I became a laboratory manager in 2017, having been a postdoctoral research for the previous 10 years. When I moved into a bioscience management role it was all quite new, the previous manager had left a few months earlier so there was no overlap and a lot to catch up on; I felt unsure who to ask for help! I remember looking through some documents from the previous manager and came across details of their membership of the UBMA – I thought this would be a group I should definitely join for support, guidance and networking!
My role has developed at York from being a lab manager responsible for two research buildings containing containment level 3 laboratories and managing the universities research tissue bank and ensuring Human Tissue Act compliance to my current role as Deputy Operations Manager in a large and diverse Biology department. The post involves managing four technicians within the ‘infrastructure’ team; our ‘bread-and-butter’ is providing autoclave (waste and sterilisation) and glasswashing services for the department. Amongst other things, the team also trains staff and students to safely use some departmental equipment, they check and maintain departmental equipment and assist with lab/office moves. My role beyond managing this team remains very diverse and has several other elements, too many to mention but some key things: I manage several service contracts for the science faculty, I’m a phlebotomist taking blood for research use, I deliver a ‘cell-culture the basics’ course for the Royal Society of Biology, I sit on various committees and steering groups and have a significant health and safety responsibilities including being the departmental fire warden, deputy departmental safety office, I’m a departmental first aider, I’m fire extinguisher trained and am an emergency spillage team member.
I am on the universities technician commitment delivery group and am professionally registered at CSci level. Externally, I contribute to the work of both the Institute of Science and Technology (as a PPD assessor, professional registration reviewer and being on their TechMagazine editorial board) and the Science Council (registration champion, professional registration assessor and assess apprenticeship mapping to the professional registration). I am also on the Breast Cancer Now Tissue Bank Advisory Committee.
I love the diversity of my role, problem solving and providing a service to support the research and teaching within the department. I’m passionate about life-long learning and not ‘standing still’. I take pleasure and pride and benefit from being part of the technical community via the UBMA, TMU and other external organisations.
