Working at Astrea Bioseparations: the employees’ view

We speak to Ivanka Shopova, a Production Chemist, Joy Chiappella, a Production Team Leader and Grayse Houghton, a Production Assistant about working at Astrea Bioseparations.

Joy: ‘We manufacture products that go into the process of purification chemistry. We have five labs on site and employ around 50 workers, most of them in production.

‘I moved to the island to join my partner who had already secured a job here. I became interested in Astrea Bioseparations while I was doing my degree, I was looking for jobs in the island that would fit in with my chemistry degree and allow me to continue doing lab work, because I didn’t really want an office job. In September 2021, I applied for a job here and was accepted.’

Ivanka: ‘I found out about Astrea Bioseparations from a recruitment company, they told me about a vacancy here as a production chemist. When I came for my interview, I fell in love with the island and made the decision to relocate here.’

Grayse: ‘I found out about Astrea Bioseparations through word of mouth, I knew people who’d worked here when it was known as Prometic Bioseparations. Then just before I graduated, I looked to see if there were any openings here so I could go straight into the industry.’

Is having a science degree a prerequisite for working at Astrea Bioseparations?

Joy: ‘We’ve had plenty of people hired here who don’t have a degree. What’s most important is that you’re willing to learn, though it does depend on the role. For a production chemist’s role, a chemistry or science-related degree is preferred, whereas for a production assistant you’d be considered if you’d just left university or perhaps had previous manufacturing experience.’

Grayse: ‘I wouldn’t say you have to be super scientifically minded. We’re all from different backgrounds, from engineering and various types of manufacturing, for example. For the majority of our processes we get step-by-step instructions so you don’t necessarily have to know what’s happening reaction-wise, molecule by molecule. It’s a relatively fool-proof process, but if we have any queries there’s always someone we can go to.

A welcoming and supportive culture

Grayse: ‘We’re a good team here, with a mix of different ages and backgrounds, we all get on well together. It’s a very non-judgemental environment; if there’s something you don’t how to do, you’re never afraid to ask.’

Ivanka: ‘Everyone’s really approachable and welcoming. The relocation process was smooth and easy, Astrea Bioseparations offers a relocation allowance, which really helped me. HR were very helpful and answered all my questions.’

Quality of life

Ivanka: ‘I didn’t know the Isle of Man existed until I got a call from a recruitment company. When I came over for my interview, I had a chance to walk around Douglas and Castletown. I felt that the island was a really nice place to live; wonderful nature, beautiful beaches, great places to go hiking and it’s really safe. The people are so welcoming and friendly, which helps when you’re settling in.’

Joy: ‘I first visited the Isle of Man in 2018. I always knew the plan was to relocate here for a while as my boyfriend was taking a lot of exams. I spent a beautiful week touring the island with my boyfriend, falling in love with the Point of Ayre with its serene beach.’

Grayse: ‘The course I was looking to study was offered here so it meant I could stay at home and study without the hassle of moving off the island with all my stuff, then having to come back for things like Christmas or birthdays. I could stay put, keep the job I’d got during my A-level studies, so I could study and earn at the same time. There were only eight of us in my degree cohort, so access to tutors and lecturers was really easy, we could just drop them an email, so there was no having to fight to get to the top of the queue. All that and just a 20-minute drive from home.’

To find out more, visit www.astreabioseparations.com