Oxford Instruments: Women In Business

29/06/2016

Brenda Abshear, MRI Coil Repair Technician, OI Healthcare

I’ve worked with Oxford Instruments for almost two years. Previously I held various office and administrative roles.

The things I enjoy about my day to day working experience are that my co-workers are great people and have taught me a lot about electronic testing. My mechanical and problem-solving abilities are challenged every day. Every repair is a puzzle that needs to be solved. The work from our department provides a cost savings to the company and is appreciated.

I’ve returned to school to study electronics engineering with the help of Oxford’s tuition reimbursement program. I’ve been given a chance to learn a unique set of skills on the job in an industry where my opportunities will only ever be limited by my own desire to learn.

One of the benefits of working for a leading technology provider is that our services and equipment are relied on by medical professionals to help diagnose serious and sometimes life-threatening conditions. Although I don’t see them, it is rewarding to know that somewhere out in the world there are people and veterinary patients whose quality of health has benefited from our work.

22/06/2016

Claire Greenwood, Software Development Manager, Belfast

I’ve worked with Oxford Instruments Andor for 5 ½ years. Before joining OI Andor, I worked in Telecommunications for 11 years: Initially with a large multi-national company and then for a small start-up company.

I love working with people and helping them understand their own technical development and I really love being busy and learning new things, which is a daily activity in OI Andor.

I feel that I get a lot of support from the business for my career development. Also it’s the first time in my career where I have been given time to think about my next step and to focus on the gaps in my development in order to reach the next level of my career. I have had OI support with mentoring, which I have found invaluable. Having a mentor from another part of the business brings a completely different perspective and can facilitate openness.

I started in Andor as a senior engineer and since then I have move into a management role, while still retaining some technical aspects. So I get pretty much the best of both worlds. My management career has changed throughout the years, firstly and mostly through people management, then project management. I feel that I am always learning and increasing my circle of influence.

OI is a technical company, built on the innovation and quality of its products. It is extremely important to me to keep that at the core of the business. I find the range of applications fascinating. It also is a great motivator to know that we are allowing researchers and other scientists to progress science.

22/06/2016

Mary Waldner - Non-Executive Director, and Chair of Audit Committee, Oxford Instruments

As a Non-Executive Director at Oxford Instruments I enjoy working with, and supporting the management of the business to ensure that we have the right strategy, processes and people to deliver the business’ future success. I also enjoy the opportunities that the Board get to visit our sites, get an understanding of our technology and products and meet colleagues.

As part of my induction to the Board I have met a whole range of people from across the OI team; I have been made to feel incredibly welcome and also been very impressed by their enthusiasm and commitment to OI.

As a physics graduate, it is fantastic to see the contribution that OI makes both to furthering science and technology in research institutions around the world but also to developing and producing products for industrial applications.

Having completed my degree in Physics, I qualified as an accountant with Coopers & Lybrand and have held a variety of finance roles in businesses including British Airways, 3i plc and QinetiQ. My previous role was as Group Finance Director of Ultra Electronics, a FTSE 250 defence, security, transport and energy business and in March 2016 I became Chief Financial Officer at Lloyds Register a privately owned engineering, technical and business services organisation. I joined the Oxford Instruments Board in February 2016

22/06/2016

Louise Armstrong - Global Sales Director at Andor Technology

I have an industry based PhD in Atomic Fluorescence Spectroscopy; 10 + sales and European sales management of cellular imaging and analysis systems and 8 years global product management across a range of markets including confocal microscopy, and 3D software and quantitative pathology.

I love the variety of my job. My days are filled with different activities, interacting with people all over the world across all of our different business segments from research to OEM to microscopy systems and software. Whether I’m meeting with our own internal teams, across the management teams inside Andor or OI or even with our customers it all comes down to one thing, how we provide the best technology solutions to further scientific research. This job challenges me to use all of the experience I’ve gained throughout my career in order to become the best we can possibly be.

Before joining Andor I was appointed as Chair of the Royal Society of Chemistry’s Benevolent Fund Grants Committee overseeing the Chemist’s Community Fund. This gives me a great opportunity to continue my own professional development outside of the company leading a board. Andor and OI have been very supportive of me in this role and were pleased when I was recently admitted to the society as a Fellow (FRSC) in recognition of my experience and continued professional development.

As part of my role I travel a lot. In the last eight months I have visited OI sites in Belfast, Oxford, High Wycombe, Toronto, Concord MA, Connecticut, Beijing and Tokyo. I am very fortunate to have the opportunities to meet and to work with so many people across a number of OI companies and sites. It really opens your mind. Having worked in similar global roles before I’m always surprised how small our community is and how many mutual friends and acquaintances we have around the world. I feel very privileged to be able to learn from so many different people and to share these learnings across a global team as we look to further develop a world class organisation.

22/06/2016

Julie Mardikian - Senior Compliance Auditor, Oi Healthcare

I’ve been with Oi for 5 1/2 years now. Previously, I worked as an American Airlines Flight Attendant for 20 years.

I work in Oi Healthcare and what I enjoy most about my work is bringing groups together to create process to flow efficiently and effectively across the work environment. I also feel a complete sense of pride knowing we as a company contribute to our future and our children’s future.

Oxford Instruments has exceeded my expectations in promoting from within and training the abilities one might have. They’ve encouraged my development through training within my career path and I have been challenged to step out of my comfort zone and encouraged to develop skills I have through further training.

We have had opportunities where we do some team building activities, dinner and company gatherings that bring the entire team to Deerfield Beach for our annual company meeting and to have the opportunity to develop social relationships with co-workers whom you may not see at all during the year.

My first experience was OI Superconducting Technologies, what an amazing group and the magnitude of knowledge each and every person shared with me was exciting. They all seemed to be genuinely excited to be a part of what they do for OI.

I believe having interaction with other departments has increased my knowledge and self-awareness that we all work together to manufacture or service a part/parts that will be known as a world class company, and we each strive to do our best no matter where we are located within OI.

I feel valued at OI. You see the value when they invest time in training and opportunities to grow your strengths and be a part of the team. You see value when you see co-workers acknowledged and supported to see their vision to benefit OI as a group.

21/06/2016

Kelly Marchand - Customer Service Manager - Americas

I joined Oxford Instruments straight from University. When I first joined, I believed it would be just a starter job. It has completely surpassed my expectations by offering me a path of growth and opportunity and I have now been with the company for 13 years.

What I enjoy most about my job is the variety and the types of customers I get to meet and talk with. Being in service, customer’s don’t call us to say hello but because they have an issue with their piece of equipment. This is our opportunity to assist them and get them operating again.

Up until a few years ago, I didn’t even have a passport. Over the last few years I have had the opportunity to visit several European countries and China to see the various locations that make up the Industrial Analysis division. I can now say I even feel comfortable driving on the wrong side of the road!

28/11/2014

Fiona Wycherley, 2nd Line Support Engineer, Tubney Woods

I started life as a PE teacher but soon realised that the participation in sport was more important than the teaching of it. I then moved to London and began my first role in IT. Since then, I have had a 23 year long career at the Pirbright Institute where I started as a 1st Line Support Technician, progressing to IT Operations Manager. Following redundancy, I started working as a 2nd Line Support Engineer at Tubney Woods and have been doing so for over a year.

Having been in my previous job for 23 years I was very nervous about starting at Oxford Instruments but, at the same time, excited by the challenge of being taken out of my comfort zone. Everyone is really friendly and, having just completed my first year, I think I have settled in well and have really enjoyed it.

I enjoy the variety of my work, there is always something new to resolve and I love to help others, working to solve problems. I feel valued working for Oxford Instruments, people are complimentary about my work and I get a great sense of satisfaction from being able to help others.

28/10/2014

Why don't women apply for jobs unless they feel 100% qualified?
Find out more on the Harvard Business Review article, below:

http://blogs.hbr.org/2014/08/why-women-dont-apply-for-jobs-unless-theyre-100-qualified/

It's not because they lack confidence.

15/07/2014

http://lyndagrattonfutureofwork.typepad.com/lynda-gratton-future-of-work/2013/06/the-five-unanswered-questions-on-gender.html

Last month, I took the train up to the beautiful city of Cambridge to speak at their Gender Summit. Over the course of the day, and with the help of a varied panel of business and academic speakers, we explored what it takes to promote gender equality and diversity within organisations. We debated a…

02/07/2014

Mary Duseau – Global Director of Sales, Andor

I have been in the commercial Life Sciences industry for 25 years, and my current position at Andor is a quarter of what my last job had in terms of revenue and direct reports. However, I have learnt that the size of the organisation, or the number of people in your team, does not determine how much joy or variety you get from a position. The leadership style needed to be effective – passionate, energised and with high expectations – is surprisingly similar, and I find Andor as exciting in terms of career and development opportunities.

01/07/2014

http://www.fastcocreate.com/3032424/this-always-ad-asks-what-it-means-to-do-something-like-a-girl

The brand looks to turn the phrase from an insult to an inspiration.

18/03/2014

Vote for your favourite female scientist/engineer to be recognised by the British Science Association by having an Award Lecture named after them.

http://www.britishscienceassociation.org/british-science-festival/vote-women

There were no shortage of names when we asked people to nominate female scientists and engineers, women whose contributions to science, engineering and technology had gone too long un-honoured. Thank you to all who took part on Twitter and Facebook - we ended up with a list of over 30 names!

17/03/2014

Pamela Varitovaara – Site Operations Manager, Finland

I have been at Oxford Instruments for eleven years now, but as there is always something new and more challenging happening, I can easily imagine working here for another ten years or more! It’s not only working with the great people in my team that spurs me on, but the fact I am witnessing first-hand new technology being created all the time.

04/03/2014

Trudi Walker- Service and Commercial Operations Manager

I have worked at Plasma Technology for ten years, and have always approached my role with a sense of challenge. The business recognised this, and I really appreciate how much they have invested in my development. I was lucky enough to be offered an international post as an interim Operations Manager in Austin, USA, and I learnt a great deal from the management team there. It was a valuable opportunity in the sense that I could share my own knowledge, as well as help bring together ideas and processes from across the businesses. This allowed me to grow as a manager, and I hope I can continue to be a part of what makes the company successful in future.

20/02/2014

The ICT KTN is delivering a series of free events to encourage and support women to return to or access the high-tech sectors, with three live-streamed events in London, Sheffield and Southampton across the remainder of February and March.

http://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/career-opportunities-for-women-in-the-high-tech-sectors-tickets-10290985615?aff=eorg

The KTNs are concerned at their members’ needs to recruit qualified individuals to support and develop innovation activity, whilst there is a pool of talented, qualified and highly-skilled people among women, including returners and those working outside the high-tech sectors. The ICT KTN is leading...

13/02/2014

12/02/2014

Rita Clarke- Training Officer

Working here has definitely made me realise that I am more ambitious than I thought! I had no intention or desire to take on more hours when I started as a part-time receptionist, but I remember my Line Manager saying how excited she was about my future with the company and it really boosted my confidence. I soon returned to study and full time work with the support of the business, and I love my new role. The most satisfying part is seeing others develop in their jobs like I have, especially the apprentices taking the first steps in their careers.

03/02/2014