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Emily VuDoan, Metallurgist, Newcastle, Australia

A metal detective inspiring future STEM professionals

Meet Emily, a Metallurgist in our Technical Engineering and Systems team, based in Newcastle, Australia, whose role involves blending science, problem-solving and a keen eye for detail in ways that might remind you of a detective. Think Crime Scene Investigation (CSI) agent, like from the TV show - but instead of solving crimes, she investigates the mysteries of metals and alloys.

Whether it’s discovering how different metals perform under stress or developing new alloys to improve product strength and ensure the longevity of our products in the toughest operating conditions, her work requires precision, a deep knowledge of how metals behave and great communication skills. For this quiet but quirky STEM specialist, every day presents a new challenge to crack the case. Read on to hear more from Emily.

What does your role at Bradken involve? When I started with Bradken in 2021 I was working specifically as part of our Mineral Processing team, but my role now is much broader, providing technical support across our full range of mining mill and mobile plant products. Essentially, I’m one of the go-to people for anything and everything related to the metals and alloys our products are made from.
A large part of my job, and what I enjoy the most about it, involves investigating material irregularities with our products – how did it happen, why, and how can we prevent it from happening again – it’s a great combination of logic and creativity. This can include reviewing foundry and manufacturing records, examining castings, organising external lab investigations, and compiling reports on the findings. I also provide support to our Product Design team when they have queries about material suitability for new products.
What made you want to pursue a career in metallurgy? I kind of fell into metallurgy, but I’ve never had any regrets about it. As a kid, I dreamed of becoming a doctor or psychiatrist, but I quickly realised that I couldn’t handle blood and was probably too much of an overthinker for either job. In high school, I knew I wanted to do something in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics), but I wasn’t sure what. That all changed when I attended an open day at UNSW, the University of New South Wales, in Sydney.
A professor from the School of Materials was showing off this cool hydrophobic coating by pouring water over a tie. I was completely enthralled and couldn’t help but think about all the possible coatings and cool materials I might be able to make. Funny enough, I’ve never actually worked with coatings, but it got me interested in Materials Science and Engineering and specifically Process Metallurgy and I ended up with one of UNSW’s industry sponsored scholarships.
What are your interests and hobbies outside of work? In my downtime I train in aerial arts – silks, lyra and aerial straps – I even taught for a couple of years. I enjoy being in the outdoors, going bouldering, hiking, doing yoga and relaxing at the beach with a good book. I’m also a big fan of escape rooms. I love cracking codes and solving puzzles under pressure… I guess that tracks given what I do for a living!
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“Working at Bradken is fun, stimulating and challenging – the kind of challenging that’s good for the soul. And, the people are awesome!”

- Emily
Emily VuDoan, Metallurgist, Newcastle, Australia

Representation matters

For the past few years, Emily has been part of a dynamic team at Bradken, alongside Metallurgists, Engineers, Product Designers, and Digital Technology Specialists, all working together to inspire local high school students through Bradken’s participation in the HunterWiSE Schools Outreach program.

“I absolutely love the HunterWiSE program! It’s such a fantastic opportunity to showcase Bradken and encourage the next generation to pursue STEM careers. It’s definitely one of the most rewarding things I’ve been a part of.

“When I was a student, and even early in my career, I didn’t see many women in engineering and science, which is why I’m so passionate about showing young women that there’s a place for them in STEM. It’s all about empowering them to pursue their interests and giving them the confidence to break barriers and achieve incredible things."

What do you think makes Bradken a great place to work? Working at Bradken is fun, stimulating and challenging – the kind of challenging that’s good for the soul. And, the people are awesome! There’s a strong culture of collaboration, and generosity in that even with everyone being busy, there’s always someone willing to help or point you in the right direction. The autonomy and flexibility we’re given from leaders in how we manage our work is also something I really value - it allows me to plan out my days in the most sensible way for me, which lets me be as productive as possible.
How has Bradken supported your professional development? In 2024, I was lucky to be selected for Bradken’s Future Leaders of Excellence (FLEx) program along with a great group of colleagues from all over the world who were also identified for future leadership opportunities. I’d like to move into a leadership role one day, but hadn’t given too much thought to what this might look like for me, so knowing that Bradken saw this potential in me was validating.
I also had the chance to be mentored through Bradken’s partnership with NAWO (the National Association of Women in Operations) in 2023, which gave me more great insights into leadership, particularly about creating a trusting, collaborative and inclusive culture which is something that’s encouraged within Bradken as well.
What’s your advice for others looking to join Bradken? I think to be successful at Bradken, you’ve got to be an independent thinker, confident in making decisions and a great communicator – since we’re a global company you’ll more than likely get the chance to work with a lot of different teams with people from different countries and cultures, so being able to get your point across clearly, and have it understood, is really important.
As for advice? I say just go for it!
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