Her father was a technical officer with us, and it was the very first day the day care centre was open. Hannah has clear memories from that time – of coming in with her dad to water the plants on the weekends and even of the old preschool room.
“You could say I’m a bit of a CSIRO baby,” Hannah said, laughing.
Over three decades later, Hannah is an Executive Manager, Science Communication with us. She oversees a diverse team that supports multiple business units' (BUs) communication endeavours including Data61, National Facilities and Collections and Space and Astronomy.
She now has two little ones of her own who both attend the same day care she attended. It’s a beautiful little circle - with CSIRO at its heart.
No seven-year itch
As our graduate program gathers momentum, Hannah reflects on her dynamic career with us.“I’ve worked for CSIRO for almost 15 years and it’s clear I love it. This has a lot to do with the people,” Hannah said.
Her father worked in the same role during his long stint with us. In contrast, Hannah, like many of her peers, has seen her job shift and evolve over time.
In fact, she started in recruitment and executive support before pursuing a degree in communication and shifting her focus. She has since worked across many areas of Corporate Affairs including in our Ministerial Liaison Office.
Having worked in at least six different roles gives Hannah a valuable perspective on what it takes to be successful in this organisation.
“People talk about the seven-year itch and the feeling that it may be time to move on from a job. But I feel really fortunate to have had all these different careers within the one organisation,” Hannah reflected.
“I’ve been able to extend myself and try new things, while experiencing stability and the great conditions that come with it.”
Customise your job
Ranked highly on the perks she values is the flexibility around working hours, allowing her to choose how and when she works.
“I would encourage everyone to have a conversation with your manager if you need flexible working arrangements. A great example is the role I’m currently doing. I work four days a week. Previously that might have been a deterrent – I may have seen the full-time role advertised and never applied.”
Instead, her managers have worked with her to accommodate her needs. While Hannah chose this option because she has young children, she knows this kind of arrangement is now a draw for many wanting to apply for our graduate program. More people value work-life balance or want to part-time options for personal reasons.
“If you’ve got an organisation that supports these decisions for whatever stage you’re at in life, then you want to stay with that organisation,” she said.
Sidekicks for science
Hannah would like to see the ranks of our people in enterprise services swell. And she wants prospective applicants to our graduate program to know that while she doesn’t have a background in science, it hasn’t held her back at CSIRO.
“I love science. I love what it does for us and how it changes our everyday lives for the better. But I don't have a research background. Frankly, I didn't know much about science when I came in,” she explained.
With so many diverse roles being advertised, she’s excited to see what graduates with new ideas and knowledge of governance, communication or human resources might have to offer.
“I love what we do. I genuinely learn something new every day. And I love the people we work with,” Hannah said.
“Our scientists are world leaders in their fields. They’re incredible and so smart. It’s a privilege to work with them to support what they do.”