How to Become a Validation Engineer

My name is Damilola. I obtained a bachelor’s degree in Pharmacology at the University of Portsmouth and a Master’s degree in Biomedical Science at the Transnational University of Limburg. After my studies, I was referred to CTG by a friend who worked there a few years ago. He had very positive things to say about the company and told me that it is a great place to start a career. I went on CTG’s website and from that point, I knew I wanted to apply for a position at the company. I decided to apply for a junior consultant position within the Regulatory Compliance business unit, as this aligned with my career interests.

Fast forward to my first start day: I received a very warm welcome, got to know my colleagues, and received a tour of the building, which has a warm atmosphere. After the tour we all had a delightful lunch together, which helped us to get to know each other better. I was excited to start; everyone was very pleasant.

Our first two weeks began with trainings. Quite frankly I did not know what to expect, especially since I had not attended classes since I graduated from university. Fortunately, as soon as the courses started, I began learning so much that I forgot I was in a class. The courses were engaging and insightful. We had the opportunity to learn from all of the principal consultants in Regulatory Compliance, who have vast experience in the field. We completed an exam at the end of the training period, after which we were full-fledged consultants.

CTG has an online academy where a lot of courses are taught. I utilized my time on the bench by learning about interesting topics, including blockchain technology.

As a beginner, I had many questions. Fortunately for me, CTG has an open door policy and when you start, you are assigned to a competence developer (almost like a mentor) to guide you through your career. My competence developer ensured all of my questions on different issues were answered, which was great as a newcomer.

The CTG team events are definitely ones to look forward to—they are always fun and exciting. The atmosphere of these events is vibrant and I get to connect with colleagues that work at different sites. I had the opportunity to attend an interview at a renowned Life Science company in Flanders, Belgium, where I started on my first assignment. It has been a thrilling ride putting everything I learned in my training classes into practice. I am currently engaged in a computerized system validation project and I am enjoying every bit of it so far. The process of validating systems includes obtaining SMART user requirements specifications, defining functional specifications, and defining configuration specifications. This is all done via meetings with the Business Owner, System Owner, IT Manager, and Quality Assurance team. All of the specifications are then tested (verified), and afterwards, the system achieves validation. Computerised System Validation is important because it provides evidence that a system meets its specifications and is fit for its planned use, while addressing the pertinent GxP regulatory requirements.

I am having a great time working as a consultant and I have no reservations whatsoever. Would I do this all over again? Yes, I totally would. I enjoy working with a great staff and talented people in a great environment. CTG is indeed a “Great Place to Work.”