This interview is one of a series of interviews conducted by the Center for Business and Economics Fellows with recent Business & Economics graduates about life after graduation.
This interview was conducted during the Fall 2018 semester by CBE Fellow, Jack Goodman ’19 with recent graduate, Daniel Buker ’17
Jack: Where are you employed? How did you hear about this position?
Daniel: I am currently employed at Noveome Biotherapeutics, Inc., a small biotechnology company in Pittsburgh, PA that focuses on developing a novel pharmaceutical product for treating various eye-related conditions. Sometimes finding jobs right out of college can be difficult without connections/assistance, so I used several job placement firms to help point me in the right direction. I heard about Noveome through one of the placement companies I had been in contact with and soon found out that the headhunter who was helping me was also an Allegheny graduate. The Allegheny alumni network is surprisingly vast and an incredible tool for finding new positions.
Jack: What do you do on a day to day basis?
Daniel: What I enjoy most about working for a small, start-up level company is that I do not do the same one thing every day. I am mostly involved in biological manufacturing, so when we are in the process of manufacturing our pharmaceutical product, my primary daily responsibilities include monitoring our cell cultures, maintaining equipment/facilities, and collecting/filtering our final product. In addition, I am involved in research and process development experiments geared towards improving our processes and finding new uses for our product. On any given day, I split my time between working in our wet lab, clean room facility, and general office space.
Jack: How did Allegheny help you prepare for your current job?
Daniel: I was lucky enough to find a profession that fits my educational experience very well. I have been able to use and improve upon many of the laboratory-based techniques I learned during my time at Allegheny. That being said, I think the most important skill I gained from Allegheny’s demanding curriculum and lofty expectations was the ability to learn new material quickly. Any job in any field will require you to gain new skills and knowledge as you advance your career. Being able/willing to learn new techniques, skills, concepts, etc. at a quick pace is a huge advantage in the workplace.
Jack: What advice would you give to current Allegheny students?
Daniel: I think the best advice I could give to students would be to find a good balance between school work and your social life. I have had the opportunity to interview candidates for some of our job offerings and can say that while grades are important, we care just as much about how involved you are outside of the classroom. Most jobs involve working as a team and it is incredibly important to be able to mesh well with your colleagues. So focus on school, but do not forget to go out, meet new people, and have fun also