Tell us a bit about Quality Assurance at Eurofins Agroscience Services.
Our Agroscience campus is based in Easton, Maryland, one of the biggest and advanced laboratories within the Agroscience business line. We have many different departments onsite and I’m responsible for Quality Assurance across the whole site, leading a team of 15 employees.
We make sure that studies are conducted according to Good Laboratory Practice (GLP) regulations enforced by US FDA & EPA.
How did you become a Quality Assurance Manager?
I joined the company straight out of graduate school, starting with an entry level position as a Quality Assurance Associate, and then grew with the company into a leadership position. To me, leadership is a mindset, not a title. I both pushed myself and was pushed by those around me – I saw the potential in myself, but of course you also need others to believe in you. I made sure that, when the opportunity presented itself, I was well prepared.
What’s it like to be a Quality Assurance Manager?
For QA members no two days are the same! QA is one of those unique roles where we are involved in all the stages of the project lifecycle. We are managing various inspections and audits for multiple projects on a daily basis. We are constantly engaged with our lab colleagues while performing our daily activities. This makes it a great position in terms of learning and growth and to get a full appreciation for the suite of studies we as a company offer.
As a manger, it is really rewarding to see our entry level members acquire the skills and knowledge to grow into higher roles.
What kind of skills come in handy for your role?
Most of the people on my team have a science background but knowing everything is definitely not what we expect. You get to learn about everything we do while we do it. I’d say it’s important to be an analytical thinker, able to put pieces together and make judgements and assessments based on a combination of knowledge and experience. Communication skills are also crucial – QA is a front facing role; you have to effectively communicate with the study personnel to come to a resolution and not all conversations are easy, but you develop soft skills such as empathy, communication, self-awareness, self-confidence and conflict resolution. Overall, what I like about Quality Assurance roles is that they prompt technical as well as personal development.
What's your favourite thing about working for Eurofins?
It’s a company that is at the forefront of the industry – we do great science and our customers and industry counterparts acknowledge that, too. We are a growing company and it is exciting to see what is yet to come! There will be loads to learn (and teach!) and that is exactly where anyone with a curious mind needs to be. I especially love the two initiatives of Equality driving Excellence (EDE) and Eurofins Foundation. Our people are the backbone of our company and EDE is ensuring the we attract and nurture the talent to its full potential. Our company has a global footprint and it is very heartening to see that we are trying to help the local communities that we operate in.
How would you describe Eurofins as a place to work?
It’s a great environment to work in. There’s a high sense of collaboration, so I can always tap into an extensive knowledge pool and get help when I need it. I’ve found everyone really willing to share, and I love the balance of experienced leaders with new, up-and-coming colleagues. I’m proud of how the whole team has really come together to support our clients.