Microbiology Interview Flashcards
1
Q
Give an example of when you have shown exceptional team working skills.
A
Leila.
S - meeting with. medical wheelchair experts to brainstorm a headrest which would fit with her muscle tone.
T - To identify/ discuss what I notice when caring for Leila - help to determine when and where her head is most comfortable and what support is needed.
A - Suggested a headrest higher at one side.
R - Worked as a team to elaborate on this concept. This was the end result. Very successful - especially at feeding time.
2
Q
Describe a time you have worked well under pressure.
A
S - Due to team handover/ people changing roles at the same time a critical piece of documentation had not been aligned with quality and so when it came to signing off the final DATP, a lot of further testing was recognised as being required.
T - My task was to produce and prioritise a testing plan to fill in all gaps that were missed.
A - As above
R - All testing completed and aligned with quality 1.5 weeks ahead of the set deadline.
3
Q
Name a time you have come up with new ideas to solve a problem in the workplace.
A
S - pH < 4 seen in room spray products (out of success criteria).
T - Create a testing plan to understand the feasibility of adding SodiumBicarbonate to the formulation.
A - Looked at previous projects/ leased with other teams using Sodium Bicarbonate in their formulation. Created a plan.
R - Carried out my testing plan and found that 0.025% was perfect. Odour. pH. Appearance - usual stability parameters tested. Results presented to fragrance team.
4
Q
What is the overarching business focus at Reckitt?
A
To have power brans in all sectors and to continue the growth of existing brands.
To be disruptive in the brand space.
5
Q
Give an example of a time when you have put consumers and people first.
A
General approach -being smart, presentable, approachable, warm and welcoming with the overarching approach of being professional and knowledgable.
Prioritise my professional relationships, teamwork is of paramount importance and Reckitts is superb at building excellent teams. I pride myself on recognising people’s strengths and weaknesses, asking for advice from those with experience and supporting those who ask help.
S - Sustainability team
T - come up with initiatives to drive sustainabitity
A - describe initiative
R - driving an initiative that is looking to move forward at all UK Reckitt sites.
- Gives colleagues the best experience and allows them to contribute to sustainability.
6
Q
Explain how you ‘do the right thing always’.
A
S - Senior using fumed silica without fume hood.
T - needed to highlight safety risk to a senior in an appropriate way.
A - approached kindly highlighting the need for the fume hood & following the SOP. Offered to show where would be best to do the work.
R - Grateful for advice/ help
7
Q
Explain how you ‘do the right thing always’.
A
S - Senior using fumed silica without fume hood.
T - needed to highlight safety risk to a senior in an appropriate way.
A - approached kindly highlighting the need for the fume hood & following the SOP. Offered to show where would be best to do the work.
R - Grateful for advice/ help
8
Q
Describe a time when you have built shared success.
A
S - When inducting Marc in slow release I noticed that we were going to be working on the same kind of projects.
Highlighted this to my team and began a collaboration.
T - Created a testing plan to produce the best format and fragrance type for a slow release product.
A - Devised and tested using FMA and sensory resoures too.
R - Have a SR devide to be launched with a base line of fragrances ASAP.
9
Q
How will you fill any gaps in your knowledge?
A
- Seek formal training
- Seek out training/ conversations/ shadowing with more experienced colleagues
- Co-working
10
Q
Describe a time when you were asked to do something that compromised ethics/ values - what was the outcome and how did you handle this?
A
S - Senior using fumed silica without fume hood.
T - needed to highlight safety risk to a senior in an appropriate way.
A - approached kindly highlighting the need for the fume hood & following the SOP. Offered to show where would be best to do the work.
R - Grateful for advice/ help
11
Q
Describe a time when come up with creative solutions to a problem.
A
S - Lecturer told me my EPQ wasn’t ready to present. Too complicated with no background.
T - Make it presentable.
A - Created visual describes of calcium transport (traffic lights).
R - non-scientific audience understood and were engaged
12
Q
When have you prioritised workload (explain)?
A
- Jupiter PATP testing
- Butterfly slow release testing - Ongoing stability Vs new testing to assess feasibility
13
Q
What are your greatest strengths?
A
- I am determined to drive progress to complete work to a high standard ahead of deadlines.
- I am meticulous & a perfectionist.
I am true to who I am , reliable and action orientated which means that I always meet deadlines an provide a high standard of work on time. This has been the case for all projects that I have worked on.
14
Q
What are your weaknesses?
A
I have trouble saying no - stress / over-worked.
I have trouble asking for help as I enjoy to work independently and enjoy problem solving.
Given I am very action oriented and work with pace and precision, this can often come across as putting pressure on other members of the team. As a technical lead it is a priority to ensure harmony in the team and ensure I tailor my working style based on the colleague I am working with.
15
Q
What are Parenteral Drug Routes
A
Entry to the circulation without using the GI tract
16
Q
Name some parenteral drug administration routes.
A
Intravenous
Intramuscular
Subcutaneous
Intraarterial
17
Q
Name some enteral drug routes
A
Oral
Sublingual/ Buccal
Rectal
18
Q
What is Intravenous drug administration?
A
When drugs are administered into the peripheral veins, allowing easy access to the circulation.
19
Q
Does intravenous drug administration experience first-pass metabolism?
A
No
20
Q
Which veins are usually used for intravenous metabolism?
A
Peripheral to reduce chances of thrombosis.
21
Q
Does intramuscular drug administration avoid first pass metabolism?
A
Yes
22
Q
Does Subcutaneous drug administration avoid first pass metabolism?
A
Yes
23
Q
Does intraarterial drug administration avoid first pass metabolism?
A
Yes
24
Q
What are the benefits of oral drug administration?
A
It is convenient and cost effective
25
What is the primary site of drug absorption for oral drug administration?
Small intestine - mainly absorbed in the intestinal epithelium.
26
What are the benefits of sublingual drug administration?
Bypasses first pass metabolism
27
What is sublingual drug administration?
Applied under the tongueWha
28
What is buccal drug administration?
Applied on the inside of the cheek
29
How does sublingual drug administration work?
Passive diffusion through venous blood in the oral cavity
30
What is the difference between drug administration rates for sublingual and buccal drug administration and why?
Sublingual - highly permeable mucosa with rapid access to underlying capillaries.
Buccal - Less permeable and lower absorption.
31
Describe the rate at which rectal drug administration occurs and why.
Rapid and effective absorption of medicines via highly vascularized rectal mucosa.
32
How does rectal drug administration work?
Passive diffusion
33
Does rectal drug administration undergo first pass metabolism?
Partially bypasses - only half of the drugs from the rectum go to the liver.
34
What is the first-pass effect
Drug concentration is significantly diminished before it reaches the systemic circulation. This is usually due to metabolism by the liver.
35
How does Transanal drug administration work?
Passive diffusion across vascularized respiratory epithelium into systemic circulation.
36
How does inhaled drug administration work.
Rapid delivery to a large surface area.
37
Does inhaling drugs bypass first pass metabolism?
Yes - drugs are absorbed into the pulmonary circulation and enter the systemic circulation via the pulmonary vein.
38
Name some transdermal drug administration routes.
Patches
Gel
39
What is intraosseous drug administraion
Administers without need for peripheral or central venous access.
40
41
What are the advantages of oral administration of drugs?
Ease of administration
Widespread acceptance
42
What are the disadvantages of oral administration of drugs?
Variable absorption rates
Degradation of drugs before entry into the blood stream
Inability of compounds to traverse the intestinal epithelial membrane cells to reach the blood stream
Insolubility of many drugs at low pH prevent levels in the digestive tract
First-pass effectWhat are the advantages of oral administration of drugs?
43
What are the advantages of sublingual administration of drugs?
Rapid absorption due to the mucosal network of systemic veins and lymphatics - rapid action.
Avoids first-pass
Low risk of infection
44
What are the disadvantages of sublingual administration of drugs?
Excessive salivation may cause quick dissolution and absorption
45
What are the advantages of rectal drug administration?
Can be destroyed by acidic medium in stomach and those metabolized by pancreatic enzymes can be administered effectively.
Safe and convenient
Bypasses hepatic metabolism
46
What are the disadvantages of rectal administration of drugs?
Some hydrophilic drugs are unsafe as they are not readily absorbed
Can cause irritation sometimes
47
What are the advantages of using intravenous drug administration?
Rapid onset of action
Almost complete bioavalibility
48
What are the disadvantages of using intravenous drug administration
Causes pain
Chance of infection
Delivery of protein products can be difficult
49
What are the disadvantages of using intramuscular drug administration
Injection site pain
Amount of drug administered has to be altered based on muscle mass
Peptides get degraded locally
50
What are the disadvantages of using subcutaneous drug administration
Rate of absorption is difficult to control
Local complications
51
What are the 2 types of bioavalibility?
Absolute Bioavailability: When the drug is administered through the intravenous route, the bioavailability of the drug achieved will be 100 percent.
Relative Bioavailability: It is the bioavailability of the drug when obtained and it is compared with a reference standard.
52
What is the reason for low bioavailibility?
Poor water solubility (often seen with solid state oral drugs) which leads for insufficient time for absorption in the GI tract.
53
What are 3 factors that affect drug absorption?
lipid solubility.
molecular size.
degree of ionization.
54
What is an API?
Active Pharmaceutical Ingredient
55
What factors affect drug bioavalibility?
Drug concentration, surface area of the absorption site, drug pKa, molecule size, pH of surrounding fluid, food effect, drug metabolism, first pass metabolism, CYP450 isozymes.
56
What are CYP450 isozymes and what do they do if they become overactive (in terms of drugs)?
Control the breakdown speed of drugs. If they are overactive they cause drugs to become ineffective.
57
What are prodrugs used for?
To improve intestinal absorption of drugs and increase bioavailability and/or selective tissue delivery.
58
How do prodrugs increase bioavalibility?
They enhance water solubility, enhance GI permeability, improve carrier mediated absorption of polar drugs.
59
In what form do drugs have the greatest degree of bioavalibility?
Gases > Liquid > Solid
60
What nutrients improve bioavalibility?
Protein, calcium, biotin, magnesium, zinc
61
What factors affect drug absorption?
Lipid solubility, media pH, density of membrane transporters
62
Define what a 'prodrug' is
A drug substance that is inactive and must be converted into the pharmacologically active agent by metabolic or physcio-chemical transformation.
63
What was aspirin originally a prodrug for?
Salicylic acid
64
How does pH affect a drugs activity?
Affects drug dissolution, solubility, release, stability and intestinal permeability.h
65
What factors affect solubility of a drug?
Temperature, polarity, pressure, molecule size
66
How does polarity of a drug affect it's effectiveness?
Drugs have a greater solubility/ bioavailability in media of a similar pH to their own.
67
Describe a time when you have took OWNership in the work place.
- Fragrance sector of Sputnik EU
FMAs, sensory, communicate with fragrance team.
Lease with fragrance houses to arrange re-works.
68
Describe a time when you have took OWNership outside the work place.
EPQ - completely owned a scientific research project of my own choosing. Both academic write-up and presentation to friends and family.
Result = Grade A// learnt a lot about delivering in a condensed yet effective laymans way.
69
Name a time when you have shown you are CREATive in the work place
Butterfly - testing plan to resolve issues with strength performance after 2 days.
Within first few months of working.
DPD solvent test, tilt test, reduced Tween
70
Name a time you have shown you are CREATive outside the work place.
PBL - 8-weeks of problem based learning sessions with Hull York MEdical School. At the end I had to create a presentation around any medical condition.
Cerebral hypoxia
71
Name a time when you have showed you are caring outside of the work place
Leila - feed, outings, personal care, wheelchair expert meetings
72
Name a time when you have shown you are caring within work
Currently working cross-functional with the sustainability team on an initiative I suggested. Re-usable cauli box takeaway containers.
Wellbeing team - hands-on with Xmas do - visiting venues, speaking to entertainment providers etc.
73
Name a time when you have 'delivered' at work.
Close large testing gaps on the Jupiter PATP due to team handover & present a report to cross functional teams in <2 weeks.
Organisational skills
2 days ahead of deadline
74
Name a time when you have delivered outside of work
Talent to teach in FE - At the end of the 40-hour scheme I delivered a micro-teach to gain my qualification. Recieved the highest commendation on my session about teen mental health.
Have since been an ambassador for this.
75
When testing a liquid drug, what should you consider and why?
You would need to test all areas of the formulation - top, middle, bottom, left & right. Ensure that all of the formulation is homogenized so that the same amount of active ingredient is released whatever area of the liquid is taken.
76
What does D of E stand for ?
Design of experiment
77
What is the max mg of Ibuprofen in a day?
600mg
78
What is the max mg of guaifenesin that can be taken in a day?
1200mg
79
What type of testing may be necessary for testing a solid state product such as a tablet and why?
Disintegration testing to determine the amount and way that active ingredient is released.
Shows how quickly a tablet breaks down into smaller particles, allowing for a greater surface area and availability of drug when taken by a patient.
80
What is the difference between homogenizing and mixing?
Mixing - uniform mixture is obtained from two or more compounds by dispersing one within another.
Homogenizing - achieving an even distribution of diverse components within a mixture or pile.
81
What is a homogenous mixture?
Uniform in particle size, moisture, colour and temperature.
82
What testing may be useful when working on soft gel drugs?
Dissolution testing which mimics the stomach and intestines allowing you to track release of active ingredient within a formualtion.
83
What experience with patents do you have?
In depth patent training: 1) Patent searching with Patbase 2) Introduction to patents 3)How to read a patent
84
Give an example of a time when you have made an impact within a team environment // an example of where you've done something new and different that has lead to a tangible, positive outcome.
S - Part of the care team for Leila.
T - Wheel chair head rest meeting. Design a headrest best for feeding leila that co-operated with her asymmetric muscle tone.
A - Made a suggestion (higher at one side and lower at the other).
R - This was the headrest we made.
85
Give an example of your personal involvement to deliver something challenging.
S - Jupiter PATP testing gaps due to handover of alternative staff.
T - Strategise a testing plan, do testing & deliver within 2 weeks.
A - Sat down and created the testing plan, Prioritised other work and delayed any other lower priority work.
R - Delivered to quality 2 days ahead of timeline. All work correct
86
Describe a time when you have managed conflict well / within a team.
Recently within the Aircare lab, one team completely used all of a surfactant leaving no remaining surfactant to be used for formulating for important sensory testing.
I was frustrated by the lack of organisation/ ordering the correct amount of surfactant in advance and also not communicating this error honestly within the teams.
This error was also conflicted with the need for empathy and maintaining professional relationships.
- Changed with sensory team
- Communicated that we all need to speak to eachother and order in advance
Agreement between all teams
87
What documentation may be needed to allow exploration of new technologies?
License to explore
88
What documentation may be used to avoid misalignment throughout the development process?
Project change log
89
What documentation is needed before you can proceed with IDB approval?
A validated concept
90
What is the purpose of a 'concept'?
Shows that consumers like and validate the new project. THis allows IDB approval to begin.
91
What is the purpose of an IDB?
Summarises intent for launch to get approval on committing resource. Without a signed IDK, budget cannot be assigned.
92
What allows budget to be assigned to a project?
Approved & signed IDB
93
Name the main processes within the 'feasibility' stage of the product development process.
LTE
Roles and Responsibilities
Project Change Log
Fragrance Brief
Concept
IDB approved
94
What type of testing is used to optimise testing.
Initial lab testing is used to optimise processes and formulation ahead of use of both pilot and commercial tools.
95
What are the main cross functional teams?
Quality, Regulatory, Safety, Marketing, Legal
96
97
What important safety documentation must be completed and signed off during the development stage?
PSER & SAM request
Global risk scorecard
98
What documentation is needed as part of a SAM request?
MSDS, FIS, RMQs
99
What is a CMI test plot and what is it used for?
Consumer testing plot to measure market & consumer performance.
100
During the Patent section of development, what are the 2 main processes and checkpoints?
1 - Freedom to operate is used to check if any 3rd party owns similar intellectual property and any geographic restrictions
2 - Filing opportunities if the idea is novel
101
What is the purpose of a global risk scorecard?
Assesses the overall risk of a project and consider specific, individual risk elements
102
How often should risk scorecards be updated?
Every quarter
103
Who are risk scorecards signed off by?
Category QA rep
104
What is the purpose of having technical success criteria?
To detail all technical requirements of the product and the mandatory success criteria needed for launch.
105
What is required for technical go?
Signed off technical success criteria
106
What is a FMEA document and what is it used for?
Consumer/ Design Failure Mode & Effect Analysis is a document that aims to identify all the possible routes of product failure related to the product design or consumer experience so they can either be eliminated during development or mitigated before launch.
107
What are COGs?
Cost of Goods sold
108
What is TP?
Transfer price - COGS + direct production costst
109
What is total TP?
TP + freight costsW
110
When is pilot tooling considered validated?
When all the device related testing has been completed and assessed as a pass or concession by the project tea.he
111
When can production tooling be kicked off?
When the pilot tooling is validated and CAPEX is released
112
How is pilot tooling initiated?
The TPL undergoes alignment with the supplier and the core technical team. A PO is then requested and shared with the supplier to initiate tool construction.
113
What is CAPEX?
Capital Expenditure
114
What is a DATP?
Specifies test methods and acceptance criteria for assessing the design of the product & formulation. Incorporates test results
115
On what type of samples is DATP testing done?
Pilot samples
116
What happens once the DATP is approved and completed?
Once the DATP testing is approved and device specifications are locked down, PATP can proceed.
117
List some of the required TDS documentation
RM item codes
BOM - bill of material
MOM - method of manufacture
Packaging item codes
118
What is an industrial trial plan?
Initiates the conversation between R&D and supply on potential routes for scaling up the initative.
119
What are the 3 technical transfer gates?
TT1 - good for trial
TT2 - Good for production
TT3 - good for sale
120
What is the Good for trial technical transfer gate?
Aims to understand project risks and technical capabilities of the manufacturing site. Ends when the industrial trial plan is approved.
121
What is the Good for production technical transfer gate?
Aims to establish confidence in production at manufacturing site. Starts with running industrial trials and ends with factory receiving approved TDS codes after technical go.
122
What is the good for sale technical transfer gate?
Aims to ensure finished product is ready for sale. Starts at SOP and ends when good for sale certificate is issues.
123
What do we have to monitor and mitigate the impact we have on the environment?
SIC
124
125
Why does it take 12-24 for Fybogel to begin working?
When the Isphagula husk meets water in the small intestines it becomes gel-like. This gel-like formation means swelling of the product. When the Isphagula husk comes into contact with liquids in the gut, faeces volume is increased. Water is drawn into the faeces via osmosis. This osmotic process takes time.
126
What do 60s and 30s refer to?
The mg of active per sample?
127
What is the main ingredient in fybogel chews and how much is in each chew?
Fibersol-2
1g per tablet
128
To what patients may Fybogel chews be detrimental and why?
Patients with PKU (Phenylketonuria).
The product contains aspartame which is a form of phenylalanine. This can be harmful to patients with PKU if it builds up and can't be removed.
129
What is the overall purpose of Fybogel?
It is a bulk forming laxative which uses soluble fibre to increase stool bulk, making passing easier.
130
What are the possible side effects of Fybogel?
Allergies
Reduced iron
131
Describe the difference between a medicine and a medical device.
A medical device does not act in the ways a medicine does - pharmacological, metabolic or immunological.
It can be used for diagnosis, therapy, surgery or birth control and may be assisted by a medicine.
132
When scaling up laboratory to factory based production, what factors should you consider?
- Batch size
- Energy requirements
- Equipment capabilities (time and temperatures).
- Ingredient availability and concentration
- Mixing times
- Availability of natural raw material - ispaghula husk
133
What is the purpose of lab testing ahead of full scale production.
Optimising formulation/ process used for making the formula/ storage etc. Also use lab risks to predict large scale risks.
134
What are the modelling methods used after lab scale before large scale production.
1) Pilot plant - scaled down manufacturing process.
2) Demo plant - validating the process, supply chain and market demand.
135
What is the purpose of business compliance?
This aims to improve efficiency, accuracy, manage risk and avoid conflict and reputation damage.
136
What are the tools for business compliance?
- Action remediation
- Reporting
- Testing
- Risk Assessment
- Internal policies
137
What are the 3 types of Fybocalm?
1) Wind and bloating
2) Diarrhoea
3) Constipation
138
What is the main technology technology used in Fybocalm? How does it work?
Gut shield technology - xyloglucan and pea protein.
Creates a protective layer on the intestine walls to help prevent gut irritation.
This promotes restoration of the gut lining.
139
What ingredient is used to emulsify Fybocalm?
Magnesium Sterate
140
How many g of Isphagula husk are in each sachet of fybogel?
3.5g
141
What are fybogel capsules made up of?
Hypromellose and titanium dioxide
142
What is the purpose of the Fybogel Diarrhoea capsule and how does this work?
It is to restore intestinal function in people with IBS. Uses probiotics to stimulate the growth of health promoting bacteria.
143
What types of projects do ops work on?
- EPDs - new flankers and SKUs
- Commercial Innovation - new claims which do not involve product or structural packaging changes.
144
What is meant by an SKU?
Stock Keeping Unit
145
What is meant by ITL?
Intention to launch.
Launch of new product into the market where the brand is already present.
146
What are the main stages of the operating mode?
- Proof of principle.
- License to explore
- IDB
- IP
- Launch recommendation
- Post Launch checks
147
What happens at the proof of principle stage gate?
Novel technology requires proof of principle ahead of technical feasibility.
148
What area of stability may fybogel and fybocalm be tested for?
Efficacy
Microbiological growth tests
Solubility checks
149
Name a time when you have managed risk Vs speed.
Advising on the release of a Grogu re-work with limited stability data.
150
151
Who and what are the main competitors for fybogel?
Diohespan
Regulan
Isogel
152
What points could you consider when looking to develop a new product?
Looking into different husk options which may have greater avalibility.
New flavour development.
Increased efficacy
153
What are the different T stage gates through product lifecycle. (TT0-TT3)
TT1 is product development stage, TT2 is factory production, TT3 is commercial production.
TT0 is kick off ( so like IDB) - aligning roles, resource, kick off the project
154
What technology do Dettol disinfectant wipes use to be effective?
They use 'Tru-clean' technology. This is plant derived lactic acid produced using glucose syrup derived from food crops such as maize. It is fermented and pH levels adjusted, filtrated and distilled to deliver a cleaner.
155
How is lactic acid naturally derived?
Plant derived lactic acid is produced using glucose syrup derived from food crops such as maize. It is fermented and pH levels adjusted, filtrated and distilled to deliver a cleaner.
156
What claims do Dettol wipes have?
Kills 99.9% of bacteria and viruses.
Free from bleach, dyes & phosphtes.
157
After what time are Dettol wipes efficacious on COVID-19?
5 Minutes
158
What new developments should Dettol look to produce?
Products which are effective on marble, vinyl and wood.
159
What possible actives do dettol products use?
- Citric acid
- Hydrogen peroxide
- Lactic acid
160
Why may hydrogen peroxide be used within dettol products?
More effective than bleack on porus surfaces.
161
How is hydrogen peroxide effective in antiseptic?
It has oxidising properties and oxidised cell membranes. This results in loss of structure and cell death.
162
How is Citric Acid effective within Dettol?
It is a metal chelating agent.
163
How do disinfectants such as Dettol combat bacteria?
Disinfectants interfere with outer layer of bacterial cell. This causes leakage of cell contents, structural cell damage to important molecules. This is cell death.
164
How do disinfectants such as Dettol combat viruses?
Disinfectant alters structure and genetics of viruses meaning they cannot cause infection.
165
What types of molecules are used in helpers ?
Salt molecules
Examples:
Sodium imunodisuccinate.
Trisodium salt
166
Why are salts used as helpers in disinfectant products?
- Abrasives
- Absorbents
- Dissolves in Acid
Salts draw moisture and therefore kill bacteria and have antioxidant properties.
167
What is the active in Dettol Mould and Mildew spray?
Bleach
168
What is the active in Dettol antibacterial spray?
Lactic Acid
169
What is the active in Dettol 'Home with pets' spray?
Benzalkonium Chloride
170
What is the active in Dettol 'Multi-purpose' spray?
Benzalkonium Choride & Hydrogen Peroxide
171
What is the benefit of using Dettol refills?
75% Less Plastics
172
What are the volumes needed when using dettol refills?
50ml of refill + 700ml of cold water
173
What is the active ingredient used in Dettol?
Hydrogen peroxideW
174
What claims does dettol bathroom spray have?
3 x cleaning power. Active oxygen formula penetrates + dissolves grease, dirt & limescale.
175
Why should we hire you over other candidates/
I believe my two stand out qualities are my drive and adaptability.
I ALWAYS strive for a high quality of work that is completed on time and within a harmonious team. My work ethic is exceptional.
I have a proven track record of adaptability. Aircare - dettol. Hugh regulatory changes. Completely different format.
Success within a year
Working up with ruby leaving team
I have worked-up into a senior associate role after my manager left for a 1 year placement
176
What is your preferred leadership style?
I would like to think that I am a great facilitator of communication. Communication is one of my key strengths and I like to ensure open communication to bring out the best in every team member.
I am also great at delegating and findings strengths of other team members. I try to give each person the opportunity to work on development areas but in busy team work on their most successful areas. This creates a great team effort and delivers great results in busier times.
177
Explain a time when you have worked well under pressure.
Cinderella CLT
19 Different variants all to be produced in house.
Safety assessment, label approval, quality alignment.
19 batches produced within BMR & BFPR methodology.
Highly organised lab schedule. Piece of paper out. Aligned dates of work - where the lab book would be - when it would come back. To ensure release in an exceptionally tight deadline.
FOCUS ON TEAM MORALE.
Exceptional technical project lead.
178
Describe a time when you have taken ownership outside of the workplace.
EPQ - individual qualification. 'To what extent does transportation of calcium in the brain cause Schizophrenia'?
- Research
- Presentation
Completely individual work
179
Name a time when you have delivered // Name a time when you have built shared success
I worked in a partnership with a colleague on the
Science Inside symposium 2024
We were soleley responsible for bringing on external professional speakers that brought discussion related to the key pillars of interest.
Researched appropriate speakers
Made external business connections
Extensive meetings to align discussion content, very specific regulations around NDAs etc.
Key contacts on the day
180
How do you deal with conflict in the workplace.
Outside of the workplace I am quite an emotional person. Within the workplace I try to remain calm, professional and handle disputes with neutrality to avoid making rash, emotional decisions.
Keep a concise response & focus on actions of resolution and steps to achieve desired goal rather than personal views towards disagreement.
181
What is your experience working in self care
Not worked in self care. ADAPTABILITY. Aircare - Dettol. Huge change in REgs. WITH EASE
182
Describe a time when you have a overcome a conflict in the workplace
- CLT of over 180 cells. Hours of work.
- Required to complete BMRs
& BFPRs. Met with quality ahead of CLT to understand requirements and ensure we were aligned.
- Completed all BMRs and BFPRs as per requirements to the best of our ability.
- Then met with quality to seek approval of documentation. Further requirements added at last minute / tone of discussion disregarded effort that the team put in.
- Acted as a buffer between the quality & lab teams.
- Quality - Timeline aligned. Spoke to Emma 1-2-1 to deescalate emotion of the situation.
- Lab team - encouraged and appreciated the work already completed.
Since I have worked with my lab team and quality team to outline errors within the release process and come up with a more achievable process.
183
What is your most impressive work achievement?
I showed fantastic adaptability when moving from a more laboratory based role in Aircare to a promotion Associate role within Dettol.
Moved from an area with very little regulation to an area with stringent BPR legislation.
Thrown in at the deep end with Cinderella 2.0 and soon became a technical lead for the project.
Understanding BPR legislation alongside background to the project and a complex 9 fragrance rework.
TECHNICAL LEAD & SME within months of being in the job.
ADAPTABILITY
184
How do you prioritise workload?
- Distinguish between tasks which need immediate action & those which are long term.
- Understand deadlines of each task. For overlapping deadlines, look into risk - low/high risk of deadline needs to be extended.
- Create a tasks list in order of prioritisation
- Book time in calendar/ set outside time for each task to be done
(Schedule most important work for the time of day when you are most productive)
- Ask for resource within team & outside of immediate team if required
Ensure work-life balance of team is maintained within a more managerial role
185
Describe a time when you have been creative
Role as a healthcare assistant - Cerebral Palsy
- Medical meeting with wheelchair experts
- Designing a headrest for wheel chair that would enhance eating experience
- Used my experience of Leila's muscle tone to make a suggestion in a field where I was inexperienced
- My knowledge of Leila - experts knowledge of materials/ equipment available COLLABORATION
- Created a completely unique headrest adapted to Leila
186
Do you have any questions for us?
- What projects would the successful candidate be involved in?
- When will I hear something back?
187
188
Talk us through your CV
Most recent work experience
- R&D Associate (Germ Protection). SME for triggers leading Cinderella 2.0
- R&D Assistant (Aircare) - Slow release, Aerosol & Triggers.
Symposium 2024
- Healthcare Assistant (cerebral Palsy)
Education:
- Biomedical Science
- A levels in Maths, chemistry and biology
Volunteering for the NHS recently
189
Name a time you have overcome an obstacle / Failed
A-levels - confident in the results I would obtain. Didn't have a back-up university.
- Didn't achieve the results I wanted - went through clearing.
- Initially lost confidence
- Wanted to prove myself. First at university. In a job before graduating.
Dwelling on failures does not help me in any way. Use what I have learnt to move forward.
BURNT OUT
190
Discuss cross functional interactions within your role
I am the key SME for triggers.
- Run R&D documentation with inputs from other areas. This requires me to give clear explanations of the project from an R&D perspective to give ensure understanding of where the project stands and the testing requirements.
EXAMPLE - PDC
- I give expert advice into documentation for other teams.
EXAMPLE - fragrance brief
Legal - aligning new testing methods which have never been used before to substantiate claims. Giving an in-depth comparison of previous Vs existing methods.
Quality - CLT
191
Outline your knowledge of algenate and why it is beneficial?
Alginate is a biomaterial that has found numerous applications in biomedical science and engineering due to its favorable properties, including biocompatibility and ease of gelation. Alginate hydrogels have been particularly attractive in wound healing, drug delivery, and tissue engineering applications to date, as these gels retain structural similarity to the extracellular matrices in tissues and can be manipulated to play several critical roles.
