From Lab to Job in Kalundborg: Hobby Paved the Way
Fermentation was a key interest for Raj Shirsath during his studies. The possibilities in this field, both scientifically and career-wise, are in his opinion among the most interesting in the field of biotechnology, in which he holds both a BSc and an MSc.
The interest in fermentation led him to Denmark, more specifically DTU, and eventually to Kalundborg, where he as a Helix Lab Fellow did his MSc thesis project at Meliora Bio.
- If you look at Denmark, fermentation plays a huge role in the biotech and pharmaceutical industries. It offers incredible opportunities to learn and work with technologies that are difficult to find elsewhere. It was partly due to that focus locally in Kalundborg, that I chose to come to Helix Lab, Raj says.
At Meliora Bio Raj worked on oxidative processes in lignin during storage and handling, a project he describes as interesting, with a steep learning curve, and he felt ready to begin his career in process engineering or fermentation, since these fields were aligned with his studies and primary interests.
But then another opportunity showed itself: project engineer in Life Sciences Automation position in the global technology company, ABB, placed in Kalundborg. The position was not, however, a match at first sight.
- I heard about a position at ABB through a former Helix Lab Fellow. I realized that the role required someone who understood chemical and biochemical processes, but who also had a basic understanding of programming and automation. And that was not really part of my focus at university, Raj says.
Learning by doing led to interview
Fortunately, Raj is a man with many interests. For years he has spent time working with electronics, servers and automation, he says.
- I taught myself coding because I found it interesting. I've worked with CNC machines, 3D printing and small automation projects. During my bachelor's degree, I even helped in building a sensor system for sorting coins according to their value. None of this was part of my formal education, it was simply something I enjoyed doing in my spare time.
This meant that even though coding was not part of Raj’s academic background, he had gained relevant skills through his hobby. And he decided to apply. Two interviews later, the job at ABB was his.
- The ABB position offers me the opportunity to combine my professional background with something I genuinely enjoy doing. I'll be working with automation, solving different challenges and moving from one project to another. That's something I really like, because it means I won't be doing the same thing every day. Every project brings new problems to solve, new technologies to learn and new people to work with.
Reach out and Research
Below Raj gives his best advice to someone who is applying for their first job:
- Be proactive. For me, talking to someone from inside the company was incredibly important. Without that conversation, I probably would not have applied. So my advice would be to reach out to your network. Reach out to people already working in the company. Even sending a short message can make a difference because it helps you understand the role and makes you more visible to the hiring manager.
- Research the position thoroughly. Talk to people who already have this type of job. Ask what they do every day, what skills they use and what the recruitment process looks like. That information gives you confidence and helps you prepare much better.
- Tailor your CV to every single position you apply for. Don't send the same generic CV everywhere. Make sure your experience reflects the specific requirements of the job advertisement. Companies often use automated screening systems that look for keywords from the job description. A targeted CV has a much better chance of getting you through the first screening.
- Once you've been invited for an interview, you have the opportunity to show who you are. Getting the interview is often the hardest part.