JobTalk with Christel - research assistant plant virology

Okay, I'm gonna try something new. I started this blog because I was looking for job opportunities myself, and I didn't know exactly what to look for. So I decided to write down whatever I found out about 'what is out there' for people with a life science background. Now that I know what I want and I actually found a job I realise that my last few posts were maybe useful, but too general. There are many people on the internet posting general tips about job searching, and I think you guys are smart enough to do some searching regarding job search tips. That is why I am going to start a series of interviews with interesting people who have a background in life sciences and found a challenging life sciency job. Welcome to the first interview of JobTalk! 

Let me introduce you to my friend and classmate; Christel. She has an MSc degree in Biology from Wageningen University and specialised in virology. Right after her graduation she started working for the Dutch food safety authority (voedsel en warenautoriteit) as a research assistant in plant virology. Let's hear it!

THE JOB

What can you tell us about your job?

Pretty patterns because of the tulip breaking virus

The department of the food safety authority I work for focuses on plants. We are an accredited government organisation and we work according to strict guidelines. We perform inspection with respect to import/export, we examine new breeds and we supervise inspection services. In my job I make sure that the tests we perform in the lab are of validated. I don't directly work in the lab myself, but I do write instructions for the lab tests and I supervise interns who work in the lab. We use ELISA to check which virusses are present in the samples, and we also make sure that the tests we use are consistent and trustworthy by testing the effects of performance by different personnel and different matrices (matrix is the material in which the viruses are provides, for example in a certain plant species). We have about 100-150 antisera for ELISA, a collection of about 1500 viruses and about 500 matrix variations. Together with other lab results we can give a diagnosis.

What aspects do you like most about your job? 

The variation of the different tasks. There is still so much to learn about all the different viruses and they way they spread, and about new techniques. I also get to go to congresses. There is a bit of everything.

What are the biggest challenges you have to face?

Because there are so many aspects it is sometimes challenging to keep a good overview.

Do you experience competition among peers?

No, we are an inspection service, not a competitive business. I also don't experience competition among colleagues.

How do you experience your work environment?

There is a lot of freedom and many possibilities. Sometimes it is difficult to set priorities and that can cause some pressure. It is very different from doing research as a PhD candidate for example. Sometimes I have to stick to deadlines for certain tasks, but I usually do my own thing when it comes to planning everything. I keep my documents up to date and keep the overview. I keep getting more and more assignments, and I get to go into more detail. We have meetings as well; some weeks only once or twice a week, but four times a week is no exception.

GETTING HIRED

How did you find out about the job opening? And what was the hiring process like? 

About 80 people applied for this job. Found this job on the internet, through Indeed I think. There were two selection rounds. The first round was a regular interview; 8 people were selected for this. The second round was an assignment for the last 3 candidates. I got two hours to gather information about a certain virus in a plant species, and I had to write something about it within 2 hours.

Why do you think you were hired? And what do you think are important characteristics and skills to have as a research assistant plant virology?

Firstly because my background knowledge is the perfect stepping stone for this job; I specialised in virology. Besides the relevant background I am also young and flexible, which means they can teach me a lot about different fields. It would not be beneficial to already have a PhD in the field, because people tend to be too specialised after finishing a PhD. During the interview they appreciated my experience abroad which I gained during my studies, and they contacted my thesis supervisor who was really enthusiastic about my work. I also noticed that the interview went very smooth and I felt like I would fit right in. They were looking for a character match. 

WHATS NEXT

What are possible future career paths and which one do you prefer? 

Within this government organisation there are opportunities for personal development and growth. One of the possibilities would be to become a team leader or to go into policy. I would like to become a specialist in plant virology, and I think there still is much to learn. 

What can you tell about job security?

I got a permanent contract after 6 months. This does not mean that within this branch you will always get this much job security. It depends on the situation. At that moment there was a possibility to get a permanent position within the team. Right now it would not be possible, so it really depends on the situation.

TIPS & TRICKS

What are your tips for people who want to get hired for a job like yours? And apart from 'plant virologist', what other keywords could they use?

Use your skills and your connections. Make sure you have some good references and a good CV. For government related jobs you can look at 'werken bij de overheid' or simply in vacancy databases. For slightly more research related jobs you can look at academic transfer. Apart from plant virology you could use the keyword 'phytopathology' or 'plant pathology' since it has overlap with plant virology. 

What are your tips for students who are trying to figure out which career path suits them?

Don’t expect to find you dream job as your first job. First get some work experience and you will get more opportunities along the way.

Did you think this was interesting and do you want to know more? Do you have any additional tips? Or do you have a suggestion for the next JobTalk; either additional questions or an interesting job suggestion? Leave a comments and questions below!