Experience Report by Alix AUTER (KVALITO Life Science Consultant)
“Wisdom is to have dreams big enough not to lose sight when we pursue them.” Oscar Wilde
“Don’t settle down and sit in one place, move around, be nomadic, make each day a new horizon” Jon Krakauer
Alix Auter is originally from Strasbourg, where she is completing her studies in Pharmacy and her master’s degree in Pharmaceutical Biotechnology. She has been working for a Quality Control supplier, working in validation of quality assurance documentation (deviations, OOS, CAPA, protocol and report of analysis validation) and project (modification of the OOS management and related documentation). As a Life Science Consultant at KVALITO Switzerland GmbH, Alix is currently working on a Medical Devices Quality Management project. To complete this project, she is having courses on Clinical, Regulatory and Quality Affairs for Medical Devices and In-Vitro Diagnostics (CAS CARAQA) at the Fachhochschule Nordwestschweiz in Basel. She is living in Mulhouse and crossing the border every day to work at Kvalito Office in Basel.
Why I choose these studies?
The pharmaceutical industry takes a huge place in the world and has helped to treat many people. I wanted to be an actor in these innovations and help the industry manage their technology and so on, thereby enabling people to have access to the highest quality products. With my pharmaceutical studies, I had the possibility to deal with all the processes of the pharmaceuticals (research, development, production, quality control, quality assurance and regulatory affairs) particularly Biotechnologies and with my training in Basel, I gained knowledge about Medical Devices process. I am focused on Quality Assurance and Regulatory Affairs. Quality has an important place in the industry and it’s necessary to always improve all processes.
The advantages of working for a consulting company as a cross-border
For my end-of-study internship, I decided to move into Basel and discover a new work environment. I was aware of all the benefits and experience that this work could bring me.
1. Improving your foreign languages
Everybody has learnt a foreign language in class, however, when we are abroad, speaking with native speakers is not so easy. In Switzerland, we work with workers coming from all over the world. That’s why you’re always improving your foreign languages. It’s also very interesting to discover other cultures, other ways of working and sharing knowledge.
2. Working for huge companies
As a consultant you gain a lot of experience, you can work for different companies, in different departments. Therefore, you enhance your knowledge in different sectors (e.g. quality assurance, regulatory affairs) and the missions are always different. Every mission is a challenge. You will be able to travel and see different work environment. In that case, you will acquire effective and valuable working approaches outside the board approach. As you must adapt to each company, you train yourself continuously and gain experience very quickly. In addition, there are more and more consultant positions in large companies and a lot of internal employee turnover, as a consultant you will be spared.
3. Faster Career development
As a consultant, your career development will be faster than in other managerial positions. In addition, you can also have access to interesting personal development programs or training (as mine at the Fachhochschule Nordwestschweiz). It is a rewarding and formative profession.
4. Higher life quality
Switzerland is known for its high life quality. As a cross-border worker, you have the advantage of working in Switzerland and living in France. You have a higher salary and you can stay in your native country. Basel city is well served by public transport, so it’s easy and quick to move from one country to another. So, working across the border is never a constraint but always an advantage.
To conclude, never be afraid to cross the border!!
Author: Alix Auter, Life Science Consultant, KVALITO
