Our Manufacturing Operations team works to develop and deliver products that help protect against public health threats. Working across the United States, and around the world, every member of this team brings a unique skillset and perspective that helps us achieve our mission to protect and enhance life.
We caught up with Steve Reyes, a Manufacturing Associate on the Manufacturing Operations team, to learn about his role at Emergent, and what he finds most rewarding about the work that he does.
Name: Steve Reyes
Role: Manufacturing Associate
Location: Lansing, Michigan
Years at Emergent: 1 year
Hometown: DeWitt, MI and Canton, MI
What exactly does your role entail?
I am involved with the manufacturing process for Emergent’s anthrax vaccines. My team does everything from measuring and mixing raw chemicals, to testing and maintaining our products and equipment throughout the manufacturing process. This eventually leads to inspecting, labeling, and packaging of products.
What brought to Emergent?
I knew a few employees at Emergent who spoke very highly of the company and its culture. I then investigated the company priorities, their outreach into the community and the company benefits and decided that it would be a good fit for me. After working here, I know that I made the right choice!
Tell us about a project you’re proud to be a part of or to have led?
I’m pretty darn proud of being able to work on our anthrax vaccines. We provide an important option for protection against this deadly spore. I have also been involved in developing spreadsheets to help streamline some of our activities and ultimately make our processes more efficient.
What’s it like working at our Lansing site? What do you find most rewarding?
We are located at the convergence of a large farming community and the hustle and bustle of being down the street from an international airport, and in Michigan’s state capital. We have access to great culture, food, entertainment, and shopping. Our campus is beautiful, and our work environment is very supportive of one other; we are very focused on being the best we can be.
How would you describe the culture at the site and the impact to your work experience?
The culture is one that promotes constant improvement, both in the product and the people. For example, our teams meet twice a day to discuss how things went from safety, quality, to delivery, and everything in between. We also take part in LinkedIn and peer-to-peer trainings, and bring in experts to discuss new initiatives and processes that help make us more efficient as a team.
There is also a lot of effort and encouragement from leadership to participate in activities that enhance the lives of those around us. Some favorites are volunteering with the Impression 5 Science Center for Children, The Humane Society, and Potter Park Zoo.
Which Emergent core value do you most embody and why – Lead with integrity, Stand shoulder to shoulder, Own it always, Breakthrough thinking, Compete where it counts?
All of Emergent’s core values resonate with me but if I have to choose, it would be Lead with Integrity and Stand shoulder to shoulder. I know these are two values, but they are very intertwined in that standing shoulder-to-should requires honesty and integrity.