I completed my PhD in 2014 on the lifecycle ecology of deep-sea mussels from organic falls, by way of a highly competitive Erasmus Mundus scholarship. I developed skills in microdissection, histology, immunochemistry, fluorescence in situ hybridisation (FISH), molecular techniques and live reproductive study using self-built aquaria and aided in the set-up of a colleague’s cold-water coral growth experiment. A two-month post-doctoral position saw me examine symbiont biogeography patterns in two mussel species from the Mediterranean and East Atlantic. Following this however (January 2015), my father passed away from cancer and my wife and I learnt that we were expecting a child. An unavoidable 2-year hiatus from research followed, during which I applied for a post-doc in Ifremer (see below) and provided live-in care for my wife’s elderly father. Despite these difficulties, I still managed to publish a book chapter on correlative light-electron microscopy and 6 PhD-related research papers (4 as first author) on: the ontogeny and developing symbioses of two bathymodioline mussels and their symbionts’ contrasting biogeography (3 papers in all); a paper on the recent loss of symbionts in Idas argenteus; a paper on reproductive/symbiont ecology in Xylophaga atlantica; and a review paper on bathymodioline life-cycle ecology. I had already presented my work at 13th Deep-Sea Biology Symposium, DSBS (ORAL), 49th European Biology Symposium (ORAL) and 1st MARES conference (POSTER) when, at the 14th DSBS (2015, ORAL), I negotiated an 18-month post-doctorate at the French Institute, Ifremer. This required applying for the 2016 call, meaning that I ultimately began work in Ifremer a year and a half later, in Feb 2017. At Ifremer, I investigated the anatomy and symbioses of three Alviniconcha species from hydrothermal vents characterised by distinct geothermal signatures occurring in the SW Pacific. Host anatomy for the three species was described in detail (dissection, histology and the segmentation of X-ray computed tomographic (CT) data), with distinguishing morphological characters identified for the first time (5). The work also explored differences in microbial associations as a function of host species, ontogenic development, tissue type and habitat location (2 papers in preparation, 2 additional conferences: eDSBS [ORAL], Connect3 [POSTER]) using post-larval / juvenile CT data, cloning, MiSeq meta-barcoding and FISH with self-designed probes. Since this, I have worked at CESAM on the REDEEM project (ending January 2022), examining larval abundance and reproductive biology in key taxa collected from polymetallic nodule fields prospected for mining (see preprint and workshop report outputs). I have also mentored a masters (CESAM) and PhD student (Ifremer), been an active member of the Deep-Sea Biology Society and Deep-Ocean Stewardship Initiative, participated in several workshops, presented at seven conferences (six international) and engaged in deep-sea science public outreach (e.g. European Researcher's Night, France) with an outreach paper for children on mussels in the deep. A strong master’s (top of year) and a highly competitive European PhD scholarship have enabled me to become an accomplished developmental deep-sea biologist. However, challenging personal circumstances and PhD/early post-doctoral contractual constraints on performing teaching duties and gaining leadership experience, have made it impossible to realise key career goals. In my current research position, I play a direct role in informing future conservation and restoration strategies for mined habitats in the deep sea. It provides me independence as a researcher, considerable scope for collaborations in an interdisciplinary research institution and provide a platform from which to expand my outreach activities. As a creative, enthusiastic researcher, I seek to realise my desire to supervise postgraduate students, employing informal mentoring experience