Roya Bashier is a Technical Support Scientist here at Akoya Biosciences. She’s joined the company twice — first in 2018 as a Research Associate, and then again in 2020 in her current role. We spoke to Roya to learn what it means to be a Technical Support Scientist, and find out how she applies her expertise with PhenoCycler to help our customers achieve success.
What led you to join (and re-join!) Akoya?
I was drawn to Akoya because of the simplicity of the technology and how intriguing it was. I joined Akoya in July 2018 which was before we launched CODEX (now PhenoCycler), and also before we acquired the Phenoptics (now PhenoImager) portfolio. The PhenoCycler technology met an unanswered need in research and is a simple and elegant offering to solving a complex problem. After joining I found myself surrounded by capable, friendly people who supported each other tremendously and I enjoyed the work related to testing and optimizing the PhenoCycler system, especially with its conjunction of chemistry, hardware, and software.
I took a brief hiatus when I joined a different biotech/pharma company to broaden my horizons and learn more about the industry, but found myself keeping tabs on Akoya – I realized at that point that I had become very passionate about the technology Akoya was offering. When I learned of a different role that was opening up through a colleague, I was eager to rejoin this company in a role that would provide me with a different kind of challenge. The team being built here is truly exceptional and I’m proud to be surrounded by so many intelligent and compassionate individuals who seem to be moving very quickly towards something great.
Tell us about your role. What does a typical day look like for you?
I’m the Technical Support Scientist for the PhenoCycler product line at Akoya. My primary responsibility is to answer any PhenoCycler technical questions and resolve troubleshooting cases that come in from customers. I work with everything from reagents, hardware, microscopes, software, and analysis, and everyone from our field scientists and engineers to R&D, product management, and our sales team. Akoya is a fast growing and expanding company and so I also occasionally train customers on the PhenoCycler system and will act as a customer advocate for product features and feedback.
How has work changed for you after COVID-19?
Since the shutdown, I’ve been almost exclusively working from home. Since most of my work can be accomplished remotely, the work itself hasn’t changed too drastically but I certainly miss the lab and seeing all the friendly faces every day!
What’s the best part about being a Technical Support Scientist at Akoya?
I would probably say getting to interact with and solve problems for our passionate customers. It’s a really great rewarding feeling when customers’ interactions and responses are very positive and you can tell that you made their day a bit better.
What are you proudest of accomplishing in your time here?
I would say one thing I’m proud of is that I was asked to come back to Akoya for this role, since it shows that my contributions and potential were recognized and valued. But, my biggest accomplishment at Akoya would have to be helping start the Diversity Action Network Group (DANG!) at Akoya with other like-minded and passionate ‘Activated Akoyans’.
What are some of your hobbies/interests outside of work?
I’ve recently started exploring watercoloring and other forms of painting and I also enjoy hiking, cooking, and soaking up the sun in a hammock with a good book.
Interested in joining our team? Visit our careers page to browse our openings and learn more about working at Akoya.
