After working on our IT Security as a freelancer for two years, Eric decided to join Merus permanently. ‘Drug development is a long and complex process. Supporting that process with IT is something I find particularly interesting.’

Interesting phase

‘Merus is now in the scale-up phase,’ Eric says. ‘On the one hand, you need to be flexible enough to solve problems quickly. On the other hand, you need to prepare for future growth, for example, by continuing to improve certain structures and procedures. I really enjoy this combination and trying to find the right balance.’

‘A colleague of mine once noted, “we’re building the bridge while walking on it.” For me, that really fits Merus’s current situation. You know what you’re working toward, but along the way you will encounter a surprise now and then. Maybe a certain tool, a procedure, a policy which needs to be upgraded or refined. If you like sorting that out, this is an interesting place to work. There’s a lot of innovation and ownership involved.’

Taking care of people

‘I also appreciate Merus’s investment in their employees. The company pays a lot of attention to people. You can tell by the little details – good coffee, fresh fruit. There are many social activities, from a walk during lunch break to a sports competition or a drink at the end of the month.’

‘There is also plenty of opportunity to keep learning. For instance, I completed a Leadership Development Program recently as part of our Merus Academy. A great opportunity, both for my personal and our collective development. The company encourages you to grow. I’m also trying to understand all the processes that are going on, by learning from colleagues. I could even tell you a little about bispecific antibodies already!’

Building a department

In the summer of 2019, Eric was hired as a contractor to upgrade Merus’s information security. He joined Merus on a permanent basis in 2021. ‘It turned out to be such a great company that I decided to stick around,’ he says.

‘When I started out as a contractor, much of our IT was outsourced. Today, we have a much broader scope of activities and have our own IT department. It is structured around three pillars: IT Services & Infrastructure, Business Solutions, and IT Security & Compliance. I enjoy looking back on this evolution and am proud of what we have accomplished.’

A source of energy

Before joining Merus, Eric worked for international NGOs for many years. ‘I have always looked for organizations with a clear purpose. That’s what gives me energy. The same goes for our mission of closing in on cancer.’

‘Drug development takes time. It is a long and complex process that requires very meticulous work. Supporting that process with IT is something I find particularly interesting.’

‘My team works on information security and IT-related aspects of compliance. We do a lot of this in collaboration with other departments. Every system we implement must fit the needs of the business and must be secure and compliant.’