Melanie joined UEA in 2015 following six years as the NHS regional co-ordinator for pharmacy technician pre-registration training. She holds the post of Associate Professor and Director of Pharmacy Technician Education (pre-registration and continuing professional development).

Qualifying in community pharmacy, Melanie transferred to the West Suffolk Hospital and in 2001 took up the position of Principal Pharmacy Technician for Education and Training where she was prominent in promoting and developing pharmacy education for other healthcare professionals. During this time she also worked with the West Suffolk College as a lecturer and quality assurer for the Diplomas in Pharmaceutical Science and Pharmacy Service Skills. She provides educational expertise representing the pharmacy technician profession on both regional and national groups and in the development of national pharmacy technician frameworks.

In 2016 Melanie was awarded the Association of Pharmacy Technicians UK ‘Pharmacy Technician of the Year Award for Leadership’ in recognition of the work that she has undertaken in forging the collaboration between Further and Higher Education in developing an education programme for pharmacy technician pre-registration training across the East of England.  In 2017 she obtained her MA in Healthcare Education and is currently studying for a Doctorate in Education.

She has undertaken research in ‘Identifying the Roles of Pharmacy Technicians’ in the UK and she has two publications to date.

In 2022, the primary course she leads on within her portfolio was awarded the Association of Pharmacy Technicians UK 'Excellence in Pharmacy Education Award'.