Celebrating International Women in Engineering Day

“My journey with SOCOTEC began in 2015 when I joined as a Graduate Geotechnical Engineer. Those early years were spent on site, immersing myself in the fundamentals of ground investigation (GI), soil and rock logging, sampling, rig supervision and monitoring gas and groundwater levels. It was hands-on work that provided an invaluable foundation for everything that followed.

“After gaining solid field experience, I transitioned into an office-based role as Contracts Coordinator, where I discovered my aptitude for blending technical data management with project coordination and administration. However, I was eager to deepen my technical expertise and take on greater project management challenges. This drive led me to progressively expand my knowledge across GI activities, data management, fieldwork programming, and reporting.

“My career progression continued as I moved into an Assistant Project Manager role, and subsequently Project Manager, where I gained increasing responsibility for project planning and commercial oversight. Throughout this period, I recognised that my strengths lay in technical project management and reporting, and I set my sights on advancing into a Senior Engineer role to support GI operations across my region.

“In 2020, an opportunity emerged that would reshape my career trajectory. A position was advertised supporting the technical and quality aspects of GI activities—not at a local or regional level, but across the UK. The role description resonated deeply with my skills and aspirations, and in September 2020, I joined the core GI TechTeam as TechTeam Coordinator. Over the following years, the role evolved organically to meet the changing needs of our GI business, encompassing training delivery, technical guidance, operational support, and even marketing initiatives.

“After the birth of my daughter in March 2025, I returned from maternity leave in January 2026 to step into my current position as GI TechTeam Leader. Today, I oversee technical training and guidance across the entire GI division. This includes facilitating our bi-monthly TechTraining Sessions, developing and delivering training courses, updating technical guidance and procedures, and more recently, building a comprehensive two-year training scheme designed to support our Graduate Engineers through the critical early stages of their careers.

“My role is fundamentally about empowerment, ensuring that everyone delivering GI services to our clients has the knowledge, tools, and support they need to maintain the high standards SOCOTEC is known for. Looking back at where I started as a Graduate Engineer in 2015, I'm proud of how far I've come and excited about continuing to support the next generation of geotechnical professionals.”

“My Geology degree naturally led me towards the technical and quality aspects of GI. A pivotal moment came when I was invited to co-deliver our internal Soil and Rock Description Course (SARD) in 2018. This experience revealed how much I enjoyed sharing knowledge and supporting others' development, sparking my ambition to join the GI TechTeam.

“I started as a deputy TechTeam representative for my local office and immediately felt I'd found my calling. From that point, I aspired to lead technical training and support across the GI business at a national level - little did I know that dream would one day become a reality! I actively pursued every opportunity to contribute—delivering training, updating guidance, and assisting with the development new procedures, forms and templates. Soon, I was able to take on the lead TechTeam representative role, before stepping into the TechTeam Coordinator I have fulfilled over the last few years, and then into the TechTeam Leader position I have today. 

“I love working with people: supporting them, communicating, and listening. Discovering I could combine my passion for technical excellence with helping the GI team grow and succeed made me certain this was the right role for me.”

“One of the most rewarding aspects of my role is the opportunity to connect with and learn from experienced and passionate professionals, not only within the GI team but across the broader engineering sector. I enjoy engaging and learning from experts in their field who generously share their knowledge and wisdom, as well as enthusiastic Graduates who bring fresh perspectives and innovative ideas to the industry.

“This continuous exchange of knowledge keeps us evolving and improving. Being part of this dynamic learning environment, where experience meets innovation, is something I genuinely value and enjoy.”

“Take ownership of your career by actively seeking opportunities to expand your experience, skills, and knowledge in your chosen field. Don't underestimate your potential, be confident in advocating for the resources, support, and opportunities you need, not only to excel in your current role but also to advance your career.

“Building a strong professional network is equally important. Find a mentor who can provide guidance, share their expertise, and support your development as you navigate your career path. The right mentor can be instrumental in helping you achieve your professional goals. I have been very fortunate to have had some fantastic female role models within GI as my career evolved.”

“I graduated in 2010, from the University of Portsmouth’s BEng (Hons) Engineering Geology and Geotechnical Engineering Course; and took a while to get into a role I was interested in, but I didn’t give up.

“I attended several Geological Society Regional events meetings, which enabled me to talk to industry professionals, and my persistence paid off. In 2011, I began work as a freelance engineer, initially working in Mauritania on a gold mine ground investigation for their new open-cast mine, as well as working on other projects before I took the plunge and found a job in Australia, as I wanted to combine travel with work.

“I worked for six months in New South Wales with a consulting company that specialised in coal mining geotechnical design, which included monitoring of wall/goof stabilisation. I then moved to Queensland, for a further six months, working in the wider GI industry working on projects in the outback (new transportation routes) and earthworks for a new school (which was doubling as a typhoon shelter in the local community). At the end of the visa, I moved to Chile, where I worked on a mine in the Exploration Department, before eventually starting work in the UK’s GI industry.

“I worked as a freelancer and full-time employee for varying companies, building up my site skills and technical knowledge. I joined SOCOTEC in June 2018, as a Senior Geotechnical Engineer at the Wokingham office. I’ve worked on every-sized project, including HS2 and LTC, since then, before gaining promotion to Principal Engineer last year, within the southern region.

“I didn’t know much about the GI industry until I did my university degree, but I always enjoyed physical geography from an early age. At A-level, Geology was the next natural step for me and I took this forward to university. Between my first and second years at university, I switched to the Engineering path after a trip to Spain. As part of the trip, we visited several dam sites; they were all different, and we were given insight into why they differed and how geology had affected the design of the dams.

“At one location, there was no water behind the dam, and we had to work out what the geological influence was. The bedding of the rock was dipping towards the dam, which meant it would have been level with the water. This allowed water to seep along the bedding, hence why the dam was dry. I will never forget the lesson it taught me; you build the most perfect construction, but if you don’t understand the geology surrounding it, then the project will fail. Seeing a dam failure in southern France, which had caused the loss of life, again reinforced this.”

“The combination of geology and engineering. You can’t engineer/design anything without an understanding of the ground conditions (i.e geology) and how that will affect your design. The UK’s geology is varied; you can literally walk 5m away, and it will be completely different. Two sites/projects are never the same.

“I still get excited about finding pretty shiny minerals in the cores, but also any fossils….we all end up with collections at home!”

“Join. Every day is a completely different day, and you will never do the same job twice. The days on-site were some of the best. I have fond memories, and I’m so glad I joined the GI industry.”