Quality Lab Associate

Thomas Morin Vail, AZ 520-***-****

Analytical and Materials Chemist *******@*****.***

PROFESSIONAL SUMMARY

Analytical and Materials Chemist with 30+ years of laboratory experience, including 10+ years of lab supervisory experience in environmental, reagent and process chemistry; 6 years in aerospace engineering and 3 years in precision cleaning.

Knowledge of analytical instrumentation including ICP-OES, ICP/MS, UV/Vis, IC, GC-FID, GC/MS, GFAA, CVAA (Mercury, As/Se), FTIR & Raman, HPLC, LCMS, EDXRF-SEM, gas- and solid-source Mass Spectrometry

Proven ability to absorb fundamentals of unfamiliar technologies and apply appropriate analytical techniques to solve chemical and process challenges

Highly focused and motivated, able to work both independently and collaboratively

CORE COMPETENCIES

Analytical Chemistry - Trace Metals Analysis - Materials Chemistry - Statistical Process Control

Root Cause Failure Analysis - Process Improvement - ISO Class 4-8 Cleanroom Operations

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

Scientist – Ventana Medical Systems, Inc. (FTE) - Tucson, AZ Feb 2013 – Jan 2017

Scientist – Ventana Medical Systems, Inc. (FTE) - Tucson, AZ (through Nesco Resource) Aug 2012 – Feb 2013

Executed research and failure analyses for materials, reagents & process-related issues on Ventana Primary Stains platforms (H&E and Special Stains). Planned and executed test programs, analyzed and reported results.

Pioneered use of specialized analytical techniques for product support: Energy-Dispersive X-Ray Fluorescence Scanning Electron Microscopy (EDXRF-SEM), Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM), microbiological assays

Operated medical diagnostic systems (H&E, Special Stains), optical, UV fluorescence and FTIR microscopes, UV/Vis spectrometer, high-resolution imaging systems

Won 2013 Grogan Award: Digital Recovery of Faded Eosin Using UV Fluorescence Microscopy (ROI filed)

Won 2015 Grogan Award runner-up: Two-Part Wash and Decon Process Development for Silver Stains

Successfully troubleshot recalled AFB stain and returned to market ($1MM/yr in sales) – 2Q2015

Developed Two-Part Wash and released product to market (BmkSS and NexES) – 2Q2014

Successful completion of online coursework: Scientific Writing; Multivariate Experimental Design; Deviation Investigation Best Practices; HPLC Fundamentals, HPLC Operation and Troubleshooting

Materials and Process Engineer - Paragon Space Development Corp - Tucson, AZ Feb 2005 to Oct 2011

Specialized in materials chemistry and solid-state welding techniques for stainless steel, aluminum and titanium for the NASA/Lockheed Orion program and corporate R&D efforts.

Designed and operated component test rigs for polymer chemical resistance and permeability by gas chromatography (GC) for Paragon Hazardous Environment Diving System

Saved a prospective client over $1M by suggesting a vacuum valve system redesign, winning a $125k contract.

Awarded US Patent 9091489 - Developed an extruded thin-panel friction-stir welded space-based radiator

Saved the company approximately $175k over three years by designing and procuring an ISO Class 5 cleanroom facility, developed all training, maintenance and operational documentation and trained technicians.

Awarded US Patent 9395123 - Developed phase-change cooling for astronaut EVA and sample canister for return from orbit

Thomas Morin – Analytical and Materials Chemist *******@*****.***

Senior Chemist, Janzen Wahl Group - Tucson, AZ July 2003 to Feb 2005

Physical inspection/precision cleaning of flight hardware in ISO Class 4 to 8 cleanrooms.

Inspected, precision-cleaned and verified cleanliness (nonvolatile residue (NVR) and particle counts) of flight hardware in ISO Class 5/6 cleanroom

Designed and fabricated five high-purity solvent stills, eliminating hazardous waste disposal and saving approximately $35k/yr for virgin solvent

Streamlined cleaning processes for cryostats, reducing cycle time by 40% while maintaining quality

ChemInformatics Manager, Discovery Partners, Inc. - Tucson, AZ June 2000 to July 2003

Trained employees in the 3-person ChemInformatics group and others in molecular drug discovery database operations, and scheduled team workflow.

Constructed and maintained facility compound inventory using MS Excel (700k+ compounds)

Constructed and maintained molecular libraries for drug discovery using MDL ISIS, up to 140k compounds each

Slashed library enumeration times from 12 weeks to 3 hours with accuracy approaching 100%, by initiating enumeration procedural changes and creating a Library Analysis tool in Excel VBA

Radio Telescope Operator - National Radio Astronomy Observatory - Kitt Peak, AZ Dec 1998 to June 2000

Operated 12-meter radio telescope (millimeter-wavelength spectrometer). Tuned GHz receivers and repaired cryocompressors.

Scientific Computing Manager, Senior Programmer/Analyst, Western Processing Facility

Chemical Waste Management (IT Corp) – Kent, WA Mar 1990 to Oct 1997

Validated data and scheduled team workflow for 7-person data group, responsible for collection, storage, reporting and analysis of up to 1000 samples/week, 190 parameters per sample

Received 1995 CWM Presidents Award for creating an Executive Information System for site data presentation

Received 1990 CWM Presidents Award - Corporate QC reporting programs for high-volume reporting, reducing prep time from 120 to 4 man-hours/month for ~90 QA parameters, including GC/MS

Saved the company $30k by creating a laboratory information management system (LIMS) from off-the-shelf spreadsheet and database programs

Slashed tape duplication and archival costs by an estimated $1MM over 10 years, by successfully lobbying US EPA for approval to use optical storage for 30yr data archival

Inorganics (Metals and Wet Chemistry) Group Leader, Senior Chemist, Western Processing Facility

Chemical Waste Management (RUST Remedial Services / OHM Corp.) – Kent, WA Oct 1987 to Oct 1997

Scored the highest QA compliance in the corporate lab system (36 labs) in Metals and Wet Chemistry (5 chemists and technicians)

Analyzed trace metals (sub-ppb) in water and sediments; wrote procedural SOP’s and trained technicians and chemists in US EPA, CWM corporate and trace metals analytical techniques

Installed and maintained metals and wet chemistry instrumentation, including Ion Chromatograph (IC) and Inductively-Coupled Plasma / Mass Spectrometer (ICP/MS), ICP, graphite furnace (GFAA and Zeeman GFAA) and cold vapor atomic absorption (CVAA)

Dramtically reduced GFAA tube expenditures by 70% (~$15k/yr), by formulating a custom purge gas mixture for in situ tube resurfacing and conditioning

EDUCATION

B.Sc. Analytical Chemistry (ACS Certified) – University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, IL

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