From Chem Queen to Talent Acquisition: Meet Carex Engineering Recruiter, Becky Hines

Becky Hines

Yes, you read that headline correctly—we’re launching a new area of focus: Carex Engineering! We’re no strangers to recruiting talent for science-focused industries, and as an extension of our work in those fields, we’ve encountered a need for—and placed!—top engineering talent. To better serve our partners and candidates in STEM, we’re developing the Carex Engineering team, who have degrees and direct experience in engineering practices.

As we continue to build this area of our business, we want to introduce you to the people behind Carex Engineering. If you aren’t already familiar with Carex’s Director of Scientific Talent, Ginger Auchter, you should definitely read her story! As the fearless leader of Carex Scientific, and now Carex Engineering, Ginger’s passion for and advocacy of the sciences shines, and she’s developed a team that excels at matching our partners with top scientific talent.

Now we’re excited to introduce you to the newest member of the Carex Crew joining Ginger’s team: Chemical Engineer turned Engineering Recruiter, Becky Hines!

Becky was born and raised in New Jersey and is a self-proclaimed “Jersey girl, through and through.” When she’s not cheering for the New York Rangers as their #1 fan (really, she has the contest title to prove it!) or baking with her dad, she enjoys sipping wine and making jigsaw puzzles with her mom and older sisters. And if you’re ever in need of a chat about exercise, reality TV, or Gilmore Girls, she’s your gal!

Becky earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Engineering Sciences from Dartmouth College in 2019, then graduated in 2020 from the Thayer School of Engineering at Dartmouth College with a Bachelor of Engineering degree in Chemical Engineering. “I’m grateful that I do have a broad engineering background,” she says of her experience in a liberal arts program compared to a technical college. “I think that communication is key, and that’s something my college really focused on. Being able to collaborate cross-functionally—and not just in the sciences, but with other departments on campus—has been really helpful in all of my work experiences.”

She worked at several internships throughout college and landed a full-time role as a Chemical Engineer to begin following graduation. Although the global pandemic meant a delayed start date, Becky didn’t let that stand in her way, and she went on to hold that position for 2 years. However, it soon became apparent that working in a lab wasn’t what she wanted to do long-term. “What I know is being alone in a hood. I never really saw myself as a people person, but after that I quickly learned I am. I love talking to people and getting to know them.” So, Becky set about searching for her next job.

It was tough in the beginning—hiring managers reached out to her with opportunities similar to what she was already doing, and they were all lab-based. She wasn’t sure what the next move was; if not a lab or grad school, what was she qualified for? “I was searching on LinkedIn and finally changed the filter to remote-only positions, and that’s how I found Carex” she says. “I applied because I was hooked by the website. I loved how it was organized, and the team looked so fun. And that’s what stuck out to me, and what I was looking for in a work environment.”

The deal was sealed after Becky’s first conversation with Ginger. “She’s just the nicest person, and I felt so at ease. I hung up with her and called my mom and said, “This just feels right!” It definitely felt like a career pivot, but the overriding emotion was excitement.” Becky also noted how her entire interview experience with Carex was good preparation for what her role would look like.

“My interview experience with Carex, which is how they treat all their candidates, is that the process is so relaxed. It genuinely felt like they were trying to get to know me to see not only if I would be a good fit for them, but also if they’re a good fit for me. I could tell that they really cared and were interested in getting to know me—they took the time, made themselves available, answered any of my questions.

Ginger was so helpful through that whole process and didn’t make me feel like I was asking for too much or silly for not knowing how to navigate that. Most recruiting experiences I’ve had felt a lot more distant and not nearly as personal, and that’s something I’m starting to think about at Carex. That’s something we emphasize—keeping the candidate’s best interests at the forefront, and really looking out for them in addition to looking out for our partners.

I’m excited to be that person for someone. Ginger reminds me “Be the friend or recruiter you would have wanted to interact with in your job hunt,” and once she said that I realized, “I got this!””

Recruiting and the world of talent acquisition isn’t where she thought she would end up, but Becky is grateful for this opportunity because she doesn’t have to give up the sciences. “I still want to geek out. Now, I get to learn about jobs that I never would have and learn about peoples’ experiences and what they’ve worked on, or researched, and what they like to geek out about. It’s the best of both worlds!”

When it comes to helping develop Carex Engineering, Becky has big goals. “I want to be able to build out a team like Ginger has in Carex Scientific—a stellar team that people want to work with and who make the process enjoyable. Building out the team and bringing all kinds of engineers on board is somewhere we want to be. I want to get to the point where when people think, “I need an engineering recruiter,” they think Carex.”

We couldn’t be more thrilled to have you on the team, Becky, and look forward to all the great things you’ll do!

To learn more about Carex Engineering and connect with the team, click here.