I arrived at Park Pharmaceuticals sharp at eight on Monday morning.

The HR completed my joining and took me around the company, informing me of the locations of the departments. I was then taken to the office of the manager of the R&D department.

Genevieve Reeve, the manager of R&D, was a woman in her 40s with a neatly styled short hairstyle. She did not smile readily and had a solemn demeanor about her.

"Sit down," she said after I was seated. "I've reviewed your resume. You accomplished a lot in school, but you haven't been working in the lab in the last few years. You'll be an assistant to...