AN ELITE team of consultants has been put in place in Russell Taylor Group’s Scientific Division to equip the UK Science economy with its growing demand for sector skills.

The newest members of the specialised team working out of the company’s Burton Manor headquarters both join the business with expertise gained in the academic, research and commercial fields of the industry as well as in Scientific recruitment.

Principal Consultant Johnathan Miller, a qualified geneticist and molecular biologist, left the University of Liverpool with a BSc in Genetics and, after working in Cancer Research laboratories, moved into scientific recruitment with a major North West technical, engineering and scientific operation.

In his 16 years there, he helped more than 830 people into new roles across a wide range of disciplines and industries under the Scientific umbrella.

Now still working mainly in the North West for Russell Taylor Group, Johnathan’s focus for hiring clients and job-seeking candidates will be centred on the recruitment of permanent and temporary staff in laboratory settings.

Tom Lambert, with a BSc in Applied Chemistry gained at Liverpool John Moores University, joins the Scientific team after working as a Process Chemist in the Pharmaceutical industry.

As a qualified chemist, naturally it makes sense for Tom to be offering recruitment solutions within the Chemical, Contract Testing, Life Sciences and Pharma/Medical Devices industries.

Taking over responsibility for the division’s Certification Desk is Hannah Williams who, joining the business more than two years ago as a graduate with an MSc in Sports Nutrition and knowledge of the Sports Nutrition market, has given Russell Taylor Group an operational boost in one of the country’s fastest-growing health sectors as the market grew in line with consumer demand for health products.

In her new role, she will be recruiting for the UK’s expanding laboratory test markets, sourcing professionals to work on certification and contract testing while also supporting some of the other industries such as Food, Nutrition, Cosmetics and IVD Medical Devices.

Supporting Hannah will be new trainee consultant Ciara Sheard who joins the team after working in recruitment and compliance for a Merseyside-based provider of specialist complex care for children and adults with life-limiting conditions. Her previous role was with a charity working to improve the lives of young people and help them into employment.

Tom Hammond, who heads up the Scientific Division, says his team’s strengths lie in their new ideas and innovation to serve the challenging employment needs of the industry.

He said: “It’s also their scientific backgrounds and hands-on experience gained by working in this sector themselves that take the division up to the next level when it comes to recruiting highly qualified and trained professionals to work in areas currently experiencing huge growth.

“Employers have specific demands to meet job roles in vital fields such as research and development into new products, drug testing, food production, environmental monitoring, climate change solutions and charity research. This is where our team’s detailed knowledge and awareness of ongoing scientific advancements in health, medicine and environmental issues enable a constant supply of the right candidates to fill these posts.”

Employment trends for 2022 show that, over the past five years, the professional, scientific and technical activities sector has become the fastest growing sector in the UK. Figures also reveal that between 2015 and 2020 employment in this sector grew by 3.9 per cent to more than 2.5 million employees.

However, Tom added: “Despite the fact that economic recovery plans are well under way and that the hiring market continues to accelerate, companies are still faced with the challenge of finding enough experienced and proficient candidates to plug the growing skills gap nationwide.

“To make sure the country remains at the forefront of many exciting and innovative new technologies, the science industry increasingly needs a wide range of specialist skills across all disciplines.

“These are days of discovery with doors opening to the creation of a new generation of experts who will make a direct impact on an industry that’s solving some of the country’s most urgent health, welfare and lifestyle challenges.”

ENDS