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Lab Rat here. My qualifications are sub par but I had to teach myself lab work from the ground up (it was a tiny lab in a plant of a major company). The guy that was supposed to train me was constantly high/drunk so it basically forced me to learn everything I could about everything related to that lab/tests/etc. I basically test the quality of what is produced (think Protien/moisture/fat/etc) and have merchandisers sell it from my results and also inform production on quality/trends/holy poo poo something is wrong. Fast forward 3 years. My boss got promoted to a plant and they are building a new lab, he wants me to manage it (4+ people). This is an agricultural job and the tests are pretty routine (there are dozens of plants that do similar tests around NA). Two Questions: 1) I have technically been the supervisor for this tiny lab(under a lab tech title). The thought of more working under me who could be more academically qualified scares me. Should I really be nervous or is this just the standard jitters at a promotion/more responsibility? 2) Before I accept anything and move hundreds of miles away, I want them to make an offer. I can't find anywhere online that gives a general range of a salary. All I can find are medical labs which I have to assume pays a lot more (more risk/responsibility). So, any ideas of a salary range?
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Apr 14, 2011 05:54
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I am very fond of book learning. I love science and I am paying my own way through school. I like bouncing ideas off my lab techs and consider their opinions valuable. I don't have a degree but I wouldn't consider myself exactly uneducated. But I will admit you are using things I don't understand "AA/HPLC/GC/MS". However, thats what I want, because once you learn it, you have it. But as for the "I don't need no book learnin" guy, thats not me, nor am I the "Im the boss, so do it!" I wouldn't consider myself a fun boss but anyone can pretty much do whatever as long as the testing gets done correctly and on time. I am also a bad rear end reference for when they move on to bigger and better things. If anything, I think starting at the bottom has given me the benefit of perspective and earning trust. If they don't get something, I failed at training them. Firing is not an option. If someone botches the results because of an off day or life is kicking their rear end, they will not have to worry about it, I have their back. As far as instruments, there is combustion for nitrogen/protein (elementar), handwash for fiber etc. There is only 1 accepted test in this crop for Protein, Fiber, and fat/oil. So you can either do it or not. My understanding is that there are these guidelines for everything else we will be doing. There is a main corporate lab that oversees all the other labs to an extent. So rest assured, a cure for cancer will not be up to me. It is more a job where the techs just have to repeat the processes and do a clean and accurate job. I have troubleshooted my fair share of problems with interesting results and instruments. I rather enjoy it. It is rather specialized. There won't be much innovation and you can't alter tests per strict industry guidelines. I think (hope) you are referring to lab work that is like painting a picture where this is more paint-by-numbers. (but I can stay in the lines) I am already used to training people, ordering supplies, communicating with production on what the trends are/areas of concern and the merchandisers sell the product on the lab's results. The situation is, my boss got promoted within the company. He is pretty much being groomed for another promotion in three years. He is aware of my education and I have told him the things you told me. I spelled this all out to him on the spot. He has been awesome in the confidence he has shown me. He has a lot riding on me too. Edit: I live in the middle of the US, the nearest city with over a million people is hundreds of miles away, the cost of living is cheap here. The place I would move to is cheaper but much closer large cities/civilization. I make 35k and it is a comfortable life. Thanks for the feedback Favorabilis Solitud fucked around with this message at 07:51 on Apr 14, 2011 |
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Apr 14, 2011 07:39
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