Selection criteria for laboratory robotic application personnel

Norwich Eaton Pharmaceutical recognized the benefits of using automation systems in the laboratory over seven years ago and created a robotic development area within the analytical method development group. They now have eight complete robotic systems and a large number of semi-automated systems in routine operation. This level of activity has provided many challenges for the automation group. The success of this group has been very dependent on the talents of people working these assignments. You can have the best equipment and the vendor's promises of success, but it is the people who understand the products and the requirements that get systems on line. Assembling an effective robotics organization requires prework on the part of management. There must be a clear vision of the specific types of activities the group will perform. This vision can be used to establish a skills profile for the members of the team. It appears that at least four people are required to provide the variety of skills and keep the group going. Each member's personality is an important component of establishing a new team. In robotics, one of the most critical talents is the ability to work on long term projects that constantly present new challenges. The group members need to balance consistency of purpose with the ability to creatively solve a variety of problems. The group will not be effective in delivering new technologies unless they have the talent to train the novice in a highly technical environment. People who are successful in automation development are unique. They should have the ability to work comfortably in a logic-based environment, to become very creative on demand, and to communicate highly technical information effectively. People do not usually possess all these skills, providing their manager with challenging coaching opportunities.