GSK - Global Manufacturing Services - Brochure

A CURE FOR THE
ILL-INFORMED.

CONTENTS
A warm welcome 1
An overview of GMS 2
An expanse of opportunity 3
Working together 4-6
A product in profile 7
Acting responsibly 8
The people behind the place 9-10
Training & development and accreditation 11
Rewards and recognition 12
The details of the programme 13
Next steps 14
Dear Graduate
I am delighted to share with you the tremendous
opportunities we have for engineering and science
graduates working within our Global Manufacturing
and Supply (GMS) business in GSK. Let me start by
sharing some personal details; having completed a
PhD in Organic Chemistry, my career at GSK started
in 1991 supporting the introduction of a range of new
products to our Singapore Manufacturing Facility.
Since then I’ve worked across a number of areas
ranging from synthetic chemistry, fermentation science
to formulation science and manufacturing technology.
My role has required me to work in global teams,
across many different cultures and to travel extensively
across four continents.
Our scientists, engineers and technologists work in
close partnership with their colleagues in R&D to
ensure the processes we design and industrialise are
safe, robust, cost-effective and environmentally
friendly. We have integrated key scientific disciplines
to ensure the manufacturing process and related
technology is designed to enhance our control,
ensuring every dose to the patient has quality built-in
at the onset. The technical work environment within
manufacturing now comprises a ‘High Performing
Team’, where disciplines such as synthetic or
formulation science are integrated with pharmaceutical
engineering, material sciences and advanced statistical
analysis to better support the effective scale-up and
industrialisation of our processes.
My career has been varied, exciting, sometimes
daunting, but always enjoyable. I regard myself as
a scientist who comes into work and still manages
to learn something new every day. Knowing that my
work helps people to do more, feel better and live
longer is personally very motivating.
I hope this brochure will serve to educate you, as
graduates, to make better informed decisions about
your career choice.
Kind regards
Bernadette
GMS Technical Head
1

GLOBAL MANUFACTURING AND SUPPLY
(GMS)
We’re the part of GSK that leads the rapid
commercialisation of our products and enables
our people to shape the world around them. Our
global network uses a variety of processes and the
latest technology to deliver four billion packs of
medicines and healthcare products a year to
patients and customers.
As a result, our scientists and engineers are applying
their talent in ways they never thought possible.
They collaborate with other areas of the business,
such as R&D and Sales & Marketing, to ensure the
smooth and rapid transition of their newly
developed products into full-scale manufacture.
Thanks to them, we deliver a consistent supply of
high-quality products right across the world.
Our success is down to technical and scientific
excellence, as well as the interdisciplinary strengths
of our team across all our supply divisions. Our
teams, which include scientists, engineers,
statisticians, production managers, and
chemometricians, are achieving results that are at
once immediate, highly visible, and save lives.
Together, they make up the four main parts of GMS
– all of which you can learn more about here.
Primary Supply
Ensuring the faultless supply of high-quality bulk
active ingredients, Primary Supply plays a critical
role in supporting the commercial ambition of GSK.
It does this by supporting the introduction of new
products and the secure supply of existing
products. It is continually driving improvements
in technologies and processes to improve our
performance and our cost-competitiveness.
This division works closely with our R&D teams,
particularly our chemical development and
pharmaceutical development functions. These
areas provide Primary Supply with the chemical
entities, formulations, test methods and
manufacturing processes that GMS uses
in production.
2
New Product & Global Supply
Working closely with R&D, this division ensures that
the appropriate technical competencies exist to
support the quick and successful introduction of
new products. It also ensures the supply of key,
globally distributed GSK brands. At the same time,
the division is the focal point for developing new
secondary manufacturing technologies for Global
Manufacturing and Supply.
Consumer Healthcare
Consumer Healthcare offers the capability for rapid
new product introduction. It delivers high-quality
products in a competitive business that works to
much shorter timeframes than pharmaceuticals.
While new technologies become a fundamental
platform for lowering costs and providing flexibility,
at present the focus is on automation and capacity
projects – driving ‘design for manufacture’
initiatives with R&D. Its strengths are the oral
healthcare, healthcare, over-the-counter medicines,
and nutritional healthcare product sectors. Some of
the key products which you’ll be familiar with are
Lucozade, Ribena, Horlicks, Panadol, Aquafresh
and Sensodyne.
Regional Pharmaceutical Supply
Here the focus is on several key activities: the
supply of products that are key in one or more
regions; the supply of products that are important
in a particular market; and the tailoring of
packaging to meet specific local requirements.
In addition to other customer-driven activities,
the Regional Pharma team is key to reducing
costs so that GSK can compete more effectively
in all its markets.
LET US
ENLIGHTEN YOU.

WE
understand
that there are some
GRADUATES who don’ t know
a great deal about GLOBAL
Manufacturing and Supply, which
is fi ne. But we do worry about the
ones who aren’t interested in
FINDING OUT MORE. They’ve no idea
how much they’re missing out on.
They’ll never fully appreciate the
BREADTH OF ENGINEERING and
SCIENTIFIC OPPORTUNITIES we
offer, or the VARIETY OF PROJECTS
and PROGRAMMES our people
get involved in. Nor will they
realise just how many DIFFERENT
SPECIALISTS get involved in
developing our products and so
how many experts they could
learn from. All of which is fi ne.
After all, IGNORANCE IS
BLISS, and not knowing
will mean graduates will
be spared the frustration
and irritation of missing
out on a WORLD-
CLASS technical
career that could
lead almost
ANYWHERE.
SOME GRADUATES
DON’T HAVE A CLUE.
Not
knowing will prevent
THE AGONY of realising
here, for a brief fleeting
moment, was a CAREER OPPORTUNITY
OF A LIFETIME; a career opportunity
that offers SUPPORT and STIMULATION
in equal measure, and through
a lack of awareness, they let it
slip away. Let us just hope
they never hear about it.
SSSH, MUM’S THE
WORD.
Chemometrics
Materials Science
(device technology)
Fermentation
Science
Process Control
& Automation
Chemical (Process)
Engineering
Production
Management
Fluid Dynamics/
Rheology
Statistics
Granular Materials
(bulk powder handling)
Extraction
Science
Project
Management
Instrumentation
Engineering
Microbiology
BREADTH OF OPPORTUNITY
Bio processing
Microbiology
Process Development
Chemistry
Packaging
Technology
Physical Properties
Formulation Science
& Pharmacy
Mechanical
Engineering
Physical Chemistry
(incl. Particle Science)
Maintenance
Engineering
Electrical
Engineering
Analytical Development
Chemistry
Calibration
Engineering
Process Measurement/
Process Analytics
Reliability
Engineering
Scale-up
Chemistry
Utilities
Engineering
Process
Technology
Mathematical
Modelling
Engineering Science Engineering or Science
Throughout this brochure, we hope to give you an idea of the type of roles you could have during a
technical career with GSK. Clearly, some roles require a specific background or degree discipline while others
are open to both scientists and engineers. Due to the scope and changing nature of both our business and
our products, every role isn’t covered in depth in this brochure. However, the roles shown should give you
some idea of the breadth of opportunity available and areas you may be interested in.
3

MULTI-DISCIPLINARY TEAMS
Let’s take a closer look at how everything fits
together in the case of a vitally important GSK
product – the Seretide Accuhaler.
So what exactly is the Seretide
Accuhaler?
Seretide Accuhaler is what we call a maintenance
medicine. Patients use it as a regular medication for
breathing-related complaints. For instance, asthma
sufferers and people with Chronic Obstructive
Pulmonary Disease (COPD) use the Seretide
Accuhaler. COPD sufferers will use the Seretide
50/500 Accuhaler for the treatment of symptoms
and to prevent exacerbations.
Let’s get a little technical and see what’s involved
in the drug. Seretide contains two medicines:
salmeterol and fluticasone propionate. Salmeterol is
a long-acting bronchodilator. Broncholdilators help
the airways in the lungs to stay open, which makes
it easier for air to get in and out. Fluticasone
propionate is a corticosteroid which treats the
underlying inflammation in the lungs.
4
And what goes into it?
Developing and combining these medicines is only
one aspect of bringing the product to market.
What gives Seretide Accuhaler its complexity is the
fact that it has two elements: a pharmaceutical
compound (combination therapy) and the
patented inhalation device through which the
product is delivered. And it’s the added element
that means the product represents an impressive
feat of engineering as well as the latest thinking in
modern pharmacology.
More specifically, the compound is housed in a
series of blisters on a sealed strip in a coil inside the
accuhaler. Activating the device pops the seal and
then the act of inhaling draws the compound down
inside the lungs. Sounds simple? Well, unfortunately
it isn’t. There are thousands of variables to consider.
The powder has to stay dry. The seal has to pop.
The particles of compound have to be the right size
to be drawn down into the right part of the lung.
And when the device is activated for the last time,
the compound has to flow through it in exactly the
same way it did the first time. In addition, each of
the 100 million+ devices we make each year need
to perform in an identical and consistent way. Small
wonder, then, that our multi-disciplinary teams
combine such a breadth of expertise and work so
closely together.
NO
ONE GETS
LEFT ON ONE
SIDE AT GSK.
As you’ll fi nd out
over the next few
pages, bringing
our products
to market IS A TEAM EFFORT. We need
to combine the EXPERTISE, ENERGY
and ENTHUSIASM of SCIENTISTS and
ENGINEERS from a host of backgrounds
to meet the exceptional standards of
QUALITY, INTEGRITY
and CONSISTENCY
that inform all our
healthcare products.
So EXPERTISE AND
KNOWLEDGE GET
SHARED, IDEAS ARE TRANSFERRED ACROSS
DEPARTMENTS AND SUCCESSES ARE
CELEBRATED TOGETHER AS A TEAM. This
collaborative approach makes for an IMMENSELY
REWARDING WAY OF WORKING, as you’ll
develop a helicopter view of product development
and get to
work with
SOME OF THE
BEST PEOPLE
IN THEIR
FIELD.
SEE THE
BIG PICTURE.

PRE-LAUNCH
On the road to launch, Seretide faces a raft of
challenges. Typically, our products will complete
over 30 phases of tests in the ten or so years they are
in development, and Seretide is no exception. At this
stage, we will prove to the regulators in this country,
the US and elsewhere that we have impeccable
quality, integrity and effectiveness credentials.
Particle Scientists
Our Particle Scientists help optimise the process by
looking at the way the compound’s particles will
behave. They will model the rheology of our
powders, final particle forming stages, and particle
size reduction techniques.
Process Engineers
The focus here is micronisation and blending,
producing exact particle sizes so they’re able
to penetrate the right areas of the lungs.
They will focus in particular on the optimisation
of the key transformation stages of our
manufacturing process.
Chemometricians and Statisticians
Our Chemometricians and Statisticians
support the experimental process with
mathematical statistics and data analysis
looking for multi-variate relationships
between the various components. In
addition they will be looking for patterns
within our data and ensuring our analysis
is always best practice.
Regulatory Affairs
Our regulatory experts help ensure
Seretide’s therapeutic value is
unquestioned, focusing on consistency,
process control and quality.
The principal challenges are around maximising
yields (ensuring waste is kept to a minimum),
protecting against contamination, streamlining
our processes and improving our equipment’s
effectiveness. Answering these questions calls for an
array of specialist talent from different disciplines:
Packaging Engineers
These experts find answers to the questions around
supplying the product and how it will be packaged.
Control (Automation)
Improving the production process of Seretide is the
brief here. The emphasis is on process control and
process measurement by working closely with the
Chemometricians and Statisticians.
Analytical Chemists
Involved throughout the process, our Analytical
Chemists look at the aerosolisation of the dry
powder formulation, geometric particle sizes and
molecular properties of the compounds and
anticipate how they will behave. They will also be
involved in modelling impurities in the products
and batch-to-batch consistency.
Validation Engineers
The measure of our success is whether our
medicines perform as promised. Validation
Engineers make this their focus, drawing on
data modelling techniques.
Product Technologists
They are involved in and support each and every
stage of the process and every member of the
multi-disciplinary team. They typically work on
the formulation and the device, capturing and
analysing data from key experimental programmes
to optimise the formulation and device performance.
Formulation Scientists and Pharmacists
As the name suggests, our Formulation Scientists
and Pharmacists help shape the formulation of
Seretide to deliver a combination product rather
than the more traditional single active ingredient
product. They take its development from an Active
Product Ingredient to a medicinal compound.
5

POST-LAUNCH
Successfully bringing the product to market is
far from the end of the development process.
It represents the beginning of a new phase and
the opening up of a whole new set of scientific,
engineering and commercial challenges around
the mass production and supply of the product.
At this stage, our thinking is concentrated on
improving the overall effectiveness of our
equipment, on the scientific and engineering
Mechanical and Automation Engineers
Our Mechanical Engineers’ attention turns to the
challenge of assembly post-launch e.g. the insertion
of the foil strip containing the pharmaceutical
active ingredient into the device, completion of the
assembly of the device (we produce one million a
week), and checking the mechanical functionality so
that it works when it arrives in the patient’s hands.
Our Automation Engineers will work alongside the
Mechanical Engineers and focus on improving
equipment effectiveness through automation.
Chemometricians and Statisticians
By analysing and interpreting data, our
Statisticians help improve our production
process and push us towards operational
excellence. Our Chemometricians will be
focusing on a multi-variate operating space –
how the different parameters come together
to give a robust and repeatable performance.
These challenges absorb our Chemometricians
and Statisticians and underpin their data analysis
at this stage to drive continuous improvement.
Process Engineers
Our Process Engineers work to find answers to the
processing issues surrounding the move to mass
production of the Seretide Accuhaler. They will be
working very closely with the Chemometricians
and Statisticians to optimise our commercial scale
manufacturing processes.
6
demands of scaling-up production from batches
of a few kg of the pharmaceutical compound to
batches in excess of 50kg, and from 100 devices to
batches of 50,000. A key focus of the post-launch
stage is the minimisation of waste and maximisation
of yields. Once again, our success depends on
drawing together experts from many different
disciplines into an integrated, flexible and
patient-focused team:
Regulatory Affairs
The team’s brief is to ensure we meet our regulatory
obligations and Seretide’s quality and integrity
remain unchanged as we enter mass production
and supply of the product.
Device Technologists
Making sure the accuhaler maximises delivery
of the compound is the focus for our Device
Technologists. They will be looking at improving
the tolerances on all our device components,
working closely with the suppliers to ensure the
device function is robust and repeatable.
Analytical Chemists
Our Analytical Chemists and Analytical
Development Chemists help produce larger
quantities of Seretide without compromising its
quality. They will be focused on improving their
analytical methods and trending product
performance (aerosolisation, drug content, particle
size, impurities).
Microbiologists
Our team of Microbiologists analyse micro-organisms
from the production environment and focus on
preventing contamination throughout product
manufacture. They will work closely with the
suppliers of raw materials to ensure that their
processes are robust and do not pose any
microbiological risk to the Seretide product.

NOT FOR THE
SIMPLE-MINDED.
At GSK, we pride ourselves on being able to make
the complex appear simple. Take Aquafresh
toothpaste, for instance.
Have you ever wondered how the stripes are
squeezed into a tube?
Putting the product together is like following a
recipe. Each ingredient must be added and mixed
in a way that can be repeated on a massive scale.
Powders have to be mixed with liquids and blended
so that the toothpaste is uniform and lump-free
and, crucially, air has to be kept out of the mixing
process so that the paste doesn’t become foam,
which requires careful design of the mixing process.
The fillers can only accurately measure the
correct amount of paste for each stripe if
the paste is incompressible. The fillers are like
big syringes, so if the toothpaste has air in it, the
product will expand and contract as it is sucked
into the filler and squeezed out into the tube.
Differences in the air content will mean that
the filled weight in the tube varies from one tube
to another.
The tubes require gentle handling especially when
they are empty so that they are not dented or
marked. They are fed at high speed into the filling
machine and filled with the nozzle at the bottom
rather than through the spout. The flat end of the
tube is then heat sealed so that the tubes don’t burst
if someone sits on them in your sponge bag.
There is a patented process developed for filling
stripy toothpaste at GSK. The filling machines
have special nozzles that reach down into the tubes
and fill them up like a stick of rock. As the tube fills
up, the nozzles retract to avoid disturbing the
stripes already in there. In cross section, the filled
tube looks like there are six different pie sections,
two of each colour. When the paste is squeezed
onto your brush, the stripes remain – even at the
bottom of the tube – because the toothpaste is
of an even viscosity all the way down.
To check on the quality of the stripes in the
tube, we freeze the filled tube in liquid CO2
and then saw it in two. (If the tube is cut when
unfrozen, the stripes in the tube smear.) Needless
to say, setting up the filling machines correctly is a
very skilled job. Why? Because we’ll be relying on
that machinery to help just one site produce 760
tubes per minute – every minute, every hour,
every day.
7

CORPORATE RESPONSIBILITY
Nowadays, corporate responsibility crops up in all
kinds of places. Some of them make sense, while
other topics might seem to sit better under a
different heading. But actually corporate
responsibility is simply about doing what’s right.
The things we all instinctively know to be right.
So we drew together some statistics about our
corporate responsibility, and we thought you
could decide whether they fit with your idea of
responsible behaviour.
900m
That's the number of donated treatments to date
of GSK’s albendazole. This helps break the
transmission of mosquito-borne parasitic disease
lymphatic filariasis (elephantiasis) affecting over
120 million people. Working with the World Health
Organization and other partners, we aim to
eliminate the disease by 2020. GSK provides
financial support, medicines, time and equipment
to help improve health and education in underserved
communities around the world. Our
programmes are innovative, sustainable, and
benefit those most in need.
268m
Last year we also supplied this many tablets of
the HIV/AIDS medicines Combivir and Epivir to
developing countries. (This includes 183 million
tablets supplied by licensed generic manufacturers.)
£282m
That was the value of our community investment
in 2007.
8
37 %
That’s the percentage of managers across the
GSK businesses that are women. (And women
account for 22 per cent of people in senior
management roles.)
We’re also cutting our waste
For example, the Nutritionals factory at
Rajahmundry in India, which produces the
Horlicks range, is located in an area badly affected
by droughts. Several years ago they set up ‘Project
Preserve’ to ensure effective waste management
and to preserve natural resources, especially fresh
water which comes from bore holes. A target
was set to cut water consumption by 20 per cent.
By involving staff across the site, water points
were rationalised, pressure was reduced, and
cooling water was recycled – saving both water
and energy. The amount of water recovered from
steam improved by nearly 75 per cent. Wastewater
is treated in the effluent treatment plant, and then
stored in a lagoon that contains fish. The fish and
locally grown vegetables are used to feed the site’s
1200 employees. Treated water is also used to flush
the toilets.
As a result of these initiatives, Rajahmundry achieved
a sustained reduction in the amount of fresh water
it consumes, of nearly 50 per cent during the
period 2001-2005 – more than double its target.
Reusing other wastes has also saved money, for
instance 95 per cent of solid waste is treated by
bio-composting, avoiding the cost of incineration.
YOU’VE A BRAIN THE
SIZE OF A PLANET;
US TOO.

There’s
no better
advert for GLOBAL
MANUFACTURING
and Supply than
OUR PEOPLE. We could
write volumes about our
OPPORTUNITIES and the
REWARDING COMPLEXITY and
challenge of our work, but the most
compelling evidence for all these
qualities are the experiences of
our people. From their ACHIEVEMENTS
and PERSONAL STORIES you can
uncover what it’s like to work here,
what sort of PROJECTS you could
become involved in and the
kind of CHALLENGES you’ll
face. As you’ll discover, ours is
A TEAM-BASED, COLLABORATIVE
CULTURE that encourages
IDEAS, REWARDS INNOVATION
and PROMOTES
INITIATIVE.
The
PERFECT
environment, in fact, to blaze
a BRILLIANT CAREER PATH for
others to follow. So without
further ado, let’s introduce you
to some of our BRIGHTEST
STARS, and fi nd out what
they’ve got to say
ABOUT THEIR TIME
AT GMS.
HARD ACTS
TO FOLLOW.
CHEMISTRY
Denise
Physical Scientist, Process Engineering
Education
National University of Ireland, Galway:
First Class Honours, Chemistry
“I’m in my second year of the programme, working
in New Product and Global Supply. My group is
involved in advanced material characterisation,
providing physical science support for the
development of new products and investigating
issues with existing materials. The day-to-day role
varies greatly as I work on a number of projects at
any one time. Currently I’m investigating
processing issues with a variety of products in both
respiratory and tablets, and creating a library of
physical data on all products on our site. I’m also
assessing existing technology in terms of
capabilities and looking at new technologies to
measure particular material properties. I am based
in an office but I spend time in a laboratory, in an
R&D facility and in manufacturing environments.
I’ve also been part of a team in Primary Supply that
increased the yield of a product that was previously
on a worldwide risk register. While in that role, we
reached a year of no failures where previously there
was a very high frequency of failing batches.
I’ve already had some valuable training including
tabletting technology, mechanical, physical and
chemical characterisation of powders, and lean
manufacturing and Six Sigma. I have gained
primary and secondary processing knowledge,
advanced material characterisation skills, and
improved my communication, organisation and
problem-solving skills. My mentors and my current
manager have all had a big impact on me. They
have all been particularly good in helping me with
decisions about future placements.
I want to further progress one of the two roles I
have enjoyed so far on the graduate programme.
I’m getting to do a variety of different jobs as a
chemist and seeing different parts of the business.
“I don’t think people realise how much science
there is in GMS.”
Denise
September 2006, Process
Owner/Technical Support,
GMS Worthing.
Nicola
September 2002,
Statistician, GMS Ware.
Gregor
July 1997, Process
Engineer, GMS Irvine.
September 2003, Senior
Statistician, GMS Ware.
May 1999, Process
Engineer, GMS Montrose.
And I would say to others considering the
programme that I don’t think people realise how
much science there is in GMS – people think that
it only exists in R&D but they are mistaken!”
Denise joined in 2006, initially in Regional Pharma
Supply, currently works in NP&GS, and will start her
third and final year on the programme in January.
September 2007, Physical
Scientist, GMS Ware.
May 2001, Manufacturing
Improvement Leader,
GMS Montrose.
September 2004, Senior
Technical Engineer, GSK
Global Head Office.
Feb 2002, Senior Project
Engineer, GSK Global
Head Office.
9

OTHER SCIENCE & ENGINEERING
Nicola
Technical Manager – Engineering, Technology &
Capital Management
Education
University of Newcastle upon Tyne: MEng (Hons)
Chemical & Process Engineering
University of Newcastle upon Tyne:
Postgraduate research in the Foresight Centre for
Process Analytics & Control Technology
“I changed my mind a lot when I was younger
but I was always interested in Maths and Science.
My first motivator was attending the Women in
Science & Engineering Convention during A-levels.
That sparked my interest and gave me ideas
about engineering.
But my career wasn’t planned, I just naturally
progressed into my current role because of my
technical interests and because I was open to
opportunities. In fact I chose my degree as it was
multi-disciplined and not restricted to one area.
And probably my most significant career milestone
was moving to an above-site role because it has
given me the chance to work on a broad range of
technical projects with a variety of disciplines. As
I work across functions at GSK, it means I meet a
broader set of people to learn about different types
of roles and possibilities.
So I would recommend taking the opportunities that
come your way. A benefit of working at GSK is that
you can be flexible and open to trying new things
out simply because there are so many options.”
Nicola joined GSK as a Statistician in 2002 and is
currently a Technical Manager at GSK’s Global Head Office.
Feb 2004, Technical
Manager, GSK Global
Head Office.
10
May 2007, Technical Manager,
GSK Global Head Office.
April 2005, Manufacturing
Technology Manager, GMS
Puerto Rico.
PROCESS ENGINEERING
Gregor
Engineering Director – GMS China
Education
Institution of Chemical Engineers: CEng MIChemE
University of Paisley: BEng (Hons)
“My industrial placement at university crystallised
the types of roles I wanted to be in. I have,
however, gone full circle from technical roles into
general management roles and then back to
technical roles. This demonstrates the number of
opportunities a technical background can offer.
I have always been career-orientated and I am
structured and organised in my planning. So I took
the time to produce my own career map – to set
goals for the future – and I found a mentor who
offered me advice and opportunities. I would
recommend assessing your competencies through
the development planning process to identify
where you need development; then base-line
yourself against positions you aspire to. It is
sometimes viewed cynically but is actually a very
powerful tool that provides definition in your career.
To provide wider options I would also strongly
advocate taking a second/third language. I would
also recommend travelling. It helps you grow and
develops you into a more rounded person. I would
also advise moving around and across the business.
This gives you experience and expands your
potential for discovering opportunities.
For example, the work I did in Puerto Rico has been
significant on both a management and personal
level. I had to move to a different country, so I was
thrust into a new culture and language, which
presented challenges – but was hugely rewarding.
During this time, I was in an environment which was
undergoing a lot of change at a very fast pace with
a lot of pressure. Overall it was just a phenomenal
experience and one that I will never forget. It also
proved a solid foundation for my current role where
I am responsible for engineering operations at
GMS's three manufacturing sites in China. In
addition to engineering service provision, my role
includes building technical competency at each site
and delivering a capital investment programme that
is aligned to their business objectives.
“I found a mentor who offered me advice
and opportunities.”
July 2006, Engineering
Remediation Team Leader,
GMS Puerto Rico.
Nov 2007, GMS Business
Change Project Member,
GSK Global Head Office.
As I have said, I am very career-orientated and so I
may at some stages have let my personal life suffer.
But I wouldn’t change any of the decisions I have
made. It is essential to look objectively from both your
professional life and personal life and decide where
you want to be – different people have different
aspirations. Sometimes a sacrifice in one area may
have to be made to be ultimately better off.”
Gregor joined in 1997 as a Process Engineer and has held
a number of different roles. He is currently an Engineering
Director for GMS in China.
May 2008, currently an
Engineering Director,
GMS China.

YOU’VE A LOT
TO LEARN.
TRAINING & DEVELOPMENT
We see your development comprising four main
parts, which will be tailored to meet your needs.
The bullet points below give you a very brief
view of where the training focus lies.
Technical Expertise
Development against technical competency
frameworks that set out the practical skills
and knowledge required within your
chosen discipline.
Access to a core technical curriculum specific
to your discipline.
A professional or technical mentor to attain
Chartership.
Business Execution
Global induction to GSK and GMS.
Lean Manufacturing and Six Sigma training
and accreditation.
Business networking events.
Site and role specific development e.g. Health
& Safety, Quality Management Systems,
Project Management.
PROFESSIONAL ACCREDITATION (CHARTERSHIP)
We encourage employees to attain membership
of appropriate professional bodies and we provide
practical support to assist them. Currently our
internal training programmes are accredited by
IChemE and IMechE to provide the mentored
professional development required to prepare for
chartered and incorporated status. And we are
working towards similar accreditation for Chemists.
High Performance Behaviours (HPBs)
These are the building blocks of skilful performance
and set the GSK standard for defining outstanding
leadership in dynamic, competitive and complex
business environments.
At this early stage in your career, we will work
with you to develop all your behaviours, whilst
focusing in particular on: Information Search,
Creating Business Solutions, Influencing,
Communication, and Flexible Thinking.
Self Awareness
You will be given a senior development mentor.
Leadership Edge – leadership style diversity
to drive GMS culture.
Personal Resilience.
Energy for Performance.
360-degree feedback – feedback from your
colleagues, managers and stakeholders and
yourself to aid your development.
Career Planning & Networking.
11

WHY COME AND WORK IN THE
PHARMACEUTICAL SECTOR?
Clearly, GSK and the pharmaceutical sector offer
huge scope for scientists and engineers to work in
the development and manufacture of drugs. Our
multi-disciplinary teams see engineers working
alongside chemists and pharmacists to research and
develop the active pharmaceutical ingredient, and
then formulate it into the product that a patient
takes. Our products include classic pharmaceuticals
(prescribed medicines), biopharmaceuticals (such
as vaccines) and consumer products (over-thecounter
medicines).
Across the pharmaceutical industry there are
some very large companies and most cover all
areas of the industry. Some organisations, like
biopharmaceuticals, are very specialist. So, too, are
generic drug manufacturers – tending to have large
manufacturing arms and small research departments.
So while, for all engineers and scientists, there is
the lure of more commercial roles – if you want
to use your technical skills to assist in the rapid
commercialisation of our products, you need not
look further.
12
Is it right for me?
If you can answer ‘yes’ to the following questions
then GSK and the Global Manufacturing and
Supply business may well be for you:
A) Would you rather be making drugs that save
lives, improve the quality of people’s lives and
make a difference to society than stare at a
screen looking for small movements in
equity prices?
B) Can you see yourself working in an industry
making radical changes to the development
and manufacture of our products or would
you rather be reconciling balance sheets?
C) Would developing all-new, state-of-the-art
technology be a better reason for getting out
of bed in the morning than heading off to
sue someone?
Compensation & Benefits –
the TotalReward
GSK offers you unique opportunities for career and
personal development, flexible work options where
appropriate, and excellent facilities, because we
understand there’s more to job satisfaction than
just your pay and benefits. But of course, the pay
and benefits are important too.
So, when you join GSK, you become part of a
talented and highly motivated team of people who,
together and individually, contribute to GSK’s
global mission. And in return, you receive your
TotalReward – the GSK pay and benefits package.
In no particular order, this includes a competitive
salary, a performance-based bonus, a pension plan
with regular contributions from GSK, and
opportunities to save for the future with help
from GSK.
You’ll also have regular salary reviews as part of the
Technical Development Programme. This ensures
that as you develop professionally, you are
rewarded appropriately. And you have access to
private healthcare, holidays, an employee advice
service, and a variety of plans to help you save tax.
(If you want more information on TotalReward visit
www.gsk.com/uk-students and select the
‘Working at GSK’ option.)
At GSK, we believe there’s
A CLEAR LINK between looking after our people
and caring for our customers. We know our customers are in
safe hands because WE INVEST IN OUR PEOPLE’S FUTURE.
We make sure they are WELL DEVELOPED, are SUPPORTED
both PROFESSIONALLY and PERSONALLY, have plenty of
OPPORTUNITIES TO PROGRESS and that their REWARDS
REFLECT THEIR CONTRIBUTION. And perhaps, even more
importantly, we ensure that they’re able to do what they do
best, as we’ve developed an environment that brings the
BEST OUT OF PEOPLE FROM ALL BACKGROUNDS.
We have developed an OPEN, TEAM-BASED CULTURE
that ENCOURAGES IDEAS SHARING and
spurs people on to FIND NEW WAYS
around familiar problems. Why do
we value our people and their
contributions so highly?
PUT SIMPLY, WE
CAN’T HELP
BUT CARE.
IT’S OUR BUSINESS
TO CARE.

GMS
will give you the
TOOLS AND THE BEST
POSSIBLE START FOR YOU TO
BUILD YOUR CAREER at GSK.
You’ll get an EXCEPTIONAL
TECHNICAL FOUNDATION, REGULAR
DEVELOPMENT REVIEWS and a
STRUCTURED PROGRAMME
to follow. The spine of this is
A SERIES OF PLACEMENTS
that will see you gain
A STRONG OVERVIEW OF
OUR BUSINESS. Once
you’ve a clear idea of
where your heart lies, WE’LL WORK
WITH YOU to determine whether
broader business exposure or more
in-depth technical experience is right.
Then YOU’LL BE FREE TO TAKE
THE PATH THAT SUITS YOU.
Before long, you’ll discover
that YOUR PLACE AT GSK
IS EXACTLY WHERE
YOU WANT
I T T O
BE.
WE’LL PUT YOU
IN YOUR PLACE.
THE PROGRAMME
Our Technical Development Programme offers
a wide range of opportunities for engineers and
scientists. It’s a three-year programme involving
three placements in at least two of our business
areas, and at different sites. Placements are usually
within the UK or the Republic of Ireland, but
overseas opportunities do sometimes arise.
The first placement is for 16 months, the second is
for 12 months, and the final placement is for eight
months. Near the end of each, you’ll work with the
management team to identify the next business
area appropriate for your skills development (and
our business needs). At the end of the programme,
if you have delivered to the desired standards, you
will be placed, with support, within the
organisation.
GETTING IN
We have a three-stage recruitment process that
starts with an application form and hopefully ends
at an Assessment Centre. If your application is
successful, we’ll invite you to a telephone
interview, which uses a mixture of technical and
competency-based questions. Throughout the
process, we will explore your ability to apply the
technical knowledge you have gained through
your studies, and ask you to give examples of
situations where you have demonstrated the
behaviours we value as a business.
GETTING ON
The programme is focused on developing the next
generation of Technical Leaders and Technical
Specialists. As a result, we have clear competency
frameworks in place to support your development
and to help you visualise your own progress.
We will work with you to identify your career path
and ensure a detailed individual development plan
is put in place in partnership with your manager.
GMS Technical Development Programme
Overview
8-month Business Breadth Placement
experience of wider business or people
leadership at your Home Site.
16-month Technical Foundation Placement
putting your university studies into practice.
12-month Technical Breadth Placement
continuing to develop your technical skills at a
different site, supply division or business unit.
8-month Technical Depth Placement
putting experience into practice at your Home
Site or at one of our International Sites.
Development Reviews
13

WHAT DO WE HAVE TO OFFER?
Graduate Programmes
As a SCIENTIST, you could join our programme
as an Analytical Chemist, Organic Chemist
or Microbiologist.
As an ENGINEER, you could join our programme
as a Chemical/Process Engineer, Mechanical
Engineer, Process Control & Automation Engineer,
or Electrical Engineer.
NOT A SCIENTIST OR ENGINEER? Maybe
Chemometrics, Statistics, or one of our other GSK
graduate programmes will provide you with the
challenge you are looking for.
Placements
We offer a number of Industrial placements in GMS
to give you the opportunity to develop the skills
you have learnt to date at university in a practical
environment, learn new skills, and gain an insight
into a career with a pharmaceutical company.
Depending on how you’ve performed during a
placement, they provide a fast-track route to our
graduate programmes. Further details of all our
placements can be found online.
Summer placements are less frequent due to the
nature of our business. However, they are
sometimes available and typically last eight to
twelve weeks. As well as developing your technical
skills, our summer placements will provide you with
an insight into life and work in GSK. Further details
of all our summer placements can be found online.
All product names in italics are trademarks of GlaxoSmithKline, its
subsidiaries or associated companies.
14
SO
WHAT’S NEXT?
We suggest you hop online,
and POINT YOUR CURSOR IN
THE GENERAL DIRECTION OF THE
GSK WEBSITE www.gsk.com/uk-students
There, you’ll be able to discover more
about each and every one of our
graduate opportunities, as well as how the
programmes work in terms of ROTATING
THROUGH ROLES AND SPECIALISING
IN SPECIFIC AREAS. And even if you’re
not quite ready to join GSK as a fully
fl edged graduate just yet, don’t worry.
We’ve A RANGE OF INDUSTRIAL
PLACEMENTS AND SUMMER PLACEMENTS
ON OFFER. In fact, whether you’ve an
engineering or science degree (or
are working your way towards
one), we’re confi dent we can
provide THE PERFECT
HOME FOR YOUR
EXPERTISE.
LET US TELL YOU
WHERE TO GO.
www.gsk.com/uk-students

www.gsk.com/uk-students
GSK is proud to promote an open culture, encouraging people to be themselves and giving their ideas a chance to flourish.
GSK is an equal opportunity employer.