Dr Samantha Gordine's career path to becoming the Global Head of Sustainability Solutions at Arcondis. Samantha talks about her journey from failing to secure internships to managing a team of professionals in the sustainable healthcare sector, and the importance of her mentors along the way. Current Job Tell us about your current role I am the Global Head of Sustainability Solutions at Arcondis, leading a team of professionals to advance sustainability in the healthcare sector. I serve as the Programme Manager of a One Health initiative*, overseeing all associated research projects and initiatives. Additionally, I work with major pharmaceutical companies, non-profit organisations, and healthcare organisations (HCOs) to develop sustainable product lifecycles and business practices, and make labs more sustainable too.*One Health projects work to improve environmental, animal and human health at the same time Career Beginnings When you were 15, what job did you want and who did you ask for advice?I wanted to be a Marine Biologist but I had nobody to ask about it because I knew nobody who was a marine biologist. I started an internship at a plant genetics lab to gain some research experience and build my track record to get into a good university. That's when I learnt about other researchers career paths, what a PhD was, and the academic route. The group was led by Professor Seth Davis. He and his wife, Mandi Davis, were the only scientific reference point I had, and supported me in my early career while at university (BSc and PhD). They became my early mentors, helping me understand what I had to do to become a biology researcher. Did you have an interest in the environment at this time? I was obsessed with the idea of becoming a marine biologist and my entire school choices were designed around it. I spent a lot of time reading about the natural world and attending university lectures in Biology while still at school. I did an internship at the botanical gardens which I loved, and then later interned at a plant biology lab. What were your first steps in starting your career? My first step on the scientific career path was securing my internship at the Max Planck Institute for Plant Breeding Research at the age of 15. I returned to work in their lab during holidays at school and university. Prof. Davis and his wife took a risk taking me on as an intern in an English-only speaking lab at such a young age. I'm still very grateful for this opportunity and their support, specifically with reference letters over the years. I got accepted into the University of St Andrews to study marine biology but pursuing my career in that field proved much harder (e.g. securing marine biology internships, placements, paid summer jobs). I failed to get any form of marine biology-focused internship because I needed them to be paid. This also stopped me from getting proper field experience in the field of marine biology, which made me feel I missed out and was under-qualified in my chosen career path for many years. Also the associated costs with e.g. diving certification or boating experiences proved an access problem due to financial needs. Career path and skills What does your career path look like? My career path was linear until completing my PhD, and then very bumpy from then onwards. My socio-economic background and my sight impairment - Keratoconus, an eye condition - along with being female have certainly shaped my career opportunities and outlook.I worked very hard to make my dream of becoming a marine biologist become a reality. Over the years, I met several people who advocated and supported me academically but this only brought me so far. After completing my PhD I wanted to work in marine policy, but didn’t secure any internships despite my academic and extra-curricular record being very strong, I ended up working in the non-profit sector in two roles which were very contrasting. While one was largely a positive experience, the was highly underpaid and had a heavy workload - I experienced highly inappropriate workplace behaviour. Despite learning a lot during my time in the sector, I struggled with my mental health and experienced eco-anxiety, feeling guilty for excessive (unnecessary) business travel and unsustainable behaviour.I switched roles to an industry consulting position, specifically with no environmental context so I could to switch off. This change improved my mental health but transition was also tough as my previous work experience was often disregarded, and meant I was initially paid less than my peers.Nonetheless, gaining experience in the consulting sector made me comfortable enough to start my own sustainability group within the company, which took about three years of planning. Now, after several years in the workforce, my CV and work experience are forming a more coherent picture again and I am leading a team of professionals trying to make healthcare more sustainable and improve the health of humans, animals and the environment – including the ocean.My career path was linear until completing my PhD, and then very bumpy from then onwards. What skills were important for you to develop in your career? People/Stakeholder skills - understanding how to manage people of different backgroundsTraining/teaching skills - I use these constantlyAnalytical problem solving - presentation/communication skillsWhen I took my first job in business development, despite no background in it, I tested how transferrable my skillset was. I benefitted from knowing the academic sector, having engaged with academia and academic extracurricular activities for years. My people/stakeholder engagement skills were of utmost importance in this job; along with being organised and self-driven regarding deadlines/progress. If I could create a job in the environmental sector that doesn't exist yet, I would do......something to do with the blue economy; innovating a product from the ocean with a clear business return on investment and conservation potential. This article was published on Monday 19 October 2026
