Kirsten joined the University of Portsmouth in 2011 as a lecturer and in October 2015 was appointed as External Promotion and Liaison Lead for the School of Health Sciences and Social Work. Her key responsibilities included student recruitment, outreach and public engagement, marketing, global engagement, timetable coordination, induction coordination, alumni relations, and employability across all courses within the School.

In March 2020 Kirsten became the interim Associate Dean (Students) for the Faculty of Science and Health and was appointed Associate Dean (Students) in January 2021. Her main responsibilities are related to overseeing the quality of student experience across the Faculty, from the pre-application stage to graduation and beyond.

Kirsten's doctoral study focuses on the use of Values-Based Recruitment as a predictor of academic attrition and achievement within health and social care courses. Her research interests include Values-Based Recruitment, Attrition and Retention, and the Student Experience.