Melissa Carmine-Zajac is the Director of Laboratory Services for Doble Engineering Company and is based at the corporate headquarters in Marlborough, Massachusetts. A self-proclaimed “super nerd”, Melissa is passionate about all things science and knew from a young age that she wanted to be a scientist someday.
Originally studying pharmaceutical chemistry, Melissa realized the best way to figure out what she wanted to do when she “grew up” was to get into a lab immediately and learn from experience.
Melissa started her career in environmental science and hazardous materials, working both in the lab and in the field. Within the first year of her career, she was promoted to a supervisory role which would introduce her to her next career goal – leadership.
She eventually moved into an analytical chemist role, but quickly began to miss the excitement of fieldwork and was inspired to take on a very challenging consulting role. She was hired to revamp a floundering laboratory, which proved quite a challenge. Instead of backing down, Melissa dove head-first into the work, successfully completing the lab rebuild project within weeks. Unfortunately, the rebuilt lab was destroyed in a flood and Melissa believed her career to be both literally and figurately under water. She was then offered a different role within the same organization at a chemical plant in New Jersey. For the next few years she managed the plant lab, becoming increasingly involved in process engineering and plant operations.
In 2015 this journey led Melissa to Doble Engineering Company where she started as a Laboratory Manager. After proving a strong work ethic, technical aptitude, and an extraordinary ability to handle complex managerial issues, she made the transition to Laboratory Director in 2019. In her current role, she is responsible for the operations of four US laboratories that perform critical lab testing and advanced diagnostic services for the power industry. She works directly with electric utility clients around the world, ensuring that all people have reliable energy.
Melissa understands the impact of a good mentor and the importance of developing young talent. She often works directly with her lab team to encourage learning and career growth. Leading by example, promoting career transparency, and supporting women in STEM are a few of her current passions.
When Melissa is not in the lab, you can find her partaking in hobbies like endurance sports, traveling, and making deserts. In addition to her work at Doble, Melissa is also a publicly elected official in her home town and an advocate for mental health awareness.
Source: Melissa Carmine-Zajac
Image credit: Melissa Carmine-Zajac
Find Melissa’s profile in the November 2021 issue of the WPS magazine.
