Added: 18th August 2025 by ExxonMobil
ExxonMobil Fawley's Business Team Reliability Lead is flying the flag for women in STEM, having carved out a diverse career which began with a summer internship.
Charlotte Elliott started her journey as a Maths, Chemistry, and Physics student at Farnborough Sixth Form College. However, it was during her third year at Bath University in 2018 that Charlotte's career path truly began to take shape when an Offsites summer internship with ExxonMobil in Fawley became available.
“We were given the opportunity to solve real engineering problems,” said Charlotte. “Another intern and I worked together to install a novel technology for injecting chemicals into refinery feedstock to reduce heat exchanger fouling. Later, I returned as a graduate to see the project through to execution and start-up, which was a huge confidence booster and something I am still enormously proud of today.”
Enriching her career opportunities at ExxonMobil Fawley further, Charlotte took on another summer internship during her fourth year of university in 2019, focusing on overhead corrosion in pipestills. After completing her second placement, Charlotte joined the complex full-time in 2020 as an Offsites Contact Engineer.
“The role was fast-paced and involved responding to operational challenges in oil storage and the movements team,” said Charlotte. “I quickly learnt how to work with the process operations team, driving urgent actions and providing technical troubleshooting to more experienced site individuals.”
In 2021, Charlotte transitioned to another fast-paced role, this time as a Marine Terminal Contact Engineer, focusing on rate improvement at the shipping site and managing risks at the jetty. “A significant part of my work involved examining engineering balances for the saltwater systems to ensure we maintained sufficient flow to the site,” said Charlotte. “I even had the opportunity to work on a vessel and visit the bridge of a ship, which was a memorable experience.”
Just a year later, in 2022, Charlotte embraced a new challenge as Energy Coordinator, calling it her 'biggest learning as a leader.'
Focusing on improving energy efficiency and developing projects for the site, Charlotte worked with business teams to optimise maintenance, building a strong regional network, which included a workshop in Budapest. She also supervised a university placement student, learning to influence without formal authority and honing her communication skills to align the team with long-term site goals.
Today, Charlotte's career has taken another direction as she embarks on her role as Reliability Lead for Reforming and Lubes - an achievement reached just six years after her first experience with ExxonMobil as a summer intern.
“A key part of this position is to ensure our equipment is in the right place and running when needed, minimising downtime as much as possible. It's been challenging, but that's what makes it exciting. No two days are the same, and I'm constantly pushed out of my comfort zone.”
Reflecting on her time as a Chemical Engineering undergraduate, Charlotte offers valuable advice for today's students: “The opportunities to challenge yourself are endless, and that's what makes working at ExxonMobil so rewarding.
“This year, I'll be responsible for a budget of £6-7 million and managing a turnaround worklist of up to £14-15 million. Currently, I’m preparing for the start-up of the hydrogen plant. It's a significant responsibility, but knowing we contribute to something so important is exhilarating.”
She added, “Our work touches so many aspects of people's lives, from petrol to lubricants for F1 cars. My advice? Be open-minded and seize every opportunity you can. It's the best way to learn and grow.”
