Undergraduate R&D Scientist Review
by Pall Corporation
Rating
-
The Role
4.5
-
The Company
4.1
-
The Culture
3.9
- 1. To what extent did you enjoy your work placement or internship?
- 2. To what extent did you feel valued by your colleagues?
- 3. To what extent were you given support and guidance by management/your supervisor(s)?
- 4. How busy were you on a daily basis?
- 5. How much responsibility were you given during your placement?
- 6. To what extent did/will the skills you developed, and training you received, assist you in your degree studies and beyond?
- 7. What was the general atmosphere in your office?
- 8. How well organised was the overall work placement or internship set up?
- 9. In terms of personal training and development, to what extent did the company or firm invest in you?
- 10. What were the perks on your work placement?
- 11. How appealing are future employment prospects within the organisation?
- 12. Was there a good social scene amongst any fellow placement students/colleagues?
- 13. What was the cost of living and socialising in the area you worked in?
- 14. What was the Nightlife like in the area you worked?
- 15. Were there many opportunities to get involved in activities outside of work?
The Role
I thoroughly enjoyed my time at Pall. My team were very welcoming and I never felt like 'just' a placement student. My role was mainly lab-based which was exactly what I was looking for. The amount of responsibility I was given and the skills I learnt exceeded my expectations.
I always felt like I was part of the team and was given the same responsibilities and duties as the other scientists.
I was given lots of support and guidance from my supervisor. We had great communication in the form of regular 1:1s to discuss any problems or issues I was facing. I always felt like I had support from my supervisor and the wider team/management.
My day to day schedule varied depending on the upcoming projects. Therefore I could have a really busy week followed by a quieter week in the lab. However, I always had tasks to complete and never felt like I ran out of work.
I was given the same amount of responsibility as any permanent scientist in the lab and never felt like I was given easy 'student' jobs.
The number of lab skills I learnt by far exceeded my expectations and I will definitely use them in my degree and beyond.
The Company
There was a good office atmosphere within my team, even during Covid-19 we had daily meetings to catch up with the team.
The placement was well organised and included a monthly meeting with the other interns, known as 'Breakfast Club'. During which we received presentation training and career talks from other business units, along with free breakfast!
There were many opportunities for personal development including a variety of training courses. I could also choose any specific areas I wanted to improve in the form of 'performance and development goals' set with my supervisor at the start of the year and reviewed throughout the year.
Flexi Time
Subsidised Canteen
Financial Bonus
Company Parties/Events
Working from home
Pall offers a variety of graduate-level roles and a graduate scheme known as the 'Research & Development Leadership Programme'. Both routes have previously hired placement students.
The Culture
There was a good social scene amongst fellow interns and colleagues, leading to some great nights out!
I lived at home during my placement year but the cost of socialising in Portsmouth is fairly good.
The site had a community group which ran lots of events throughout the year that anyone could get involved. Even during Covid-19 they ran weekly quizzes and a virtual summer event.
Details
Placement (10 Months+)
Science
South East
September 2020
