Career Path of an Analyst at Hawkwood Biotech Partners
Logan's career path reflects a journey of exploration within the life sciences, starting with research lab work at UCSB and then a research associate position at Aptitude Medical Systems where they "helped develop...clinical diagnostic covid tests". Following this, a master's in chemical engineering data science at UDub and an internship at Impossible Foods solidified their interest in industrial biotechnology, leading to their current role at Hawkwood Biotech Partners, LLC, a consulting practice in this field.
Career Exploration, Industrial Biotechnology, Project Management, Data Analysis, Networking
Advizer Information
Name
Job Title
Company
Undergrad
Grad Programs
Majors
Industries
Job Functions
Traits
Logan Roberts
Analyst
Hawkwood Biotech Partners, LLC
UC Santa Barbara
University of Washington MS ChemE and Data Science
Biology & Related Sciences
Biotechnology & Pharmaceutical
Data and Analytics
Honors Student, Greek Life Member
Video Highlights
1. During his time at UCSB, Logan worked in research labs, gaining experience in routine lab preparations and research techniques. This early exposure to a lab setting helped him solidify his interest in life sciences and biotech.
2. His role at Aptitude Medical Systems provided valuable experience in developing COVID-19 tests and managing projects. This experience showed him that he enjoyed working with people and project management aspects of the job, leading him to explore other career paths.
3. Logan's internship at Impossible Foods and subsequent master's degree in chemical engineering data science from UDub solidified his interest in industrial biotechnology, focusing on areas outside of pharmaceuticals, such as food science and alternative fuels. This highlights the importance of internships and further education in defining career goals.
Transcript
Could you walk me through your career path, starting with your experiences in college? Please include any internships or jobs you had before your current role.
I came into UCSB in 2016 as a pre-biology major, always pretty sure I wanted to be in life science or biotech. Everyone starting in pre-bio is generally thinking about healthcare and medical school.
I considered medical school for a bit, but decided fairly early on that it wasn't for me. I worked in a couple of research labs at UCSB, one in bioengineering and another in material science. My work involved basic lab prep, like imaging zebrafish embryos.
After graduating in 2020, I got a job as a research associate at Aptitude Medical Systems, a local Santa Barbara company. They were founded to create therapeutics using abers, which are single-stranded DNA pieces that bind to proteins or nucleic acids, functioning similarly to protein therapeutics.
My graduation year was a strange time, and the company pivoted to developing COVID tests while I was there. I helped develop clinical diagnostic COVID tests that provided results within 30-40 minutes. I also helped establish a program for testing public schools in the area, setting up testing sites, and working on SOPs to ensure cleanliness and collaborating with school administrators. This gave me a taste of project management.
I'm sharing this detail because, while I started in a bench science role and enjoyed it, I realized it wasn't entirely for me. Many biology or general science majors experience this when they work in research right after school and aren't sure if it's the right path. I particularly enjoyed working with people, which was the favorite part of my job.
I decided to leave Aptitude without a clear plan, but I found the device engineering and project management aspects of the company interesting. This led me to pursue a master's degree in engineering. In 2022, I began my master's in chemical engineering with a focus on data science at UDub.
The summer before grad school, I interned at Impossible Foods. This internship was another turning point where I discovered my interest in food science and larger industrial biotechnology. I loved my time there, and my graduate studies in chemical engineering proved highly applicable.
Industrial biotechnology involves work outside of pharmaceuticals. While many associate biotech with pharma, this field includes food products, cosmetics, shampoos, and alternative green fuels. Most of these are produced through fermentation of bacteria or yeast. For example, yeast can ferment ethanol, and various other compounds, including the protein in the Impossible Burger, can be produced.
After graduate school, I joined Hawk Wood, a consulting practice in industrial biotech.