Testimonial by Veronique

Interview

Veronique,
research technician

Placopâtre

After working at Saint-Gobain Recherche for 7 years, Véronique wants to change her job, but she is also keen to continue working in research. She is currently a research technician at Placoplâtre.

“I joined Saint-Gobain Recherche in June 2000, after having worked for 1 year as a temp at the Chantereine R&D Centre (CRDC). For 7 years, I was involved in a variety of areas, such as glass fibre or Terreal tiles. Then I decided it was time for a change and that I needed to get more closely involved with development” Véronique explains.

She did some research on the Group intranet and applied for a position as technician at the CRDC. After speaking to her Supervisor and Director of Human Resources at Saint-Gobain Recherche, she was interviewed by the CRDC HRD. In January 2007, she joined the CRDC Thin Film department.

“It was a new experience! A complete change of sector, as I was working on Photovoltaics. We would start from scratch and carry out tests directly in the factory” Véronique says. “There were analyses to be done and work required to set up experimental designs. In addition, I was responsible for supervising one other person. It was really different to my job at SGR.”

However, after 4 years, she discovered she missed working in laboratories. She applied for a new job and joined the Placoplâtre Technical Centre in 2010. “We make new products and improve the performance of standard plasterboards . There is a lot of chemistry involved, which is more my area.”

“What did I gain by working at Saint-Gobain Recherche? The logical approach applied in research, the methodology needed to set up a new experiment, and above all a knowledge of analytical techniques. At SGR, I came into contact with all manner of analytical devices and techniques that do not exist in the Group’s other R&D centres. Consequently, I am better able to recommend one technique rather than another or to understand a phenomenon and interpret the results.” A means for Véronique to stay in touch with her former colleagues and to visit them from time to time.