Robert Baker

I am required to be self-directed, organised and accountable to oversee the management of laboratory operations and facilities for accredited labs across 2 R&D facilities and one industrial pilot plant, spanning; Synthetic biology, Analytical chemistry, Microbial Fermentation, Textile dyeing & Material Science and Media Kitchen. I have co-designed and fitted out one of the Colorifix facilities from shell and core > Cat B, alongside full relocation and installation of new and current equipment assets & chemical and biological agents.

My primary duties include:

• Equipment asset monitoring, replacement and resale
• Managing preventative maintenance service & UKAS calibration contracts for over 500+ equipment assets and ensuring all is documented in relation to all assets held
• Organising service visits, remaining hands on with servicing/repair and gathering further trouble shooting/technical details on laboratory equipment
• Management of facilities; liaising with various landlords on day-to-day issues, requests from Colorifix, Health & Safety concerns and negotiation of space allocation and alterations
• Management of general and laboratory health and safety strategy as part of a chemical & biological safety committee
• Management of ISO:9001 compliance for lab management and procurement and preparation for audit for all laboratories
• Performing internal auditor duties to ensure compliance across the company
• Management of COSHH; procurement, risk assessment, receipt, storage, usage and conscious disposal
• Management of timely disposal of chemical and GM biological waste and records for traceability
• Dealing with, listening to and actioning requests and feedback from the research teams
• Providing support to Business Development teams on implementation and logistics across client sites
• Maintenance and development of key relationships with internal and external stakeholders, fellow tenants and key estates contacts
• Development of standard operating procedures, job descriptions and interview and hiring of laboratory candidates
• Induction of new laboratory personnel
• General troubleshooting and operational management of all spaces outside of the labs and general business operations
• Liaise with internal legal counsel regarding NDA’s and contractual topics
• Responsible as main point of contact onsite and out of hours

As the Manager of Procurement for Colorifix UK, I am responsible for and experienced in:

• Management and procurement of all resources and consumables for all sites, including international sites periodically
• Inventory control and management
• Management of supplier relationships and contracts
• Continuous vendor evaluation, performance and risk management
• Identification of commercial scale up components and security of supply chain with appropriate forecasting
• Meticulous and controlled record keeping of documentation
• Close day-to-day work with finance on reconciliation of invoices and budgetary and operational strategy
• Vast experience with Xero and Oracle Netsuite ERP financial packages
• Full cost analysis and reporting to C-suite
• Entrusted with CapEx

As a Laboratory technician at Colorifix, working across Synthetic Biology and Material Science teams, my main responsibilities included:

• Manufacture of microbial growth media for all R&D teams alongside antibiotic stocks
• Cultivation of ACDP group 1 GM bacterial strains
• Re-streaking of plates
• Dead/alive waste validation
• Preparation of electro/chemically competent cells, transformations and blue/white screening
• Preparation of sterile glassware/supplies via autoclave sterilisation and glass washing
• Performing small scale fermentation, experiment write up and turnover of bench top vessel for weekly runs
• Restocking of laboratory consumables

In my role as a Neuro Rehabilitation Assistant, my primary role was to work with post acute patients and immediate families with acquired brain injury to assist with and provide planned physical rehabilitation under direction of the Occupational therapist and cardiologists, with the aim to provide interventions which assisted our patients to regain or maintain their maximum movement such as gait re-education and functional independence whilst measuring outcomes.

• Rehab report writing and empathetic presentation to patients, families and next of kin
• Development of rehab plans and timelines in conjunction with occupational therapists, patient support workers and next of kin
• Handling and control of medications and controlled substances in line with COSHH regulations