Tell us a little bit about yourself and your background?
I am Vinsent, a fifth-year medicinal and biological chemistry student at the University of Edinburgh. My previous chemistry experience is in the field of boron catalysis in organic chemistry. Geographically, I am originally from Latvia and would describe myself as a friendly and active person, a lifelong learner. My list of hobbies is quite extensive – Latvian folk dancing, scuba diving, basketball to name a few.
What is your role and how long have you been here?
I joined Vertex as an industrial placement student this September for one year. I am doing a research project for the company, which is also my master’s degree thesis at the University of Edinburgh.
What inspired you to apply for this role/this company?
Vertex is working on medicines that target rare genetic disorders, which is, scientifically, an extraordinary challenge. It was obvious at the time that my potential colleagues would be exceptional chemists, and learning from them would be a great opportunity for my personal development and a stepping stone into this field as a young professional. In addition, I was impressed by statistics that 60% of employees and 70% of the company expenses are dedicated to R&D. Vertex seemed like the perfect place for a passionate learner and a research-focused individual as myself.
What has been the single most important thing you learnt so far in your job?
It is essential to use all available resources to optimise my work. The labs at Vertex are quite advanced, there are plenty of automated machines and instruments for analysis. It quickly became obvious that having a good understanding of how to use and where to apply all that technology makes the work much more efficient.
What would a ‘normal’ day look like for someone in your role?
The role is mostly lab-based, but there is always some admin work to do as well. Starting around 8:30 in the morning and up to lunch time, I would spend most of my time in the lab, setting up new reactions, analysing results, and planning new steps of the project based on the findings and previously reported literature.
After lunch I would continue my work in the lab as necessary, and there is usually a couple of meetings or events to attend, either for chemistry-related questions or some other matters important for Vertex. In addition to that, I am trying to find time and use resources available from Vertex University, the company’s platform designed for personal growth and development, both as a professional and a member of the Vertex community.
Overall, there are always plenty of tasks to do, but each employee has the freedom to plan their day as they wish. I also like that there is time to simply sit down with a colleague and have a nice chat over a cup of coffee.
What do you find most interesting with the sector/industry you’re in?
Problem solving is, in my opinion, the most engaging part of the drug development process. There is simply no right answer or the best solution, and there are many ways to approach the problem. So being a part of a team working in drug discovery is like being in a boiling pot of ideas, strategies, questions, answers, experience, thinking outside the box, and overall, cutting-edge science. There is always something to learn, something new to consider. And there is always an inspiration to get better at this.
What is the company culture like?
After a few weeks with the company, I understood that Vertex is quite unusual. It feels that there is no hierarchy – everyone from apprentices to the Head of the Site is approachable, willing to help, respectful, and mindful. There is no feeling that there is someone “above you”, someone you are not supposed to bother. It was proof that our team is united, we share the same values, and we all do our best to advance science and help people suffering from serious diseases. And more importantly, we are in it together.
How important is diversity to you and what is your team doing in this space at the moment?
There are plenty of aspects of science and life I want to understand better, and I am always keen to learn. The best way to do that is to be surrounded by people with diverse backgrounds and experiences, willing to share their knowledge and opinions.
Vertex has quite a similar approach. Improving in this space is not only about the physical presence of people with different backgrounds but also about having such people included and able to express themselves. One of the examples of this is the recognition of multiple employee resource networks by Vertex, such as VIBE, IWILL, BRAVE, PRIDE, and ENABLE. Another example would be the site’s Learning Lab, which is targeting under-represented groups of pupils of Oxford schools and providing them with placement and project opportunities.
Finally, any tips for anyone who’d like to applying for a similar role?
I think being an interesting individual with unique experience is one of the things Vertex greatly values in their employees. Make sure you bring something new to the company, something that will broaden the horizons of the team. Also, keep in mind that every candidate has not only previous experience and knowledge to present but also potential.
Do you want to follow in Vinsent's footsteps?
Find out more about Vertex and their open roles.
