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Science Foundation Ireland (SFI) is the national foundation for investment in research in the areas of STEM, which assists in the development and competitiveness of industry, enterprise, and employment in Ireland. We also promote and support STEM education and engagement to improve awareness and understanding of the value of research to society and to support the STEM careers pipeline.

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Xiaona Hou, Product Engineer

Xiaona Hou is a Product Engineer. She is responsible for supporting R&D work in the Diabetes Care business unit at MD Medical.

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Who are the people who most influenced your career direction?

My mother greatly influenced my career as she was a successful electronic engineer in China. I also had a great manager when I first started out working in R&D who always encouraged me to think outside the box and trusted me to work directly with customers and vendors. This really helped me to build up my confidence.

Describe a typical day?

I start my day with a good strong coffee! I work in the RCI department in BD Dun Laoghaire and most of my projects involve working with colleagues overseas. In the morning, I start with my project action items, this could vary from R&D support work to liaising with external vendors. Then the afternoon usually comprises of meetings with my overseas colleague to discuss the progress of our project.

What are the main tasks and responsibilities?

I am responsible for supporting R&D work in the Diabetes Care business unit within BD, and engaging with different functional groups across the company. This requires strong communication skills and dynamic thinking.

What are the main challenges?

While working on a new product idea could be very exciting, it may take years to implement and prove out the final product as the medical device industry is so heavily regulated. However, this is necessary and important in order to deliver the highest quality and safest products to our patients.

What do you like most?

Knowing that what I do every day is seeking innovative solutions which strive to improve healthcare products.

What is your education to date?

BEng in Biomedical Engineering from University of Limerick

What aspects of your education have proven most important for your job?

My experience working on group projects has been very useful for my job today as I work with various different functional groups within BD. And the skills I have learnt such as problem solving and CAD design have been very practical too.

Does your job allow you to have a lifestyle you are happy with?

Yes, definitely. The flexible working hours in BD allow me to start my job early and finish early. This is really valuable to me as it allows me to spend more time in the evening with my 14-month-old child. In BD, we are always encouraged to continue learning new skills which is very important for the R&D medical device industry.

What advice would you give to someone considering this job?

Don’t be afraid to speak up, be yourself and always learn from each other.

What kinds of work experience would provide a good background for this position?

Any college internship or work experience in the medical device, biotech or pharmaceutical industry would be extremely valuable, as this will demonstrate to them what the real work environment is like and what area they may be interested in working in after graduating. It will also give them the opportunity to network with different people within the industry.

What is your current job title?