Independent Solutions – Your Trusted Partner in Life Science Consulting & Resourcing

End-to-End Project &
Talent Solutions for the Life Sciences

We provide end-to-end solutions for the life sciences globally. We are trusted partners, providing tailored project delivery, specialist expertise, and leadership development across the life sciences sector

Looking for Your Next Role?

Your skills are in demand. We’ll help you navigate the next step, whether that’s a new contract, a permanent move, or a leadership opportunity. Let’s match your talent to the roles that matter

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Need Life Science Talent?

Every project, every pipeline, and every patient outcome depends on the right people. That’s why we go beyond generic recruitment, connecting you with highly qualified specialists who understand your industry inside out.

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About Our Company

Independent Solutions – Excellence Connected

Independent Solutions was founded in 2006 by Norma Carr and Kayrn Williams. Norma and Kayrn met as graduates in 1992, and after many years in various consulting roles, the time was right to ‘go it alone.
As seasoned professionals in the sector, we saw the need to close the gap between an industry in need of skills – and professionals with expertise to offer. We achieved this by establishing ourselves as consultants who partner with companies, working from the inside-out. We get to know our clients’ business, use our own experience and industry standards to complement theirs, and help them achieve their growth goals by sourcing professionals of the highest caliber. People we know and trust to deliver – because they wear our badge and carry our name.

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Our Specialist Services

Tailored Solutions for Every Stage of the Life Sciences Journey

From start-up support to large-scale project delivery, we offer specialist services designed around the unique challenges of the Life Sciences sector. Whether you’re scaling a team, streamlining compliance, or stepping into a new role, we’re here to support you every step of the way.

Strategic Consulting

We provide outcome-driven project consulting. We assemble experienced individuals or entire project teams to get results.

Niche Consultancy Services

Tap into a broad range of capabilities across the life sciences supply chain

Flexible Recruitment Support

We offer our services across temporary, contract, and executive recruitment to meet the dynamic needs of the life sciences sector in Talent Acquisition.

Leadership Workshops & Coaching

We deliver tailored leadership and wellbeing workshops, as well as 1:1 executive coaching for emerging and experienced leaders navigating complexity, change, and growth.

Candidate Coaching & CV Support

We know what hiring managers look for — because we’ve been in their seat.

Finance

IT cybersecurity

We support clients with:

Maturity mapping using NIST CSF and ISO 27001
PCI DSS v4.0 expertise – from authentication standards to risk-based control updates
Specialists bridging compliance, cloud security, and threat detection
Strategic guidance that connects security investments to business outcomes

Sustainability & Reporting

We support clients with:

Materiality assessments to identify priority ESG issues for your business
Alignment with frameworks including CSRD, GRI, SASB, and TCFD
Carbon and climate reporting that meets evolving EU and global requirements
Practical guidance to embed ESG into governance, operations, and supply chains

Not sure what you need? Let’s chat.

We’ll help you find the right mix of support for your goals.

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Need Expert Life Science Talent?

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Searching for Your Next Role in Life Sciences?

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We’re Ready To Provide Our Services!

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Our Clients

Client Testimonials

You Don’t Have to Take Our Word for It

Brian Crowley
Data, Digital & Technology Site Head

I have worked with Kayrn and the team at Independent Solutions on several key strategic projects for Pharma/ Life Science organisations.
Kayrn has always demonstrated excellence in project execution with meticulous attention to detail. I have no hesitation in recommending Kayrn and the team at Independent Solutions.

John Patrick Shaw
Chief Country Executive – Carelon Global Solutions Ireland

Karyn consistently delivers to customer expectations within the Pharmaceuticals industry. With strong project management skills, energy and expertise, Karyn brings a wide range of capabilities to her projects.

Áine Fleming
Snr Project Director API Commercialisation at AstraZeneca

Kayrn is a great project manager/scheduler. With her wealth of pharma experience she needed little direction and achieved significant results. I would have no hesitation recommending Kayrn and I would hire her again if I was looking for a project manager/validation expert.

Paul Hawkins
Senior Director, External Manufacturing and Supply at Theratechnologies Inc

Kayrn is a professional project manager , great to work with and understands the requirements of the pharma industry. I would have no hesitation recommending or hiring her for future PM roles.

Jim Lambe
Senior Director IT, R&DSenior Director IT, R&D

I have worked with Kayrn now for many years. The quality of work is at the highest level. Attention to detail is impeccable. Projects are delivered on-time and in-budget. I have no difficultly recommending either Kayrn or her company.

Christian Sonderegger
Global Lead SAP Business Processes bei Idorsia Pharmaceuticals Ltd

I had the great pleasure of working together with Norma from Independent Solutions in her role as CSV Lead in our strategic COSI project of starting commercial operations at Idorsia Pharmaceutical in a SAP S/4 landscape. Driving and coordinating all CSV aspects in this GxP environment is challenging however critical. Norma always ensured we are on track with effective monitoring and excellent communication, supporting the project to go live successfully on time for our e2e Supply Chain and commercial sales in the US and Japan. A big thank you and recommendation to use the skills of Norma and her team.

René Schwarz, PMP
Project – and Team Leader / experienced in SAP S/4HANA & Coupa / PMP certified / GxP & ICFR compliance

I had the pleasure of working with Norma on the COSI (Commercial Organization & System Implementation) project. She accompanied the project and team in the implementation of Global Commercial Supply Chain business processes in SAP S/4HANA as CSV manager and expert.
Norma was a great asset to the team. With her experience, help and personality, we have successfully managed to go live with the new “GxP compliant” system.
I can fully recommend Norma and would be happy to work with Norma again at any time!

Juhani Salo
Consultant | FounderConsultant | Founder

We had an urgent need to find a project manager with pharma background for a 6 month project that had to be completed in 3 months. One of my contacts adviced me to reach out to Norma and luckily she was interested to take the challenge.
Norma proved to be a true professional. She took immediately charge of the project and ensured the cross-functional project team worked well together. Project was a success and completed in time.
I can warmly recommend Norma for any project management needs. She is also highly knowledgeable in pharma quality requirements and a very nice person to work with.

Jim Kernan
CEO PRONAV Clinical

I have great pleasure in recommending Norma. We have worked together on GMP client audits where Norma’s wealth of experience and knowledge in life science IT systems implementation and qualification was invaluable. Her easy style, efficient manner and sharp insight ensures she is an effective auditor. A very valuable member of any audit team.

Tony Byrne
Project Manager at Perigord

I am delighted to recommend Norma and Independent Solutions Ltd.
Having worked with your group in the past I can recommend the quality and professionalism of yourself and your team.
Norma’s vast experience in compliance & validation enabled her to assist our client in achieving a successful outcome to our collaboration to implement our application for our client.

Veronica Surkova
QA Engineer

Norma was of a great help to our team facilitating our ISO 9001:2015 re-accreditation. She has a great expertise and knowledge of the pharma regulatory requirements, standards and best practices. Her recommendations were practical and easy to understand and implement. We greatly appreciate her valuable inputs and hope to continue our ongoing collaboration.

Dermot O'Rourke
Senior Quality Engineer at Johnson & Johnson

I had the pleasure of working with Norma in theJ&J EMEA development center. Norma was instrumental in defining best practices in quality and compliance within the organization. Norma’s vast experience in compliance& validation along with her team-centered attitude enabled her to guide what was then a new group in achieving the highest standards in quality while delivering the best product for our clients

Saurabh Srivastava
Sr. Tech Manager – AI/ML @ IBM Labs | AI,ML,AWS ML Speciality,RPA,DevSecOps,SAFe,CSM,CMMI Associate,SSBB,ITIL4

Norma has both practical and theoretical knowledge. She is very energetic and hard working. She has great ability to come up with many new ideas. She anticipates problems before they arise and handles them with excellence. She is a very big asset to the company and liked by the clients.

Michelle Finnan
Senior IT Manager @ Johnson & Johnson | Employee Development, Process Improvement

I worked with Norma in the J&J EMEA Software Development Centre. During her time here as a Software Engineering Excellence Service Delivery Manager, Norma was key to helping us define best practice in quality and compliance in software development. She is well versed and experienced in all aspects of validation, quality and compliance. She is diligent, hardworking, knowledgeable and a team player. I would highly recommend Norma for any role she may undertake.

Glenn Quirijnen
Senior Manager – Test Strategy and Execution, Technology Services – Supply Chain at Johnson & Johnson

Norma was part of the Software Quality Assurance (SQA) team in the EMEA region, working out of the Development Center in Ireland. She has the right knowledge, experience and pragmatism to be SQA into actual projects as well as the go-to person on location in Ireland.

Mark Devine
Senior Director, Enterprise Data & Artificial Intelligence

In her time at J&J’s EMEA Software Development Centre Norma brought a wealth of experience and knowledge with regard to the development of Healthcare Software and Technology in a heavily regulated industry. Norma always applied due diligence and best practise from a quality and compliance perspective while bringing new products to production or for the commercial market. She is a highly motivated individual who drives products to completion with an attention to detail that is vital to success in the Healthcare and Pharmaceutical industry.

Niall Hunt
Transition Lead at Astellas Pharma

Following many years working with Norma & Kayrn, @Wyeth/Pfizer, across multiple projects and many challenges, I cannot speak highly enough of their focus, delivery, flexibility, professionalism, breadth of capabilities, their excellent stakeholder management and their attention to detail.
If I had the opportunity in the morning to hire Norma and her team again, I would without hesitation – it was a pleasure working with them.

Warren Munn
Senior IT Program Project Manager

I met Norma during my time as Project Manager on the Care4Today Medical Device project. Norma was performing the SQA role so was key in providing both consultancy and deliverables to support every technical release of Care4Today. I found Norma highly knowledgeable, approachable with an attention to detail and great team ethic. If I was to PM another role I would jump at the chance to have Norma on my team.

Liam Rosney MSc, PMP
Construction Project Manager at Intel Corporation

While operating as an independent / freelance Project Manager, I was introduced to an opportunity within a Medical Device Manufacturing Organisation by Norma. My experience dealing with Norma and subsequently working with her and Independent Solutions Ltd was one of high professionalism and expertise. I found her to be excellent to work and deal with and would have no hesitation in recommending Norma or Independent Solutions Ltd for relevant and appropriate business and Projects.

Nuno Gabirro
Live Biotherapeutics | Global Quality Engineering at Bacthera

I am delighted to recommend Norma and Independent Solutions Ltd. Through her company I was involved in my first Biotech project at Regeneron in Limerick. Once I was moving from a different country during that time there was continued support from the Independent Solutions team. Any queries or concerns were answered in a timely fashion. I have no hesitation in recommending Independent Solutions and look forward to perhaps working with Norma and the Independent Solutions team again in the future.

Dave Naughton
Lilly Limerick, Site Automation Systems Validation Lead

I am delighted to recommend Norma and Independent Solutions Ltd. Through her company I was involved in numerous projects in the IT Department in J&J Vision Care facility in Castletroy, during that time there was continued support from the Independent Solutions team. Any queries or concerns were answered in a timely fashion. I have no hesitation in recommending Independent Solutions and look forward to perhaps working with Norma and the Independent Solutions team again in the future. Dave

Jackie Byrne
Validation Services Director

I have worked on many projects with Norma and can recommend her as an extremely efficient, competent and experienced Project Manager with extensive experience in IT, Validation and Quality. Norma, as Director of Operations at Independent Solutions, has had great success at managing complex projects at many of the leading Pharmaceutical and Medial Device companies in Ireland, ensuring compliance to international standards with a lean and efficient approach.

Caroline Hoare
GMP Compliance and Inspections at Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Inc.

I worked with Norma in the Quality function at Wyeth Pharmaceuticals. Norma is Quality focused and demonstrated expert knowledge in Laboratory Systems, and supported the implementation of automated processes in the Manufacturing environment. Her extensive knowledge of validation, along with her superior project management skills, ensures the success of any project that she is leading. I have also worked with Norma, as part of Independent Solutions. Norma demonstrates great leadership, flexibility and integrity in how she interacts with clients and colleagues, at all times professional. I would sincerely recommend Norma and Independent Solutions.

Bernard Carroll
QA / CSV Consultant

I worked with Norma on a number of projects at J&J Visioncare Ireland. Norma is professional, knowledgeable and solutions oriented. She brings a can-do attitude and structured approach to complex projects while ensuring the team is working toward common objectives. I would highly recommend Norma and her team!

Kieran Griffin
Rediscovering life

When at TDS Norma ran our ISO certification programme and helped us achieve ISO 9001 certification and, more importantly, to retain it afterwards. Norma was great at managing and issuing the tasks to individuals who weren’t always available, or were too busy to participate. This was the biggest challenge for us and one that Norma was incredibly good at managing successfully.

Gearoid O'Hehir
Operations Engineer at Vistakon

Worked with Norma in Vision care in cross functional departments , Norma is a fully committed , hardworking leader and demonstrated her leadership traits in projects that I was involved in

Helen Barry
Chief Medical Scientist at St. James’s Hospital

I am delighted to be able to recommend you and your work. Having worked with your group in the past I can recommend the quality and professionalism of yourself and your team.

Joan Cahill
Senior Director, Technology Excellence Lead at Pfizer

Norma’s project management skills are exemplary and she drives results in a consistent and sustainable manner. Her integrity and reliable business ethics provided me with the trust I needed to know that the project was in good hands. Norma is very personable and this proves invaluable when managing cross-functional teams that she has no direct authority over. I would have no hesitation in recommending Norma for any future contracts.

Louis McMahon
Director Quality Control

Independant solutions took the lead in the installation and validation of the analytical instruments for the ADL facility in Newbridge. Some of these instruments were research R&D grade and had never been througth the GMP instrument lifecycle. Despite this Independant solutions sucessfully managed to bring all of these instruments in on time and fully GMP compliant. I have no hesitation in recommending Norma as a PM for the most complex and difficult projects and Independant solutions in general for the quality of their work and ability to meet challenging timelines.