Please introduce yourself to your fans.

I’m a project researcher at Igne UXO, (formerly from Safelane Global) and I’ve been a part of the team for about four and a half years.  I won my role in December 2019, just before the pandemic hit, which I am very grateful for.

What do you do all day?

I cover the opening stages of the unexploded ordnance risk mitigation process, producing the preliminary and detailed risk assessments for our clients.  This covers both UK and international projects, each with different circumstances, which provides a good amount of job variety.   

Obviously, the more we know about our client’s site the better, so we are constantly looking to expand our internal database at Igne with additional information.  

Luckily for us, there are historic archives to visit across the country that contain useful sources such as military records, maps, aerial photographs, and other documents that help us identify sources of potential UXO contamination.

What inspired you to pursue the slightly unusual career you have? 

I have always been a complete nerd for history ever since I was small and waving a plastic sword around Hadrian’s Wall.  I’ve always wanted to do something for a living that allows me to indulge that love - and so this job was perfect.  

There are some inert items of ordnance and other historical relics in our office that had been buried in the ground for two hundred years - you don’t find a job so rich in history too often!

What advice can you give someone who wants to follow in your career footsteps? 

I think that period where you’ve just come out of school or uni can be so daunting, I certainly found that.  History was one of those degrees that I had always been told, unless you went into a career like teaching, you weren’t going to end up using it.  My first full time job after uni was in recruitment, and whilst it was an important experience for me that I’m thankful for, I don’t think it ever really truly suited me.

So, my advice would be don’t jump at the first job offer you get, have a look round for something you really want to do.  I didn't even know jobs like mine existed!  Now, I'm thrilled to be doing something I find properly fascinating for a living.

What is a tough challenge you’ve overcome at work? 

Over the last couple of years, we’ve been undertaking the lengthy process of digitising our internal database at Igne, including our thousands of handwritten records.  This was a super intimidating prospect when we started because there was just so much information to sift through.

But it’s been hugely beneficial for us in the long run.  Being able to search for key terms such as the date of an incident, types of ordnance or location helps us streamline our research process.  And seeing this data presented visually on a georeferenced map really assists us with understanding the history of the project site.

What about a triumph or a career highlight? 

Apart from winning the TRESemmé award at last year’s Christmas party?

Well, I’m really proud of a report I wrote for a route between Malta and Sicily this year. The channel area was such a volatile one during WWII and there were so many different factors to consider.  Whilst it was definitely a challenge to write, it was also super satisfying to complete.

One of my favourite things about this job is playing the detective and getting all the facts together to present your argument.  I was using primary source material I’d gathered from British, Italian, German and Maltese archives and it was such a rewarding experience.

Apart from the marketing team obviously, who or what motivates you at work and how? 

It’s a joy to work with the research department here at Igne – they’re all absolute class and there’s a great vibe in the team.  Not only are they all so good at what they do but we can always have a laugh together as mates as well.  

We’re lucky to have a manager like Emily too, she’s super supportive and always has the team’s back.

How have you grown professionally within your role and in your time at Igne? 

I’ve always tried to put myself forward for new projects or jobs, including those I haven’t really done before, as the more experience I have in a variety of jobs the more I have to offer in the long run.  

Practise enables progress and the more times I do something the more confident I feel doing it.

In your opinion, what does the future hold for Igne? 

It’s been a busy few months since the changeover but it really feels like everyone’s pulling in the same direction, we’ve got a fantastic team in the Gillingham office and I think it shows in the attention to detail in our work and the quality of service we provide.

Tell us something about you that most people don’t know. 

I’ve actually been a bit of a choirboy from an early age and I love a singsong (although the office may disagree).  I used to have an acapella group with a few friends but we’ve been dormant for a while now.  There might be a reunion on the cards sometime though, now I come to think of it…

Watch this space!

And the final word goes to Robin’s line manager, Emily Damerell 

Robin is an exceptional colleague and one of the kindest and most supportive people I’ve been lucky enough to work with.  I’m sure everyone at Igne would agree that the office is always brighter when he’s around, and not just because of the radio karaoke.

Would you like to join the team?  We’re recruiting!  Explore open roles now.

Or are you in need of the Research Team’s UXO excellence?  You can explore their services here, or contact them now.