Rob Eason - School of Life Sciences

Rob tells us about his current role, how he began working at Warwick, his previous roles and his future plans.

What does the work involve?

In conjunction with my colleague Cathy Parry, I manage a team that provides laboratory support across the School of Life Sciences (SLS) and Warwick Medical School (WMS). My focus includes the Gibbet Hill Site SLS Buildings, Wellesbourne labs and Phytobiology Facility. However, we both work across the two Schools on a day to day basis.

When did you join Warwick?

I joined what was then Biological Sciences at Warwick in spring 2002 to work as a research technician whilst writing up my PhD. Having gained HPLC, SEC, cell culture and molecular biology experience (and my PhD), I moved to a higher grade research technician post and contributed to two published research papers (including one in Nature).

I then took on a new hybrid Chief Technician role, undertaking grant funded work alongside departmental duties, until a restructure led to cessation of my research activity and application for a ‘Laboratory Manager’ role. To assist me in this I successfully completed the Warwick Administrative Management Programme (WAMP).

In 2010 I moved to WMS as Technical Manager of the Clinical Sciences Research Institute (CSRI) at UHCW. In this role I gained significant facility and management experience, as well as attaining Biological Safety Officer and NEBOSH General Certificate qualifications.

I then undertook a secondment to Chemistry as Technical Services Manager, which was a very good developmental year for me and included overseeing a major project to move two NMR machines from Milburn House to the Materials and Analytical Sciences Building (MAS).

More recently I have been Technical Manager for the WMS labs at Gibbet Hill, then in September 2016 the SLS and WMS technical teams were merged and I secured my current role.

Any further plans/future ambitions?

I aspire to a more senior technical position and I am pursuing development that would aid me in realising that aspiration.

Learning points - anything would have done differently or advice to give to others?

Do not dismiss opportunities to move between Schools or departments, even if they offer no immediate improvement in grade or seniority. I have undertaken several roles across a number of departments, but broadening experience can never be a bad thing, even if only for your own satisfaction. Broadened experience leading to uplifts in pay and position is obviously welcome too!