Let's start with two easy questions: What do you love about Birmingham and what do you do when you're not at work?

Birmingham is a mid-size city that has gone through a major transformation in the past 10 years. The food and craft beer scene is one of the best in the south. There are several concerts venues and an upcoming upgrade to the city’s main concert arena, the BJCC. There are several hiking trails and charity races offered throughout the year. It is very close to other major cities in the south (Atlanta and Nashville) for day trips and only 5-6 hours to some amazing beaches located on the Gulf of Mexico.

Teamwork is important! What do you like best about your team and how would you describe the work environment?

I’ve had the opportunity to work with several teams here on site. Our work is very collaborative and cross-functional, so we have to coordinate and communicate a lot in order to have successful projects. My colleagues and I have a great relationship! We work together to move the projects forward and we have the same goal in mind. I have been coached and I have had the opportunity to coach others. The work environment that my team has created has made it possible to keep moving forward even when the stress from timelines and missed opportunities weighs us down. All in all, everyone truly cares for one another and always goes out of their way to support each other.

What opportunities for growth and development does the company offer to you?

Evonik has offered me so many opportunities for professional and personal growth. I have been sent to several sites throughout the US, in order for me to expand my understanding of the company and to network. All well, I was sent to off-site and on-site trainings where I could develop my technical and soft skills. Additionally, I visited several vendors sites to test equipment that may suit the needs of our projects. Within our site, I have had the opportunity to work cross-functionally on continuous improvement projects that have benefited our site tremendously, which helped me gain visibility across the site. Evonik has even provided assistance for me to further my education.

What’s one thing you learned about working with a culturally diverse group?

Being in Birmingham, Alabama, you would not expect to see such a diverse group of people all working towards the same goal. In my department alone we speak approximately 13 different languages. I currently speak two, English and Spanish, so I appreciate the cultural diversity we have here on site. One thing that I love about working with so many people with different backgrounds and life experiences is that I’ve learned so much from them by simply having a conversation with them. I am constantly learning something new, not just about how to make drug delivery systems but about different cultures and traditions.