by Joseph Bergin, Head of Madison/Verona MilliporeSigma
“Don’t let the accent fool you,” said Joseph Bergin, “I’m now a proud mid-Westerner.” With a year under his belt leading the Madison and Verona manufacturing campuses of MilliporeSigma, the global life science company, Bergin has acclimated quickly from his previous roles with the company, including in his hometown of Cork, Ireland.
With more than 320 employees, including scientists, engineers, quality and regulatory experts, and manufacturing techs, our Madison and Verona sites are part of a global network of 52 sites that manufactures high-quality, customized materials for the biopharmaceutical and life science industries. Madison and Verona support developing and manufacturing highly potent and complex pharmaceutical ingredients from pre-clinical to commercial scale.
“We manufacture 40 different products for use in cancer treatments and heart disease, among other health challenges. We are incredibly proud of what we do at MilliporeSigma, because what we do matters,” said Bergin.
Wisconsin is one of only two U.S. locations where the company operates multiple manufacturing facilities and a major distribution center. In addition to Madison and Verona, MilliporeSigma operates 14 unique facilities at its Sheboygan campus.
Why Wisconsin? There’s a reason the state is home to some of the most well-known and iconic brands, from Kohler to Harley-Davidson, to MilliporeSigma, which is part of Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany, the world’s oldest continually operating pharmaceutical and chemical company. Collaboration with the local and state government, the Wisconsin Economic Development Authority, and organizations like BioForward Wisconsin support us in ensuring that we continue to meet the evolving demands of our 1.6 million global customers.
At both our Madison and Verona campuses alone, over the last 33 years, we have expanded our facilities, added 300 jobs, and invested tens of millions of dollars. These expansions have enabled us to boost capacity to deliver the products critical to our pharma customers to manufacture life-saving medicines to treat today’s most challenging types of cancer.
The state’s vast system of universities and technical schools is another critical reason why MilliporeSigma finds Wisconsin a great place to do business. According to Bergin, these educational institutions serve as a vital source of talent for the Madison and Verona facilities, at entry-level and higher positions, depending on experience. “And because we are a global company, the opportunities for a rewarding career are boundless,” added Bergin.
With new labs opening soon at MilliporeSigma Verona and opportunities available at Madison, Milwaukee, and Sheboygan, the company has started a unique program called Move With MilliporeSigma. Relocating and joining MilliporeSigma includes three months of temporary housing, complete household move, $10,000 to settle into a new city, comprehensive training, competitive pay including bonuses, and excellent benefits. Other benefits include tuition reimbursement, paid volunteer time, and generous parental leave. Since the program began last year, more than 50 offers have been extended in Madison and Verona and over 35 people have started new jobs in manufacturing, packaging, distribution, and quality.
In addition, both new and current MilliporeSigma employees have numerous opportunities to become part of the local community through the company’s Spark volunteer program. Recently, a team of scientists from MilliporeSigma Madison’s WomenInLeadership employee resource group hosted a virtual science night for employees’ children and plan to participate in ScienceFest, an event scheduled later in the year in downtown Madison. The company hopes to re-start its popular hands-on Curiosity Labs™ and Curiosity Cube™ programs as Covid-19 restrictions lift.
“At MilliporeSigma Madison and Verona, I have made a great new home, a community that has welcomed my family and me, and a team of 320 employees committed to innovation and have a shared passion for making the world a better place,” concluded Bergin.
For more information on career opportunities at MilliporeSigma, visit:
