This research study sets out to examine how novice engineers in the pharmaceutical engineering industry may transit to be recognised as experts in their field (commonly termed as either 'subject matter experts'/'specialised market experts' – SMEs). This researcher examines the role of SMEs, their career path that enabled their professional development, and their professional education. This author interest in the subject was initiated after framing and conducting several collaboration projects with some of the World's leading consulting pharmaceutical engineering companies, during which this author's desire to make a contribution to the work of these companies was ignited – which was very soon stalled by the obscurity of the job creation, recruitment, and development process. It was a desire by this author to unpack this 'black box' that led to this study. This author very early enquiries, combined with previous professional encounters, led to a close alignment with the Nordic Affiliate of the International Society of Pharmaceutical Engineers (ISPE) as a method to secure access to career pharmaceutical engineers and information resources that was only available to ISPE members. This author conducted qualitative research, based on Grounded Theory, in order to analyze the empirical data gathered in the interviews that were conducted with the engineers and ISPE administrators. It was decided to use elements of Actor Network Theory and the Social Construction of Technology theory as tools to gain a more detailed understanding of the underlying structural issues encountered by the
pharmaceutical engineers and administrators.