1. The Choice is Yours!
Paving the Way for YOUR Career
Brenda Lando
Merck & Co.
Commentary:
With a Chemical Engineering Degree, the choice really is yours
when it comes to selecting your post-grad opportunities.

2. From Engineering…
(ChemEs everywhere!)
l LANSDALE, PA l Steel Toes/Bunny
Suits/Safety Goggles
l BIOTECHNOLOGY
SUPERVISOR l Getting Messy!
l PHARMACEUTICAL l Weekends/Nights
PROCESSING ENGINEER l Documents,
Documents,
Documents!
Commentary: My career path began with a 2-
year rotational development program in Merck’s
l Union Employees
Manufacturing Division where I spent my first 2 l Overtime Pay
rotations in engineering.
l Problem Solving
This had its plusses and minuses, but in the end, I
realized this wasn’t the type of work I wanted to
do for my “career”. I felt closed in to a very
specific product, but what I really wanted was to
see the bigger picture!

3. …To Engineering Support…
(ChemEs & business-types co-exist)
l Spreadsheets, Spreadsheets, l WHITEHOUSE STATION, NJ
Spreadsheets!
l SUPPLY CHAIN PLANNING
l Meetings, Teleconferences,
l NEW PRODUCT LAUNCH SUPPORT
Videoconferences
l 99% Desk Work
l Computer Savvy-ness is Inevitable!
l Multi-tasking
l Time Management
Commentary: My next two rotations were on the business side of our
manufacturing operations. I was no longer in the factory, but behind a desk number
crunching and analyzing our plans for manufacturing our products.
This was much better-I did see the bigger picture as I grew to learn the supply
chains of all of our products, but something was still missing. I wanted more social
interaction in my day, so I decided to move on to sales at the end of my rotational
program!

4. …To Pharmaceutical Sales
(no ChemEs in sight!)
l NEW YORK, NY
l PHARMACEUTICAL REPRESENTATIVE
l 2 Months Product & Disease Training
l Science-Based Selling Approach
l Sell to Docs; Friends with Staff!
l Flexible Schedule (Back to School/Raise Family)
l Deal with Rejection/Bad Weather
l Being Engineer is Exception/Not Rule!
Commentary: I joined Merck’s Pharmaceutical Sales Division in July, and I am happy to
say I’ve found something I love. I have no regrets about putting my engineering degree to
work, and that helped me tremendously in moving on to pharm sales.
I am viewed as a valuable resource to our sales team as I know the internal operations as
well as all of our products better than those who never worked internally, and I am able to
speak to our doctors on a scientific level when necessary. From here, I plan to get my MBA
part time, and continue to grow in the sales division at Merck.

5. ChemE is Still Relevant to Me
AIChE is for NETWORKING
l
l AIChE is for INTERVIEWING
l AIChE is for LEADERSHIP
l AIChE is for CONTINUING EDUCATION
l AIChE is for LONG-LASTING RELATIONSHIPS
l AIChE is for YOU!!!
Commentary: Although I no longer practice chemical engineering, I still find AIChE to be extremely valuable to my growth
and development as a Young Professional. The networking and leadership opportunities available within the institute are
what I find most rewarding, and I have been able to speak about my role in the institute during several interviews.
I encourage each of you to seek out and join your Local Sections of AIChE upon graduation, and keep up that
involvement with AIChE! You won’t be sorry!!!

6. CONGRATULATIONS…
You are a ChemE for Life!!!