Region

Auckland

Job

As the only technician in a team of 12, Ashleigh has a wide range of duties, from cleaning equipment, to making chemicals, and even answering the phone. As a result, there’s no real ‘daily plan’ – she works off a list of things she knows need doing, or things she gets asked to do as the team thinks of them, making sure everything fits into the week in order to meet the deadlines.

Although the position requires only basic technical skills, there is a huge amount of responsibility and independence as well.

For example, labs must always be well stocked with consumables and reagents, scene kits must always be ready to go, and if something must be bought, Ashleigh gets to do the shopping!

When on reception, she must be able to advise the clients in person or by phone (or find the appropriate scientist to do so), handle items we receive or send away, and keep files up-to-date.

Ashleigh also gets to run validation trials on new/improved products in the lab, which she finds exciting.

One of her most important jobs? “If anything is not ready when the others need it, then I know I have to keep an eye on that in the future.”

Career Pathway

Ashleigh completed a Bachelor of Science degree at the University of Waikato, having done science subjects at high school. She got her first ‘science’ job, as a lab assistant at a chemical testing company during her second year at university, and the part-time work helped fund her further studies, including a Postgraduate Diploma in Science.

She was appointed to her current position at ESR on the basis of her qualifications and her lab experience.

Ashleigh has always been interested in crime solving, wanting at various stages to be a policewoman, a lawyer, etc. - but after high school she realised she wanted to study science.

Unfortunately forensic science vacancies are highly sought after in New Zealand, but her ambition to be involved in crime scene investigations remained. And she’s done it!

Ashleigh still thinks that a specialist forensic degree is her best option for serious promotion, maybe eventually maybe becoming a scene-attending scientist, but for now she is content to use all the diverse skills she has learnt in the lab, during her studies, and when dealing with the public to do her current job.

Even the non-academic aspects of her training have helped. For example, being on the Biology student rep committee means she has no problems taking minutes for team meetings, or being the liaison person for issues that come up at work.

Interests

Not only does Ashleigh love rowing and being out on the soccer field, she’s an accomplished dancer and still performs regularly ballet, tap, jazz, hip hop and contemporary concerts.