Siemens Healthineers celebrates Women in Engineering Day 2023

International Women in Engineering Day (INWED), created by Women’s Engineering Society (WES), provides an important opportunity to elevate the profile of women engineers around the world and calls for more women and girls to embark on exciting engineering careers. In addition to spotlighting women engineers - electrical, mechanical and civil - INWED highlights the work of engineers across a much wider range of areas including cybersecurity, medical technology & devices, pharma, transport, and human factors.

Actively supporting the careers of women engineers

An official partner of the UK's Women's Engineering Society (WES), Siemens Healthineers is a big advocate for women's STEM careers. Siemens Healthineers works with WES to support ongoing projects within the business, providing engineers the opportunity to showcase the incredible work they do by entering awards such as the Top 50 Women in Engineering Awards. Siemens Healthineers also provides individual memberships for its engineers who join WES in regional clusters, run by WES members throughout the UK.

Challenging stereotypes in an inclusive workplace culture

At Siemens Healthineers, women engineers are challenging stereotypes and breaking glass ceilings thanks to the company's diverse and inclusive culture. Siemens Healthineers affirms that, contrary to the historical opinions, engineering is an excellent occupation for women. Independent thinkers with an aptitude to problem-solve and diagnose should definitely consider a career path with this prime employer.

Meet Sivani Moodliar, Lucy Norman and Emily Latimer - some of the talented women engineers working at Siemens Healthineers, and find out about their journey to success.

Shaping the healthcare industry

Sivani Moodliar is an Applications Engineer at Siemens Healthineers South Africa.

"I always look at the big picture and who is going to benefit from the work that I do. To me, the beneficiaries from my work is the doctor reporting on a CT case who provides a diagnosis to a patient who needs treatment. Knowing that I am helping a patient drives and motivates me every day. Our tag line at Siemens Healthineers is Shaping the future of healthcare and each day as an Applications Engineer, I can see how my contributions shape healthcare industry," explains Sivani.

"Every day poses a new challenge and there’s never a mundane day. There’s always a challenge that is encountered that needs attention. Challenges drive me to improve myself and push my limits. When you are pushing your limits, you are growing and learning," adds Sivani.

From intern to CRM Manufacturing Manager

Through her work as a CRM Manufacturing Manager at Siemens Heallthineers, Zoe is responsible for managing the technical knowledge transfer of the Hybridoma, Infectious Disease and Molecular Biology departments from Los Angeles in the USA to Llanberis in Wales.

"The kits we make aid in the diagnosis of health conditions affecting real people’s lives. Having integrity in your work, and keeping the end-user in mind with every task, really helps ensure there is quality in every aspect of the process," explains Zoe.

Fulfilling passion and enhancing skills

Working at Siemens Healthineers enables Magnet Technology Design Engineer Lucy Norman to fulfill her passion for healthcare engineering and do impactful work.

“Knowing that products leaving our doors are going to improve people’s lives, enhance diagnostics, help to research new cures and treatments, and that I have had the opportunity to contribute to their design and build process, is very rewarding,” says Lucy.

“My passion here is encouraged and gives me the opportunity to enhance my skills and achieve my best work, in turn helping to produce the best products. My work is important to me because it's what I spend most of my time doing, so I want it to be something I enjoy and feel like I’m contributing to something meaningful," adds Lucy.

Contributing to medical innovation

Emily Latimer is a Senior Engineering Designer at Siemens Healthineers Magnet Technology whose main duty is design and development of MRI scanner products and tooling that the company uses for manufacturing processes.

"It is great to be part of Magnet Technology and having the opportunity to contribute to medical innovation, helping saves lives around the world. You are surrounded by knowledgeable and inspiring colleagues on daily basis and have lots of opportunities to develop professionally," explains Emily.

Emily shares some great advice for young people considering STEM careers: "Have a look into all the opportunities there are in STEM careers. There are so many avenues you can go into which I wasn’t aware of when I was at school, I am sure there would be something that would excite and interest you. I think it is a great and exciting area to work within. Also look at different ways to transfer into a STEM career, there are a much larger number of apprenticeships and degree apprenticeships these days as well as university degrees so have a look at what might suit you best."

Learning about fluidics, biochemistry, manufacturing and more

Rebekah O'Connell works as a Product Engineer (Electronics) for Siemens Healthineers within in their Healthcare Diagnostics Manufacturing facility in a town called Swords which is on the east coast of Ireland, about ten kilometres north of Dublin City.

"Priorities can change quite quickly here as based on customer needs, supply chain issues, etc," explains Rebekah. "Our work requires us to be highly organized and diligent, so we can switch our focus accordingly in order to tackle various problems head on in a tactical manner. Also, having the desire to learn is useful as you will always be exposed to different areas that you may not have encountered before. I am an electronic engineer, but I have learned about fluidics, biochemistry, manufacturing and more and continue to expose myself to more areas as my career is developing."

Supporting success for black engineers

Siemens Healthineers also supports the Success for Black Engineers Programme which began in May 2022, initiated within the School of Biomedical Engineering and Imaging Sciences at Kings College London (KCL).

Siemens Healthineers was the first industrial partner to join the project, supporting grant applications and providing opportunities to engage with industry. The programme works to support the academic success of black students within engineering through improving representation, mentoring and exposure to industry.