Life as a consultant is comparable to being a chef who gets to observe and contribute to the best dishes in various (Michelin-starred) restaurants.

As a consultant, you frequently find yourself in different work environments. The variety of roles and types of assignments makes the work challenging and continuously interesting.

Personally, I prefer working on multiple projects simultaneously, as it provides a nice diversity of work environments,such as a pharmaceutical production environment, QA department, technical service or engineering department, or a CMC environment. This variety directly translates into different types of tasks, ranging from technology transfer, commissioning, qualification and validation (CQV), QA, risk assessment, and training to conducting audits. It is always gratifying to add value for the client in these various fields.

This variety of assignments also occasionally puts you in the situation of “I’ve never done this before, so I think I can do it.” In such cases, it is certainly beneficial to work as a consultant at Progress – Experts in Life Sciences, knowing you can rely on your colleagues for support. Our group of colleagues is a large active knowledge base to consult and share expertise with during Progress Team meetings or in various knowledge teams.

Besides fieldwork as a consultant, it is also fulfilling to play a role within the Progress organization and actively contribute to the various focus and knowledge teams. For the past 4.5 years, I have been active as Quality Manager within Progress – Experts in Life Sciences, and in that role I form part of the Management Team.

Working as a consultant has both its advantages and disadvantages. For some, it is a breath of fresh air; for others, it can be a major downside to work in ever-changing environments. As a consultant, you often remain “the external” and are not always fully part of the company. However, this largely depends on the client. The assignments are not always nearby, which can result in varying travel distances and travel times. One of my recent assignments was a four-year project, three days a week, with a one-way commute of 1.5 hours. This results in long days, but the travel time was mitigated by overnight stays nearby. On the other hand, there are also assignments within cycling distance. Fortunately, we have good arrangements for this within Progress – Experts in Life Sciences, as well as excellent provisions like a laptop, phone, and company car.

If you are eager to work as a chef and make a difference in the kitchen, enjoying the variety of delicious dishes, please contact Progress – Experts in Life Sciences or myself.