My Role

My Role
 
So far, my role at LiftPort has been a great experience and I’m learning a lot about business. Being at the ground level of a start-up gives me a unique position for someone of my age and experience. This experience has been invaluable in that I have been able to diversify my resume and contrast all of the business skills and tools I am learning here at LiftPort with my experience in biological and chemical sciences.

While I think this diversification has immeasurable benefits to my value as an employee or scientist, I do hope, at some point, my role at LiftPort can move back towards the field of science. Obviously, this is time permitting; LiftPort isn’t even conducting research yet and needs my help in getting it off the ground. My skills are better utilized now, in the ramp up process of this company, at least until we are established and stabilized, both in regards to finances and operations.

BUT, when that beautiful day comes, and LiftPort is making bounding strides towards the Moon, I want to get back involved in the science. So, Michael and I began talking about how I might do that: what might my role in the company look like once it is a company. Michael is very familiar with my passion for science (a frequent distraction from work) however, my experience does not line up with the project directly.

Michael suggested some type research coordinator position, the dream job of any hyper passionate scientist with no specific focus. With that type of position, I could be involved in all of the research projects and watch how they integrate with one another. I wouldn’t be tied to a single lab bench working on the same project for three months, as my previous experience has been. That type of position would allow maximal involvement in the science of the project, not having to be an active contributor to the basic research but instead putting the big picture together with the pieces provided by the basic research.

Now…I am not qualified. I have a solid resume, but I JUST graduated college. In the real world, I know I am pretty low on the totem pole and definitely not someone who would typically apply for a research coordinator position at a tech company. I don’t expect to be hired to manage a team of PhD researchers and CEOs of companies. However, the fact that Michael has mentioned that I could be involved with that type of work really excited me and made me look forward to the development of the company and my role in it. 

​-Jeremy Wain Hirschberg