In this interview, News Medical-Life Sciences speaks with Chris Williams, Chair of the ELRIG Mid-Career Task Force, and Helen Harrison, a member of the ELRIG Mid-Career Task Force, about ELRIG's new Mid-Career Initiative and why supporting scientists beyond the early stages of their careers is becoming increasingly important. 

Can you both introduce yourselves and your roles within ELRIG?

Chris Williams: I am the Chair of ELRIG's Mid-Career Task Force. I was previously a member of the ELRIG Board and have also been involved with the Engagement Strategy Working Group. After stepping down from the Board, I still wanted to contribute to ELRIG's work, and that eventually led me to become involved in leading this new initiative.

Our task force brings together volunteers from several different ELRIG working groups because supporting mid-career professionals is something that naturally spans many areas of the organization. Rather than being a standalone working group, we are a cross-functional task force focused on identifying how ELRIG can better support this important part of our community.

Helen Harrison: I joined the ELRIG General Committee earlier this year after finding myself with more time to volunteer following redundancy from my previous role. Having attended ELRIG events for many years, I had seen first-hand how much support the organization provides for early career professionals and wanted the opportunity to contribute in the same way. 

As I explored the different working groups, I recognized there was an opportunity to develop more support specifically for mid-career scientists. My own experience, together with seeing many talented colleagues navigating redundancy and career uncertainty, made this initiative feel particularly meaningful to me.

What is the ELRIG Mid-Career Initiative, and what inspired its creation?

Chris Williams: The initiative developed from conversations happening across several ELRIG working groups and within the Board itself. Over the past few years, ELRIG has invested heavily in supporting early career professionals, and rightly so. Building that community has been incredibly successful, and the enthusiasm surrounding the Early Career Professional program is fantastic.

At the same time, several people began asking an important question: what are we doing for the scientists who have progressed beyond those early career stages?

Mid-career professionals represent a significant proportion of the drug discovery community. Many have contributed to ELRIG for years, and many helped build the organization into what it is today. We recognized that they face a unique set of challenges that are different from those experienced by early career scientists.

The task force was created to explore those challenges and identify practical ways that ELRIG can provide meaningful support. Our current priorities include helping scientists navigate redundancy and a difficult employment market, while also developing a mentorship program focused on leadership development and career pivots, both of which become increasingly important during this stage of a scientific career.

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How would you define a mid-career professional?

Helen Harrison: We deliberately avoid defining mid-career by age because everyone's career follows a different path. Instead, we think of it as someone who has typically spent at least five years in their profession after completing their academic training and has reached a point where their career is evolving in new directions.

Many people at this stage are moving beyond purely technical laboratory work and beginning to take on broader responsibilities, whether that involves leading teams, developing strategy, or exploring entirely new career directions. It is often a period of transition where people are balancing technical expertise with increasing leadership responsibilities.

Chris Williams: Career development is incredibly personal, so putting an age bracket around it would not make sense. Some people experience these transitions earlier than others, while factors such as family commitments or different career journeys mean everyone's timeline is unique.

For us, the defining feature is not age but career stage. These are scientists who have established themselves professionally and are now facing new opportunities, new responsibilities, and often new uncertainties that require a different type of support.

How does the Mid-Career Initiative differ from ELRIG's support for early career professionals?

Helen Harrison: The support has to be tailored because the challenges are very different. Early career professionals are typically building their technical foundations and establishing themselves within the industry. Mid-career professionals, on the other hand, are often thinking about what comes next.

That next stage might involve moving from the laboratory into leadership, taking on greater strategic responsibility, changing scientific disciplines, or even pursuing an entirely different career path. They have already established themselves professionally, but they are often making significant decisions about how they want the next phase of their career to develop.

There are, of course, some common themes. Mentorship is valuable regardless of where you are in your career. The nature of that mentoring may differ, but having someone to provide guidance, share experience, and offer an external perspective is beneficial whether you are just starting out or have many years of experience behind you.

Chris Williams: One of the biggest differences is that many mid-career professionals suddenly find themselves leading people without ever having received formal leadership training.

I experienced excellent leadership development early in my own career, and I still rely on those foundations today. Increasingly, however, many scientists are expected to move from technical roles into management without that same level of preparation. They are learning as they go while carrying significant responsibility for other people's careers and wellbeing.

These individuals become the future leaders of our organizations. They shape culture, create the environment in which teams work, and ultimately have a huge influence on innovation and productivity. Organizations can have excellent technology and outstanding science, but it is people who bring those things to life.

That is one of the gaps we are hoping to help address. Through mentoring and coaching, we want to give people additional support as they develop the confidence and skills needed to become effective leaders.

*ELRIG Drug Discovery provides opportunities for scientists at every career stage to network, exchange ideas and build relationships that can shape future careers. *

What are the biggest challenges currently facing mid-career professionals in drug discovery?

Chris Williams: The current employment landscape is certainly one of the biggest challenges. The industry has changed significantly over the years. When I began my career, people often expected to spend decades with the same organization. That simply is not the reality anymore.

Scientists today are increasingly faced with difficult decisions about whether to stay where they are or move into a completely different company, location, or even sector to continue progressing. Redundancy has become a reality for many people, and although organizations explain the commercial reasons behind those decisions, the experience often feels deeply personal.

Alongside that, our industry is evolving at an incredible pace. Artificial intelligence is one example, but it is far from the only one. Advances in genomics, new therapeutic modalities, and rapidly changing technologies mean scientists are constantly asking themselves whether their existing skills will continue to meet future demands.

This is where mentoring can make such a difference. We are not thinking about mentoring in the traditional sense alone. Reverse mentoring also has an important role to play. Someone earlier in their career may bring valuable perspectives on emerging technologies, digital tools, or new ways of working that more experienced professionals can learn from. Learning should flow in both directions.

Helen Harrison: I experienced redundancy myself earlier this year when our UK site closed, and it gave me a unique perspective on how different career stages were affected.

Many of our junior colleagues found new opportunities relatively quickly because they had greater flexibility. They were earlier in their careers and often able to relocate or explore a wider range of roles.

At the other end of the spectrum, many senior executives already had extensive professional networks and decades of experience that enabled them to move into consulting or advisory positions.

The group that appeared to face the greatest challenge was those in the middle of their careers. Principal scientists and similar roles have built considerable expertise, but there are fewer vacancies specifically targeted at that level. Many are highly skilled professionals with valuable experience, yet they often find themselves needing to rethink what comes next.

That is why career pivots have become such an important focus for us. Scientists often underestimate how transferable their skills really are. My own background was largely in oncology, but I have since moved into women's health. Initially, I questioned whether I had the right experience, but I quickly realized that many of the core scientific and leadership skills I had developed were directly applicable.

One of the key messages we want to share is that it is never too late to move into something new.

Why is mentorship such an important part of career development at this stage?

Chris Williams: Mentorship provides perspective at a time when many scientists are facing uncertainty. Whether someone is considering a leadership role, recovering from redundancy, or exploring a completely different career path, having someone who has experienced similar challenges can make an enormous difference.

Importantly, mentoring is no longer simply about senior people advising junior colleagues. We increasingly see value in two-way learning, where both mentor and mentee benefit from sharing different experiences, technologies, and perspectives.

Our aim is to build a mentoring program that focuses specifically on leadership development and career transitions. Those are two of the most common challenges faced by mid-career professionals, and they are also areas where the right guidance can have a lasting impact on both individuals and the wider drug discovery community.

How can supporting mid-career professionals strengthen the wider drug discovery sector?

Helen Harrison: Mid-career professionals occupy a unique position within drug discovery because they effectively bridge strategy and delivery. They connect senior leadership with the scientists carrying out the day-to-day research, ensuring that strategic objectives are translated into practical scientific progress.

Without that bridge, it becomes much more difficult for organizations to operate effectively. These scientists understand both the technical detail and the broader business objectives, allowing them to communicate across different levels of an organization and keep projects moving forward.

Chris Williams: Living with one foot in strategy and one foot in operations is a genuine skill. Early in your career, your focus is naturally very operational. As people progress into senior executive positions, they become much more focused on strategy. The challenge for mid-career professionals is that they are expected to operate confidently in both worlds at the same time.

The pace of change within drug discovery only makes that more demanding. New technologies, scientific approaches and ways of working emerge constantly. It is easy to become pulled in multiple directions, balancing the immediate needs of your team with longer-term organizational goals.

These professionals also play an essential role in developing the next generation of scientists. They are often coaching and mentoring others while still looking for guidance themselves. Supporting them therefore creates a positive ripple effect throughout the entire organization, strengthening leadership, improving team culture and ultimately helping to drive better scientific outcomes.

Leadership often means managing former colleagues. What challenges does that transition present?

Helen Harrison: My own transition into management was very different from what I had expected. I imagined it would happen gradually, perhaps beginning with supervising a student before moving into a leadership role over time. Instead, circumstances within the company changed very quickly. Following a restructuring, I was promoted almost overnight.

One day I was working alongside my colleagues as their peer, and the next I was responsible for managing them. That adjustment was challenging for everyone involved.

It also affected my confidence. I found myself questioning whether I deserved to be in that position and whether I had the right skills to lead the team. Fortunately, I received coaching that helped me understand why I had been selected for the role and gave me the confidence to develop into it. That experience reinforced how valuable coaching and mentorship can be during major career transitions.

Chris Williams: This isn't unique to smaller biotechnology companies. I experienced similar situations during my career at Pfizer, where I was promoted above people who had previously been my peers and, in some cases, friends.

It creates challenges on both sides. As a new manager, you're trying to balance maintaining personal relationships while also fulfilling your responsibilities as a leader. At the same time, the people now reporting to you are adapting to a different dynamic.

One approach I found helpful was consciously separating those conversations. Sometimes I would say I was wearing my "friend hat," and other times my "manager hat." It helped create clarity about the context of the discussion.

Another important point is that leadership is not the right aspiration for everyone. Some scientists are happiest as highly skilled individual contributors and should be able to progress their careers without necessarily becoming line managers. Organizations that recognize and value both leadership and technical career paths are often much better positioned to retain talented people.

What can attendees expect from the Mid-Career Initiative at ELRIG Drug Discovery 2026?

Chris Williams: One of the first things we're introducing is the Coaching Corner. Last year we ran a Consultancy Café where consultants could meet potential clients, and we've evolved that idea into a dedicated space where attendees can meet professional coaches and learn more about the different types of coaching available.

For many scientists, coaching is something they have heard about but never experienced. Others may be wondering whether it is worth investing in themselves. By bringing experienced coaches to the conference, we hope people will have the opportunity to ask questions, understand what coaching can offer, and decide whether it could support their own career development.

We're also expanding the program in the Learning Zone. One session, led by Ricky Martin from Hyper Recruitment Solutions, will focus on modern job searching, including using AI tools, strengthening LinkedIn profiles and preparing CVs that reflect how recruitment has evolved. These are practical skills that are becoming increasingly important, particularly for scientists considering a career move.

Helen Harrison: One of the initiatives I've been most involved in is a panel discussion centered on redundancy and career transitions. We wanted it to have a really positive message because redundancy can feel incredibly daunting, but it can also be a catalyst for new opportunities. That has certainly been my own experience, and it's a theme we hope attendees will take away from the session. 

The panel brings together three scientists who have all been made redundant within the last 12 to 18 months, each of whom has taken a different route into their next role. I'll be sharing my experience of building a portfolio career through fractional positions, where I now work across two organizations. It's something I never imagined doing, but I've found that the variety has been incredibly rewarding and that the different roles complement each other surprisingly well.

Another panelist will discuss how networking opened doors to opportunities that were never publicly advertised, while a third will explain how consultancy became a successful route back into permanent employment. We hope attendees will leave recognizing that there is no single path forward after redundancy, and that different approaches can all lead to fulfilling careers.

We're also introducing an informal peer networking session for people who are looking for a new role or considering a career pivot. Going through redundancy or a major career change can feel quite isolating. While practical advice on CVs, LinkedIn profiles, and interview preparation is incredibly valuable, having a supportive network of peers can be just as important. There is something particularly valuable about talking to people who truly understand what you're experiencing because they're going through something similar themselves.

The session is deliberately informal, with tea and croissants before the conference begins, creating a relaxed environment where people can share experiences, exchange advice and build new professional connections. We hope attendees leave not only with practical advice but also with a sense of community and a support network they can continue to rely on long after the conference has ended. 

Where can Readers Find More Information?

About Chris Williams

Chris Williams PhD HonFBPhS FRSB, has over 25 years’ experience working in early drug discovery. This has encompassed scientific leadership of global matrix teams - working in assay development, high-throughput screening, and lead optimization for small molecules, as well as antibody therapies (Pfizer & UCB). Chris has also held operational roles such as Transformation Director and R&D Chief of Staff (NHS & Ipsen), giving her a broad overview of the entire value chain from target discovery to market access and patient experience, as well as dealing with strategic and operational leadership challenges.

In 2017, she founded her own company, Questae Coaching & Consulting Ltd, where she offers scientific consultancy, bespoke workshop design and coaching to support growth in organizations from start-up to large-scale institutions. She is a certified Myers-Briggs (behavioral profiling) and Five Behaviors ® team effectiveness coach, enabling her to bring a deep understanding of individual behaviors and team dynamics to her work.

About Helen Harrison

Helen Harrison has over 20 years' experience in pre-clinical drug discovery, specializing in discovery biology, assay development and screening. Throughout her career, she has built teams and capabilities at innovative biotechnology companies including Bicycle Therapeutics, Amphista Therapeutics and Storm Therapeutics, working across a range of therapeutic modalities. Her expertise spans target identification and validation through to candidate delivery across oncology, infectious diseases and, more recently, women's health. 

Having experienced both the excitement of rapidly growing biotech companies and the uncertainty of industry restructuring and funding pressures, Helen is passionate about supporting the life sciences community through periods of career transition. Following redundancy in early 2026, she became actively involved in initiatives to connect, encourage and support scientists navigating a challenging employment landscape.

Helen is now enjoying two fractional roles: advising teams on target identification and validation for endometriosis programs, and helping to progress small-molecule hits generated from an innovative physics-based AI platform through an oncology drug discovery pipeline.