Biosensor Research Assistant | Victoria
Victoria interned as a research assistant at a point-of-care device startup in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. Keep reading to learn more about how she got there, what’s her job like, the biggest lesson she learned, and her tips for getting a similar position!
How did you get to where you are today?
When I first started in nanotechnology engineering (NE), I honestly wasn’t too sure which area I was interested in. For my first co-op term, I applied to a variety of jobs with nothing specific in mind. I got a lab-based job and realized that I really enjoy the more hands-on aspects of it and being able to move around throughout the day. I then transitioned into data analytics for my second co-op term because in research positions, you often have to deal with large sets of data, but we’re not necessarily taught in school how to do so. Therefore, I wanted to not only try out something new, but also challenge myself and develop skills that I may need for a research position. This co-op position actually led me to realize that although I really enjoyed dealing with lots of data, I missed being in the lab and moving around. Luckily, for my co-ops afterwards, I was able to find jobs that combined my love for lab work and data analysis. During my third co-op, I was introduced to the world of medical diagnostic devices, which are really crucial in healthcare because doctors might not be able to do their jobs without them. I’ve been in the position where I had to wait for results for a long time. Working in the point-of-care medical field made me realize that there’s a whole new realm of diagnostic devices that could improve and accelerate diagnostics and help patients start treatment earlier.
What are the main responsibilities of your job? What project(s) have you taken on?
As a research scientist at a point-of-care device startup, one of the main projects that I work on is supporting the development of one of the sensors. It’s interesting how much of my school knowledge starts to tie into the work that I do on co-op. In research and development, there’s lots of trial and error, so in a given week we try out many different compositions for the sensor we’re working on. I often like to think of what I do as a baking experiment (a hobby I really enjoy), because it’s little tweaks here and there that can change the properties of the product: adding more water to a batter for bread may allow it to be more moist, just like how balancing the composition of our sensor could make it intake more or less water and affect the readings. Another one of my responsibilities is to analyze the raw data acquired during testing and come up with a conclusion for that series of testing that was done. We often test multiple conditions in a single series, so it’s important for us to figure out which one we think is the “best” and then come up with next steps to develop and add the best sensor to our device! This is where the knowledge of data analysis from my past job is really important.
What’s your favourite part about your job?
I really enjoy that my job has both a lab component to it and a data analysis component because it makes my work days more interesting. Sometimes staring at a screen all day can be tiring, so it’s nice to be able to do some hands-on lab work for 60% of the time.
What’s the biggest lesson you’ve learned?
Just because you’re a co-op student doesn’t mean your ideas are dumb or unhelpful. Confidence is definitely something I lack, but I think working in a startup where the co-op often has lots of responsibilities in a bit of everything helps you overcome that hurdle and even pushes you to be more curious and to not be afraid of talking to your supervisor about any ideas you may have! Great ideas sometimes come from someone looking at a project with fresh eyes.
What NE courses had an impact on your career goals? What NE courses, if any, are helpful in your job?
Honestly, I think co-op helped me figure out my career goals and not necessarily a course itself. NE 335 (soft nanomaterials) is the course that’s most related to my job so far, and I also want to take electrochemistry and biosensors courses in my fourth year that I think would be very useful as well. I also pursued the nanobiotechnology route in the third year of the NE program.
What are you planning on pursuing after graduation? Do you need a postgraduate degree for your job?
I haven’t made a decision, but I think as a career I would like to stay in the biosensors/medical devices area. Actually, most of the people in my team do not have a postgraduate degree and are nanotechnology engineering alumni, so I don’t think a postgraduate degree is needed for my job. I’m a strong believer that learning things on the job is just as important as what you learn in a classroom.
Any tips for getting a similar position to yours or entering a similar field to yours?
As a co-op student, if you’re willing to learn, most jobs will be willing to hire you. For a similar position like mine, I think having critical thinking, design, and data analytic skills are really important. Additionally, any experience in material science and electrochemistry is definitely important!
