Introducing the newest member of our team: Will Robards! Will has joined Thrive as Head of Technology, and is applying himself to our client projects as well as internal work. He has a fascinating background in anatomy, engineering, medical devices, and R&D and we’re really excited to have him on board.
Will first studied Anatomy and Developmental Biology at UCL, then tried his hand at a few odd jobs, from white water rafting guide, to diving instructor, and lifeguard across America, New Zealand and Australia. On his return to the UK, Will went to Reading University to qualify as an engineer. From the very first moment he stepped through the doors on the open day, it became clear that this line of work was his passion, and he completed his second BSc in Biomedical Engineering with Cybernetics with a first class degree.
After University, Will spent several years making bespoke seismometers for a huge range of international clients, from universities to nuclear power companies. After a seven-month period of travelling and volunteering across Asia, Australia, New Zealand and South America, Will applied for a job with a medical devices company in Brighton. He spent seven years working in research and development (R&D), firstly in Development Engineering and then in a Systems Engineer role, before making the move to Thrive.
Will’s expertise in medical devices will be of huge benefit to Thrive’s clients. He has worked on projects from conception through to CE-marks, and has thorough knowledge of risk management, electrical safety, and the route to market. He’s also an expert in the documentation for applying for CE-marks, liaising with independent test housing and the notified body for compliance. A lot of the devices Will has worked on have been in the health and wellness space, and he has a commercial awareness that will enable clients to achieve and prove the efficacy it takes to get into the medical device market. This opens up opportunities in the NHS supply chain, or in private hospitals in North America, as well as providing a high level of credibility for your product.
In his first few months at Thrive, Will has big ambitions. Firstly, he is looking forward to getting to know the array of technology we are already using. And he is also keen to set up quality management systems, complying with ISO 13485 and ISO 9001, and showing that we have, among other things, regulation of document control and supply chain traceability. This is a real advantage for clients in the medical devices field. Another of Will’s highest priorities is client communications. Will is of the belief that staying agile and being proactive by communicating problems early can overcome issues in R&D and deliver products on time and within budget. The agility of Thrive, as a small company, is one of the things that initially drew Will to the role, alongside Thrive’s people-first approach.
Want to work in our team, alongside Will?
Want to work in our team, alongside Will? Thrive is currently hiring an Electronics Engineer, and Will’s advice to any potential applicant would be to put your best foot forward, show us what you can do, and if there’s anything you can’t, be honest and be prepared to up-skill. We would want to ensure a strong technical grounding, but there is always room to learn and we would want to support that both in-house and with external training. You can apply here.