You know what you’ve built. Now let’s design what comes next.
Strategic career development for life science professionals ready to move forward with clarity, confidence, and intention.
This is not about quick career fixes or surface-level advice.
It is a deep, strategic partnership focused on surfacing what really matters to you - and turning that clarity into decisions, positioning, and practical action.
At this stage of your career, success is no longer about doing more. It is about doing what is right for you, and doing it on purpose.
Whether your next step is a role change, a career transition, or a stronger position in your current organisation, we will work with the real complexity of your situation – without rushed decisions or one-size-fits-all answers.
No preparation needed. Come as you are, and we’ll take it from there.
Career decisions are rarely just about the next job.
They are about identity, direction, and the life you want to build.
What drives career choices?
When I asked my network what was driving their career choices, the answers said it all: 32% financial security – 28% lifestyle and wellbeing – 24% meaning and fulfillment.
Only 16% said career progression. People aren't just climbing a ladder. They're trying to build something that fits. That's what I could help you figure out.
32%
Financial security
28%
Lifestyle and wellbeing
24%
Meaning and fulfillment
16%
Career progression
Who this work is for
I work with mid-career professionals in Life Sciences who are ready to think seriously about their next chapter – not reactively, but intentionally.
As careers in science evolve, the path often moves from hands-on research to team leadership, strategic influence, and business-facing roles. Each step can take you further from the bench – and closer to work nobody actually trained you for.
That is where many professionals start to feel stuck between who they were, who they are expected to become, and what they actually want next.
At a career crossroads
You sense that something needs to change, but the next step is not clear yet.
From technical - to strategic leadership
You want to shift from technical expertise into broader influence, visibility, and decision-making.
Ready for intentional career and life design
You want your career to fit your values, energy, ambitions, and life outside work.
Seeking more than a job title
You are looking for alignment, impact, fulfilment, and a stronger sense of direction.
You bring courage and dedication.
I bring structure, strategy, and support.
Scientist – to scientist. Strategy with lived experience.
I create a confidential, high-accountability space where we identify what's keeping you stuck, open up new possibilities, and move forward one step at a time. Because what you get clear on before your next career move defines the success of the move itself.
PhD
I understand your background, your way of thinking, and the specific challenges of a research career.
Strategic management
I know organisational politics, misaligned priorities, and what gets lost between hierarchy levels.
Life across 6 countries
I've taken risks, adapted, and built a network and a life from scratch – more than once. I approach careers with a global perspective.
Career Coach
I know that work aligned with your values isn’t a luxury – it’s the difference between a career that drains you and one that drives you.
I help you do what I did myself: build a vision and turn it into concrete steps – with intention, structure, and honest support.
How I work
The principles behind everything I do
These are not just words on a page. They shape every conversation, every session.
Honesty
Real clarity only comes from honest conversations. I encourage you to be honest with yourself and deep in your reflections. And I provide honest feedback in return, when needed.
Quality
I value the quality I bring to my services and the quality you put into our work together. It gives results – and we also learn to stop at «good enough" when needed.
Dedication to your success
I work in career programmes because I want to see you succeed. It is a process and a true partnership – guided by bespoke frameworks, with support all the way.
What’s next?
From unclear direction to securing the right role with confidence
Depending on where you are now, our work can focus on clarifying your direction, positioning your value and getting visibility, preparing for applications and interviews – or combining all three into a structured process bringing the answer to "What's next?”
STRATEGIC POSITIONING FOR FUTURE OPPORTUNITIES
Build Your Personal Brand: identify, own and show your value with confidence
To get promoted or attract aligned job, collaboration, and business opportunities
Start here if:
Your work speaks for itself – but somehow it's not being noticed
You feel underappreciated and undervalued
You can't land a promotion
You want recruiters or decision-makers to understand what you bring
You want to build your professional brand and network efficiently
You want to expand your career opportunities
Best for:
Job search strategy once you know the type of role you’re targeting
Re-positioning in a current role to feel seen, valued, and get promoted
Expansion of network and opportunities
What we work on:
A clear, ownable value proposition you can use everywhere
Your niche and the opportunities that are right for you
A LinkedIn profile that works for you while you sleep
A networking approach that doesn't feel forced or transactional
The confidence to showcase your expertise and be remembered
Programme Structure
Outcome:
A positioning strategy and confidence in owning and sharing your value
"Helped me translate my experience into a strong value proposition."
"I now have more confidence to articulate my value and engage in networking. I've gained a more positive understanding of my unique qualities and can better position myself in the professional landscape."
€890 or 2x €450
Buy now
CAREER COMPASS PROGRAMME
Not sure what role you're targeting yet? Start here first.
Develop a career path that truly fits your personality, values, lifestyle, and long-term vision.
Start here if:
You feel confused or uncertain about your next career step
Something feels off, but you are not sure what to do about it
You want your next career move to feel right, not just logical
You need space to think beyond pressure and expectations
Best for:
Identifying career direction after a PhD or postdoc in academia
Changing roles and career direction
Loss of joy and role dissatisfaction – before it becomes a crisis
What we work on:
Clarity on what job satisfaction actually looks like for you
The impact you want to make – and where you can make it
A long-term vision that is holistic, not just career-shaped
What is holding you back – and how to work through it
Realistic career options mapped to who you actually are
A plan to close the gap between now and your goals
Programme Structure
Outcome:
Your Personal Career Compass & Clear Decision Criteria
"It opened my eyes to new and exciting possibilities I had never considered."
"I gained clarity on what truly matters to me professionally. The program helped me to define a career path based on a clear and structured strategy, grounded in my values, strengths, and vision."
This is foundational work. The best time to do it is while you are still employed – when you have stability, space to think, and no pressure to decide fast.
€990 or 3 x €335
Buy now
JOB APPLICATIONS
For when you are ready to move and need to stand out
Start here if:
You want a CV/resume that leads to interviews
You want to learn how to make a job-tailored CV that maximises your fit for a role
You want a cover letter that opens doors, not just ticks boxes
Best for:
Active job seekers ready to apply
PhDs struggling to translate academic experience into industry language
Scientists who aren't getting interviews and want to understand why
What we work on:
CV & cover letter – targeted, value-driven, tailored per role
ATS-optimised CV – to pass screening and land on a desk
Your value, extracted – we surface the impact, results, and fit you're not yet articulating
A method you keep – you can build any tailored application yourself afterwards
Programme Structure
Outcome:
Strong applications demonstrating your fit for the role
Skills to tailor the next application yourself
"Maria paid close attention to language, seniority, measurable achievements, and ATS compatibility, helping me translate my academic experience into something industry employers could immediately understand."
€350
Bespoke support for applications to Group Leader and Professor positions is available on demand
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INTERVIEWS
For interviews on the horizon – from early preparation to final practice
Start here if:
You want to stop underselling yourself and start answering with confidence
You can't translate your academic experience into language that lands in industry interviews
You have an interview scheduled and need to prepare targeted, compelling answers
Best for:
Scientists preparing for an upcoming interview
Researchers who go too technical and lose the room
Anyone who knows their work but struggles to make it land
What we work on:
Portfolio of Your Interview Stories – CAR-structured answers that show your impact, not just your tasks
Translating academic experience into industry language interviewers understand
Mock interview practice – so you can deliver your answers, not just write them
Targeted prep for your specific role – the questions likely to come up, answered strategically
Programme Structure
Outcome:
A portfolio of strong interview stories you can draw on for any role
Confident, targeted performance for this interview – delivered, not just prepared
The ability to prep for any future interview yourself
"We developed compelling examples of my achievements, prepared for difficult questions, and worked on how to discuss technical gaps while differentiating myself from other candidates."
“I got feedback specifically highlighting how well-thought-through my answers to interview questions were."
€350
2 sessions ∙ Follow-up: €120 / 90 mins
Buy now
BUNDLE & SAVE
Go deeper. Get further.
Individual services work. Combined, they compound.
CAREER ACCELERATOR
For scientists ready to move – strategically
Strategic Positioning
Job Applications
Interviews
Best for:
Scientists ready to move and wanting to do it strategically
Those who want Linkedin, CV, and interviews pulling in the same direction
Why bundle:
Your positioning shapes the opportunities you go after – which shapes the applications you write – which shapes the answers you give in interview. Done separately, something always gets lost in translation between the three. Done together, it's one process, fully aligned, start to finish.
Outcome:
From invisible to strategically visible. Recruiters find you – not just the other way around.
"I came to Maria feeling that I might have to start almost from scratch. I left the process as a Head of Department at a biotech company leading a team of six, and – perhaps equally important- a completely different sense of my own professional value.”
€1450
€1540
or 3 × €490
Buy now
WHAT'S NEXT? – FULL PROGRAMME
From unclear direction to securing the right role
Career Compass
Strategic Positioning
Job Applications
Interviews
Best for:
Scientists considering leaving academia, unsure where they'd fit
Those unfulfilled, or who have outgrown their current role
Mid-career scientists asking "is this it?» – and ready to find out
Why bundle:
It's natural to want to jump straight to the CV or LinkedIn profile – but without clarity on direction first, those materials end up trying to speak to everyone, which makes it harder for the right opportunities to recognize you. Getting direction right first means everything that follows – positioning, materials, interview answers – points at the same target, helping you land the opportunities that actually fit.
Outcome:
From "I don't know what's next" to in the role that actually fits.
“I gained clarity on what truly matters to me professionally. The program helped me to define a career path based on a clear and structured strategy, grounded in my values, strengths, and vision. In the end it resulted in two very good career options and I could even choose between the two jobs.”
€2190
€2530
or 5 × €450
Buy now
What working together feels like
A structured space to think
We slow down and cut through the noise so you can see what is actually going on and make decisions with more confidence.
Strategic reflection, not endless introspection
We connect values, strengths, priorities and your bigger vision to potential options and market realities – so clarity turns into action.
Practical tools when you need them
Personal career roadmap, your value proposition, LinkedIn profile, networking pitch, targeted CV/resume, cover letters, interview stories, basis of informational interviews – yours forever
Support without pressur
This is not about rushing you into a dramatic decision. It is about helping you move deliberately and responsibly.
Client testimonials
Real stories from scientists and professionals who worked with Maria to find clarity, direction, confidence, and practical next steps.
Working with Maria changed both my job-search strategy and my perception of my professional value. She helped me recognize my strengths and suitability for senior roles. Just two months later, I received an offer for a Head of Department position at a biotech company.
I gained clarity on what truly matters to me professionally and defined a career path based on a clear, structured strategy grounded in my values, strengths, and vision. The programme also delivered concrete results: a polished CV, prepared interview responses, and networking confidence.
Maria helped me design a career around my actual preferences rather than inherited expectations. Her coaching combined psychological insight with practical frameworks, creating both self-awareness and actionable strategies for more intentional career choices.
Dr. Alise Ponsero
Bioinformatician at the Quadram Institute of Biosciences
Working with Maria made a significant impact on my professional journey. Her thoughtful, actionable guidance helped me clarify my goals, build confidence, strengthen job applications, and prepare for interviews. I highly recommend her expert, empathetic, and results-driven career coaching.
Maria’s “What’s Next?” program helped me gain clarity about staying in academia while exploring alternative paths. Her empathy, honesty, and personalized approach built my confidence, and the psychology-based exercises gave me valuable insight into my strengths, priorities, and career options.
The visualisations Maria helped me create are still crisp and serve as my pole star. Her coaching gave me confidence, a vector for development, and practical tools to stay on track.
By the end of the session, I felt a renewed sense of clarity and confidence in my career direction. Maria's support and action-based advice opened my eyes to opportunities I had not considered before.
Maria's sessions helped my children understand their strengths, values, motivations, possible career paths, university choices, and next practical steps.
Dr Boris Klimovich Head of Upstream Processing | UGA Biopharma
I began working with Maria at a very challenging point in my life and career. I was relocating to Berlin for family reasons, searching for a new job, and trying to complete my transition from academia to industry.
Although I had substantial and diverse experience, I did not fully understand how to present my background to industry employers or which positions I could realistically pursue. Before working together, my applications led to either early rejections or no response.
I expected the Berlin-restricted biotech job search to take more than six months and had little hope of finding a role matching my expertise.
Working with Maria changed both my job-search strategy and my perception of my own professional value.
Our work went far beyond editing my CV. Through thoughtful self-reflection, Maria helped me clarify my career goals, identify my strongest and most distinctive qualities, and understand how to present my experience with greater confidence. After years in academia, Maria helped me overcome my tendency to undersell myself and recognize my suitability for senior roles.
Together, we developed a focused professional brand and adapted my CV, LinkedIn profile, cover letters, and interview presentation for industry. Maria paid close attention to language, seniority, measurable achievements, and ATS compatibility, helping me translate my academic experience into something industry employers could immediately understand.
Our interview preparation was equally valuable: we developed compelling examples of my achievements, prepared for difficult questions, and worked on how to discuss technical gaps while differentiating myself from other candidates.
When I came across a position that initially seemed too senior for me, Maria encouraged me to apply and supported me throughout the entire process. The outcome exceeded all my expectations. Just two months after we started working together, I received an offer from one of the first positions I applied for after we had redefined my positioning and application strategy.
I came to Maria feeling that the market was almost empty, and that I might have to start almost from scratch. I left the process as a Head of Department at a biotech company, leading a team of six, with significant room for professional growth and - perhaps equally important - a completely different sense of my own professional value.
Maria combines exceptional professional insight with genuine personal support. She listens carefully, asks powerful questions, challenges limiting assumptions, and provides encouragement during uncertain and stressful moments. I genuinely believe I would not have achieved this outcome without her support. I cannot imagine a more convincing result from working with a career coach.
I highly recommend Maria to professionals transitioning from academia to industry. Working with her provides clarity, gives you confidence and right tools to overcome the most difficult moments in the job search.
Fereshteh M PhD, Coordinator
I had the pleasure of working with Maria, and I can confidently say her support has made a significant impact on my professional journey. Her guidance helped me clarify my goals, build confidence, and present my skills more effectively, particularly when preparing for interviews and refining job applications. She provided thoughtful, actionable feedback and was always supportive and encouraging.
Thank you, Maria, I feel much better equipped to navigate my next steps. I would highly recommend Maria to anyone seeking expert, empathetic, and results-driven career coaching.
Jule Neumann PhD, Independent Research Fellow
When I started Maria's "What's next?" program, I profoundly questioned: do I want to stay in academia? And what are suitable alternative career paths for me outside of it? Maria gave me the time, space, support and inspiration to explore both of these questions in detail. I now feel more confident in staying in academia because I realized it's a path I really enjoy — but I also found clarity around opportunities outside it. My career strategy clarity went from uncertain to an 8/10. The Career Timeline Exercise gave me a great overview, and the psychology-rooted modules — especially the strengths exercise — were really valuable. The opportunity matrix made me aware of differences between my rational and emotional state in a way I hadn't expected. What I will remember most about working with Maria is her empathy and positivity to move forward, and her honesty about the pitfalls and toxicity in academia. She really listened to what I was saying and individualized the program to my needs. I wholeheartedly recommend Maria's coaching to any academic at a career crossroads. Thank you, Maria 🙏
Dr. Gaby S. Langendijk Program Developer Climate Resilient Cities
I completed Maria's Transformative Career Coaching program “What’s next?” at a crossroad in my career. What sets this program apart is its unique combination of deep personal reflection with highly practical, actionable tools.
Through powerful exercises like self-reflection sessions and visualization techniques, I gained clarity on what truly matters to me professionally. The program helped me to define a career path based on a clear and structured strategy, grounded in my values, strengths, and vision.
But Maria doesn't stop at reflection. The program delivers concrete results: a polished CV, prepared interview responses and networking confidence. I've already used the materials and strategies in real job interviews, with feedback specifically highlighting how well-thought-through my answers to interview questions were.
Importantly, I now have more confidence to articulate my value and engage in networking. I've gained a more positive understanding of my unique qualities and can better position myself in the professional landscape.
Maria's approach is professional, empathetic, and flexible. She adapts to your changing needs while maintaining structure and focus. She empowers you to discover your own answers rather than telling you what to do, which creates lasting impact.
Whether you're considering leaving academia, staying in research, or exploring hybrid paths, this program provides the clarity, tools, and confidence to move forward strategically. Highly recommended for any scientific professional navigating career decisions.
Alise Ponsero Bioinformatician at the Quadram Institute of Biosciences
I had the privilege of working with Maria through her “What’s Next?” transformative career coaching program, and I can confidently say it was one of the most valuable professional development investments I’ve made.
The program’s most significant impact was giving me permission to design a career around my actual preferences rather than inherited expectations. For the first time, I had support in recognizing that success doesn’t require following traditional academic progression. Maria helped me understand that my core traits — those that draw me to certain roles — are the same ones that create challenges within them. This nuanced insight has been invaluable for making more intentional career choices.
Maria combines psychological insight with practical frameworks. Her use of established assessment tools alongside custom exercises created both self-awareness and actionable strategies. She’s particularly skilled at helping clients articulate their unique value proposition and translate complex motivations into concrete decision-making criteria.
I highly recommend Maria for anyone navigating career transitions, particularly academics or researchers considering non-traditional paths. Her approach is thoughtful and genuinely transformative.
Eva Cea Torrescassana, PhD Molecular Biologist | Kromek Group plc
I cannot recommend Maria highly enough as a career coach. She is incredibly professional, and my session with her was both eye-opening and deeply clarifying. As someone who has recently completed a PhD and is navigating the challenging transition to industry, I found her insights very valuable.
Maria's thoughtful pre-session questionnaire allowed her to tailor the session precisely to my concerns and potential challenges. This preparation made our 45-minute meeting incredibly productive and enriching. During the session, she asked insightful questions about my personality, priorities, and challenges in workplace settings. Based on this, she outlined several potential career paths that aligned with my skills and interests.
Maria also identified higher-skilled positions that I could aim for and provided detailed guidance on how to achieve them, including recommendations for relevant courses, degrees, and practical strategies. She went further by suggesting concrete next steps, offering a curated list of companies, institutions, and scientific networks that matched my profile and aspirations.
Maria's ability to use real-life examples of roles and individuals helped me visualise what might resonate with my preferences and needs. Her advice reinforced the idea that there is always a way to align your career with your values and interests.
Maria has an exceptional ability to understand both short- and long-term objectives and guide you through the process with empathy and expertise. I recommend her to any scientist who feels stuck in their career, dissatisfied with their current role or uncertain about how to target specific long-term objectives (e.g. maternity, moving into a different country, having a higher salary, etc).
By the end of the session, I felt a renewed sense of clarity and confidence in my career direction. Maria's support and action-based advice not only opened my eyes to opportunities I had not considered before but also inspired hope and det
Alexander Klimovich, PhD Deputy Professor (W3) for Zoology
I approached Maria as a coach when I was disoriented and facing several personal and professional challenges.
In her coaching sessions, Maria created an atmosphere of trust and comfort. Each time we met, Maria's attitude was encouraging and supportive, aimed at uncovering potential and solutions rather than digging into problems. By asking guiding questions in a remarkably gentle, non-inquisitive way, she gave me the impulses to discover some of my deep motivations, values and vocations that I was unaware of.
The eye-opening visualisations she helped me to create are still crisp and serve as my pole star. With a solid background in academia, both on the research and management side, Maria understands the challenges scientists face in their careers. As a result, she can really help researchers with their career transitions both within and outside academia.
Maria has a unique blend of experience and intuition that makes her coaching advice so valuable and effective. My experience of coaching sessions with Maria has been so gratifying - it has given me confidence, a vector for development and helpful tools to help me stay on track. This lasting change, I believe, is a true testament to Maria's coaching talent.
I have been working with Maria over the past few months as part of the BBSRC MentForMe Mentoring Programme. Maria has been fantastic in helping me to formulate my goals for career development, discussing topics and providing techniques and materials to expand my skills, and giving me encouragement and accountability to achieve them.
After working with Maria, I have been able to allocate time and formulate the next steps I need to make, so that I am in control and making active decisions about my future career progression. I would highly recommend Maria as a career coach, and would like to thank her for the assistance she has given me towards my career development!
Emiliya Taskova, PhD Protein Scientist
I had the pleasure of working with Maria as my career coach over several months. Her expertise and support helped me to regain my motivation and drive during a challenging period in my career.
Maria was a great listener and understood my unique needs and aspirations. She provided invaluable guidance, helped me to clarify my goals, and explore a diverse range of career opportunities. Maria's comprehensive approach guided me to create a tailored list of potential careers, which opened my eyes to new and exciting possibilities I had never considered.
Maria's extensive network and ability to connect people expanded my professional contacts and helped me meet people from different fields and sectors. It was great to have her encouragement and practical advice throughout the networking process.
Maria's positivity, dedication, and genuine care for her clients set her apart as an outstanding career coach that I am lucky to have experienced!
Roumaissa Kahoul PhD student
I highly recommend Maria for anyone who wants to have an insightful perspective of their scientific career. She is very professional and knows exactly how to navigate your questions.
Liliya Serazetdinova Head of Business Development and Impact
Maria worked with two of my children who are 17 and in the first year of their A-levels. The aim of the sessions was to help them understand what career path they would like to choose and what to study at university.
The sessions focused on promoting self-reflection and clarifying their strengths, values, and motivations. They discussed suitable professions and environments aligned with their personalities, visions, and beliefs. They explored various careers, learned how to self-reflect, gather information and assess different options. In the final sessions, they examined different subjects and university courses to explore their interests.
They also worked on their personal brand and answers to key interview questions. Moreover, they shaped the vision for university years and discussed what internships they could do to explore career options of interest.
It was invaluable experience for my children and helped us as a family to better understand how to explore this challenge of choosing a career option. As a result, my children were able to narrow down their choices and we were able to help them with finding work experience and organise visits to Universities and work places ahead of them putting UCAS applications in autumn.
Thank you Maria for your incredible professionalism and skills, and for building a productive relationship with my children!
Questions you may be asking
No. Many people come to this work precisely because they do not yet have a clear answer. The call is a starting point to understand where you are, what feels misaligned, and what kind of support may be useful.
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Want to take the next step?
Book a free 30-minute call – no preparation needed. Come as you are, and we will take it from there.