Moumita Paul Bose
Computer System Validation Engineer, Viatris, Damastown
Nessa Murphy
Automation Engineer, Viatris Little Island
Mariana Grigorita
QMS Engineer, Viatris Dublin Respiratory
Pharmaceutical engineering is an immensely rewarding career. More women show how some companies are helping to close the gender gap.
Women’s participation in STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) professions is extremely underrepresented. Today, global healthcare company Viatris is working to create equal opportunities and provide support to employees throughout its five sites across Ireland.
Finding satisfaction in engineering jobs
In the engineering sector, people have the opportunity to enrich the lives of others and develop a range of key skills to support business and collaborate effectively with motivated colleagues.
Moumita Paul Bose, Computer Systems Validation (CSV) engineer at the Damastown site in Dublin, joined the healthcare company last year as a CSV engineer. She says: “As an engineer and a woman, I’m part of a minority as this has traditionally been a male-dominated career. I used to think that I don’t fit into the industry. But now, I feel like I belong here, and certainly at Viatris.
“Engineering is a profession serving people worldwide. In a healthcare context, that includes machines producing tablets, capsules and vaccines. My responsibility is to validate our computerised systems to ensure these are operating as intended.”
Engineering in the healthcare sector
Mariana Grigorita
can stretch and challenge you.
Following the career that’s right for you
For Moumita, overcoming gender stereotypes was something she had to deal with far before her career started. Since she knew from a young age that she wanted STEM to be part of her future, she refused to see gender as a barrier.
“Math was always the subject for me,” she explains. “I used to love all technical things. However, growing up in India, there was a stereotype of what women should do. I always had questions in my mind: ‘Why can’t I do the same thing in life as boys? Why can’t I make my own life decisions?’”
Grow with an exciting new company and make a difference in the world.
After moving to Ireland, she saw a gender disparity in universities and workforces for STEM subjects. According to the Higher Education Authority, only 23% of engineering graduates are female; and only 12% of the engineering profession is female.
“Society needs to overcome this gender stereotype and gender preconceptions,” insists Moumita. “The tech sector — or engineering — is a wide field. I know from experience that we don’t always need a targeted degree to work in it. I studied biology and worked many years in different roles but ended up in engineering. I can say, I did not choose my career — my career chose me.”
Supportive colleagues and learning rewards
Finding an employer that supports and challenges their employees to nurture continuous growth is key. Women can find rewarding careers in pharmaceutical engineering.
Mariana Grigorita, Quality Engineer at the Dublin Respiratory site, says: “The stereotype still is that engineering is predominantly for men. But I never found an attitude of ‘You are a lady, so you can’t do this.’ Here, I’m treated the same as my male colleagues. Just like them, I work hard, and I am progressing.”
The sector can offer women exciting challenges that pay off with new skills and various rewards. “Engineering in the healthcare sector can stretch and challenge you,” adds Mariana. “Every day, you learn something new.”
Nessa Murphy, Automation Engineer at the Little Island facility in Cork, says: “Engineering is a brilliant thing to do. Not only does it give you a sense of purpose, but there are financial rewards as well.”
“I am now in a secondment in automation which is, in itself, a very vast role. I am hoping to explore that area further.” Nessa says that Viatris gives her the flexibility to expand her skills and help with personal growth and career fulfilment. “I was working in a production plant for five years where every day is different. You are constantly being challenged.”
With the enthusiasm and passion shown by these women — and the support of employers — there is hope for a better gender balance in Ireland’s STEM field.