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What colleagues said about Stephanie: Doing an amazing job at managing all our safety during a global pandemic.
Overview of current position and main responsibilities
I am the Lab Operations Manager at IoN. I am trying to sort out anything related to Health and Safety, building maintenance and lab operation. More recently I was also involved with lab sustainability and of cause COVID safety.
What was your career path to this position and subject area?
I was always interested in science but was never keen on a PhD so I have worked as a Research Assistant in various labs for about 10 years. Amongst others, this included The Crick and the UCL LMCB. About 3-4 years ago I realised that I was much better at organising and managing things than actual lab work and started a job as a Health, Safety and Lab Manager at Imperial College. The job was chaotic but I have received a lot of training and learnt so much that I felt confident enough to take over more responsibility and to accept a new challenge. Thankfully the position at IoN became available at the right time in 2019.
Do you feel you have a good work / life balance? Why?
Yes I do. I remember that during my Research Assistant time not everyone agreed with this but it was always one of my principles because I think it is important to charge batteries not only in order to be efficient, productive and reliable but also for good mental health and to stay motivated for work.
Who has inspired your career?
I think a lot of co-workers and other Lab or Safety Managers. Surely the ones that had a similar career path, people I looked up to. But also the ones that got stuck in a position they didn’t like and kept moaning about but who never had the motivation to change something about their circumstances. I never wanted to be in this situation.
What advice would you give to your younger self?
I always tried to go through life with open eyes and an open mind so this is what I would definitely keep but I wish I had worried a lot less about difficult situations and what other people think of me. I am still in the process of learning and I wish I had that wisdom when I was younger.
What is the best thing about working at IoN?
A lot of things. Definitely all the staff and students I dealt with so far who have been incredibly friendly and approachable which is very helpful for a job that is mostly focused on problem-solving. I also find the freedom and the trust from colleagues and line managers that comes with it very reassuring.