For the series "a chat with the team": Jade Smith, Development Engineer

Jade is part of the design and development team at Occuity. Having studied originally at King's College in London, where she was the recipient of the King's Experience Research award, Jade then transferred to Imperial College in London where she graduated in 2019 with her MSc in Biomedical Engineering.

As well as being proficient in the usual design software and languages, her knowledge covers both mechanical and electrical applications and includes experience of risk analysis and regulatory frameworks, such as ISO 13485, that are specifically required for medical device development and production.

Over our last coffee, we got to ask Jade some really insightful questions! Read all about it below!

When did you get involved with Occuity? Why did you feel it was the right for you?

I started at Occuity in October 2020. I was drawn to joining Occuity, as the expertise, knowledge and enthusiasm of the team shone through. I knew that starting at the infancy of the company, I could make a significant impact within a company that is striving to improve the medical world. It was an opportunity to make a difference.

Why should someone consider a career at Occuity?

I would suggest that if you are a motivated, hard-working, high-achieving individual, who enjoys a daily (if not hourly) challenge, Occuity should definitely be on your radar. As like working at any engineering start up, you get exposed to so many different aspects of the business and learn something new most days.

What do you think of Occuity’s work so far?

So far, the team has come a long way. As a small engineering team the progress moving the PM1 device towards manufacturing from no current generation prototype six months ago is a big achievement. The projects running alongside the PM1 device are also exciting and I look forward to helping on these in the future.

Which are your usual tasks at work? What do you do?

Day to day I spend a lot of time building and testing the devices. I am currently leading our ‘V1’ test protocol, which involves testing sub systems and whole devices against ISO standards. I spend a lot of time collaborating with the whole engineering team, as well as external contractors and test houses. No two days are ever the same!

What excites you the most about your job?

I enjoy the challenge. If I can learn something new about our technology and share this information with the team, I feel a sense of achievement, and know I am helping to build a better device. Sometimes the most exciting thing in a day can be as simple as working alongside a team member. I really enjoy collaborating and learning from people who have great knowledge in the field.

You keep saying you always knew you wanted to work in the biomedical industry. What made you so sure of it?

I had always wanted to be a doctor growing up, but my skills have always lent themselves more for engineering. My excitement/drive comes from the aspect of helping people in a medical sense.

What is your experience with Diabetes?

I have family history of diabetes, both my mother, and her mother have had diabetes. I remember being young and experiencing my Nan having a hypo, regularly injecting insulin and finger pricking constantly. Anything to make this experience easier for the patient, both physically as well as mentally.

How do you think will Occuity’s future look like?

If I had a crystal ball and could see into the future, in five years time, I would like to see someone’s last minute rush out the door to be ‘oh, do I have my phone? do I have my wallet? do I have my glucose monitor?’ (Not, do I have my mask?!!). I think if Occuity continues to grow and expand in both size and expertise I think the future looks very bright indeed.