At FUJIFILM Ink Solutions Group we offer STEM students extraordinary opportunities for fascinating research in a fast-developing specialized industry and progression. As an experienced global brand, we’re passionate about investing in young talent and advancing careers.
The Fujifilm industrial placement program is one way for the next generation of science, technology, engineering, and math students to experience what it’s like working in an industrial setting and at the forefront of the ink industry.
Gemma Osborne was a new graduate in marine biology 12 years ago. She joined Fujifilm as a technician and is now the Section Head of the graphics team in Research and Development (R&D) at our site in Broadstairs, Kent, on England’s south coast.
Broadstairs is one of our three world-class research, manufacturing, and engineering sites in the UK where students are placed. At Broadstairs, we develop and manufacture UV inkjet inks and UV pigment dispersions for high-performance uses in print and packaging – niche growth technologies with a bright future.
Gemma’s skills as a technician, positive attitude, hard work, and ambition did not go unnoticed. Fujifilm offered to sponsor her advanced education and funded a Research Master’s in Polymer Synthesis, which led to further responsibilities for product development projects and leading a team.
Gemma says: “I was interested in the process of experimentation and discovery, which Fujifilm offered in abundance. The range of research projects, process development and problem-solving I was involved in meant that the work was varied and interesting and allowed me to learn about multiple aspects of the technology.”
She believes the opportunity to be involved in many aspects of product development sets the Fujifilm placement program apart. “You get the opportunity to be involved in a wide variety of techniques, which are essential for understanding the multiple different aspects of inkjet inks development. Not only do you have the core chemistry aspects, but an understanding of fluid dynamics is also important, and you use a wide range of different pieces of equipment”, Gemma says.
With so many options, including academia, to choose from when you graduate, it’s hard to know which career direction to take. The advantage of the commercial world and a fast-moving industry like UV inks is the chance to work with the latest technology in well-funded laboratories and conduct research towards a common goal in a tight-knit, collaborative team.