’s also about communication and making sure we celebrate risk-taking. Fast Trak has quarterly awards for team spirit and for execution, but also for innovation. We recognize lessons learned as valuable in and of themselves because they all contribute to the eventual solution.

The company culture supports that mindset, too. For example, there’s a Cytiva program called Innovation Accelerator where employees can pitch creative ideas around a specific theme—the first one was sustainability. And it’s not a theoretical exercise; you have to explain what you’d need in terms of funding and people as part of your pitch, and the ideas that are selected get support. There are six projects in progress so far, and I’m excited to see not only what they accomplish, but how their example encourages even more innovation. It’s a great way to ensure that good ideas get heard and that everyone knows they can make a difference.

What else are you excited about in the months and years ahead?

I’m excited about learning more tools and processes in the Danaher Business System; I think the continuous improvement approach will be helpful in building efficiency both internally and for our customers. DBS can be daunting, but Danaher’s team has taken a smart approach, introducing us to it gradually so we can build our muscles and focus on the areas that are the highest priority.

Our work on innovative process development never ends, so I’m also looking forward to seeing what advanced technologies such as AI might mean for our work. Of course, most exciting of all is seeing the impact we’re having every day. Fast Trak’s work is a piece of the much larger puzzle. When we improve customers’ processes, they can make and distribute therapeutics that much sooner, and run their clinical trials that much more effectively. And that really does save lives.

Interested in joining Anne-Cécile and the rest of the Cytiva team? Check out open roles across Danaher or join our talent community today.

October 5, 2023
Lifelong Learning: The Path from Lab Tech to Award-Winning Salesperson

Donald Mofokeng, Regional Sales Manager in South Africa, came to the HemoCue Sales team with a background in lab science and a drive to help people. He loves the daily challenges of leading a sales team and is motivated by knowing that working hard means more people will have access to HemoCue’s life-supporting technology in resource-poor settings. Read more about how Donald transformed from lab tech to award-winning salesperson in just two years.

Tell us about your role. What do you work on day to day?

I lead a team of five area sales managers who cover four provinces in South Africa. Basically, I oversee the team’s day-to-day sales activities and ensure that my team stays motivated. I help them remove roadblocks and sort out challenges that arise, and I make sure we use company time and resources to move us toward achieving our objectives. For instance, I frequently accompany area sales managers to crucial meetings with the customers to provide support. Or I might take action to assist the team to address any sales objective shortfall. Of course, all of this requires working collaboratively across functions. Of all my responsibilities, I most enjoy traveling to see different customers across the country.

In South Africa, we have a fair amount of public healthcare facilities catering to rural and underprivileged communities. Most people out in these areas don’t have the luxury of having a lab next to where they live. They sometimes need to choose between paying for transport to the clinic and buying food with the little money they have. I sleep well at night knowing that getting our point-of-care analyzers to these facilities is helping patients.

What brought you to HemoCue? Tell us a bit about your journey.

I’m a person who likes to try new things. I started out as a medical technologist in 2001, and then qualified as a hematology technologist and worked in a hematology laboratory. To diversify my knowledge, I moved to a clinical pathology laboratory, then a molecular laboratory.

I got to the point where I was pretty much doing everything a lab manager would do, and I felt I had hit a ceiling. My role included liaising with our suppliers, and that’s where my interests started to expand. I’ve always really liked taking care of patients, and I realized that I could continue to help people outside the laboratory by directly providing innovative solutions to healthcare facilities.

I was using HemoCue’s products in the lab, and the HemoCue representatives I worked with were very professional. They really cared about us as their customer, and they really cared about the patients, which made me think I’d like to eventually work for HemoCue someday. That was 10 years ago. Before joining HemoCue, the longest I had stayed with a certain company was six years. What has kept me here is the excitement of the new challenges that come every day.

How have you grown since joining HemoCue?

I came to HemoCue with a strong medical device background from the lab, but I had zero experience in sales. Within two years, I was Area Sales Manager of the Year. I’m really proud of that. When I was hired, I made it my first priority to use every opportunity to learn as much as I could from my colleagues and from the company-offered courses so I’d be comfortable and confident when I went out to sell.

I also raised my hand and said, “I can do it” any time my manager wanted to delegate anything. And if I saw an opportunity to assist with something, I would go ahead and do it without being asked. Then I applied for the regional sales manager post because it would give me a team to work with. That was in 2019, and I haven’t looked back since. I feel fortunate to be part of Danaher because it means I’ll continue to have opportunities to learn and grow.

Tell us a bit about your management style. What’s important to you about being a leader?

I like to collaborate and, luckily, in my job, I collaborate a lot. We move as a team, and as the team leader, I work hard to create a safe space where everyone is willing to speak their mind, share their ideas and challenges, and work toward solutions together. I always want to hear the thoughts of the people on my team before I start talking about what I think. Having open communication helps gain trust and buy-in, and it also encourages innovative ideas. I’m also always trying to learn more about the capabilities and potential of the people on my team because I want to find alignment between what they are good at and what the company needs and help nourish that.

What’s next for you? What are you most looking forward to in the months and years ahead?

I want to expand my impact. Though I’ve been with HemoCue for 10 years, I’m not comfortable doing only one thing for a very long time. I like being in a position where I’m able to pick up on potential opportunities for improving the company, and I want to be able to act on these ideas. For example, recently in South Africa, we’ve noticed an interesting trend where more professional nurses are acquiring clinics, and more medical laboratory technologists are starting to own labs. And we think this trend will continue. Because of this changing landscape, we are now talking to customers—nurses and technologists—that we’ve never spoken to before, and we are doing it in a very systematic way. This approach is in the infancy stage, but I know it’s going to grow and because we are on top of it, the company will grow too. That’s exciting.

Interested in joining Donald and the rest of the HemoCue team? Check out open roles across Danaher or join our talent community today.

September 22, 2023
Empowered to Lead: Sara Karlsson is Driving Continuous Improvement and Growing as a Leader

Sara Karlsson is a Project Manager in Value Analysis and Value Engineering, building a continuous improvement program from the ground up, helping HemoCue become more aligned and efficient in reaching its goals. Here, she discusses the importance of interdepartmental collaboration and how HemoCue is supporting her as a female leader in a traditionally male-dominated field.

What brought you to HemoCue?

In my last company, I had a role as a project manager within a group of people working with continuous improvement. HemoCue wanted those same discussions about continuous improvement and gave me the opportunity to create my own process in the organization. I liked the challenge of building something from the ground up.

Also, since I have small kids, HemoCue’s passion for employees’ families and private time appealed to me. I can work from home if I want to. I rarely do, because I like to be in the office, but if the kids get sick, then I can work from home and it’s not an issue. They respect your private life. I think that’s a winning concept.

Tell us about your role at HemoCue.

I’ve worked in my position for 2 years now, but it’s changed a lot since I started. I was hired as a continuous improvement engineer and project manager. As time went by, we realized maybe we need more: a focused organization to work with continuous improvement. It’s not a one-person job. Today, I have a core team of seven people who put around 50% of their time into this area.

We take on continuous improvement projects, such as improving the overall equipment efficiency in manufacturing. We calculate different parameters like the amount of stop time and waste to get a score that tells us how efficient our processes are. We also look at where we have excessively high costs and try to reduce the fees, replace what we think is too expensive or improve something where we scrap a lot.

When I started, the different departments were isolated, not communicating enough with each other. One of the reasons for creating my role was that the leadership team wanted more cross-functional work. We’ve needed to create structures and regulatory meetings. So, my biggest impact has been saying, “We need alignment.”

Describe some challenges you face in your role.

Since my team consists of people who only work for me some of the time, it demands a lot of relationship-building, follow-ups, and time management. We have to create a balance between their work within and outside continuous improvement. That’s been the toughest challenge, to not put one role above the other or take away from their work in either role, but I think we’re starting to get there.

For the people who were already involved in continuous improvement last autumn, I don’t have to explain the value of what we’re doing. They buy it. But if I put together a new project team, we’ll need to take it from the beginning. I think it’s a mindset. In my department, it’s crucial that we are aligned with other functions because otherwise we’d have a lot of problems.

As an improvement leader, the downside is that I see all the issues. Even though I like a lot of our processes, I still see where we can do better. To someone else, it may seem as if I’m complaining, but that’s not my purpose. It’s just that I see room for improvement and it’s my job to say something.

Of course, there will always be people who think I’m a young woman coming in only to point out problems in processes that have worked for years. And to an extent that’s true. There were really good processes within R&D, and really good processes within Operations, but they weren’t talking to each other. Now that we’ve completed some projects, the majority of people in the company have seen the results. The reaction has been much more positive now than before. I think we’re earning trust in the process.

How have you been supported in facing those challenges?

I knew it was going to be tough coming into a company to make changes and improvements, so I told HemoCue I needed to be supported.

The company set up coaching sessions for me with the Human Resources Senior Director, who is a woman. Every month, we talk about the challenges of being a woman and a leader. I think women worry, “When are they going to discover I’m not this good?” A man would never think like that. He would just be like, “I’m this good.” If I think, “OK, I don’t know how to tackle this conflict,” or if something makes me feel uncomfortable, I can talk to my coach. She doesn’t tell me what to do; she makes me think in other ways.

HemoCue also sent me to leadership development training last spring—we spent three days out in the woods. They want to help develop more women leaders. My coach has been very excited about it, and we’ve talked a lot about how I can use the different tools I learned. Not only how I can use the tools today, but how I can improve upon them.

What do you see for your future?

First, I really want to develop within leadership and work with people. Of course, because I’m an engineer, I like the numbers, but I like to work with people.

Also, I have a vision that we develop continuous improvement, and that we have more than dotted lines. We’ll have a department working with it, maybe three or four product leads belonging to the group. We need to build an organization of more people actually doing improvements.

Ready to take the next step towards growing your career? Explore our open jobs or join our talent community to get started!

June 7, 2023