Take Ten with Team HPNE: Meet Maisam Dadgar
This month we learned more about our engineering department by talking to Maisam Dadgar, our director of engineering about the industry, leadership, and his career experience.
With years of previous experience in the biotech industry, could you tell us a little bit about your career so far?
My career has been all over the place. From medical devices, to silicon diagnostics, to cell and gene therapy, and now to HPNE. I’ve had the good fortune of being in the position to learn a bunch of different things from some truly incredible people.
Could you tell us what a typical day as Director of Engineering at High Purity New England looks like?
I mainly ensure that the stuff we say will get done, is actually getting done. I meet with the team to gauge progress and answer technical questions. A lot of the time, people just need to be pointed in the right direction or be shown an option they never knew existed. I basically do that all day for the members of my team.
You have extensive experience in the biotech industry. What would you say makes HPNE products stand out from the rest?
When I was a customer of HPNE, what sold me was Mark’s energy and willingness to help customers. You can’t fake that.
Since starting at HPNE, what has been the project you have worked on that you found the most interesting?
The most interesting thing to me is always the people. I have a vision for how engineering should be done and the skillsets the engineers need in order to be successful in their field. The interesting and fun part for me is setting up systems and practices so my team can be successful here and wherever they go in the future.
You lead our engineers on #TeamHPNE. What are some of the leadership strategies you have found most useful in your role?
I’ve been to a lot of leadership and training things. I would say a lot of them weren’t helpful because the underlying assumptions are not accurate. Everybody says “treat people the way you want to be treated”. No, that’s not right. Treat people the way they want to be treated. How would you feel if you were in their shoes? Try to understand their perspective and accommodate their needs and the business as well as you can.
How do you think the biopharma industry has evolved from when you started working in it to now?
The human body is amazing. We started with mechanical means to solve medical issues. Then moved to chemistry with drugs. Now the industry is trending towards solving tons and tons of issues using human tissue. It’s truly amazing what we’re able to program the body to do. Nobody cared about RNA a decade ago but now it’s the hot item for all these new biotech start-ups. Hopefully, they’re able to follow through on what they’re pitching to patients.
What are you most proud of in your career so far?
Like I wrote earlier, I’m proud that the people who’ve worked for me in the past are having prosperous and fulfilling careers. Drugs or products can be successful or flop hard. The impact on your teammates will never change. I’m proud that everyone who’s worked for me in the past, including those I’ve fired, continue to have a good relationship with me and continue to grow into something they can be proud of.
What is one piece of advice you would give to a recent graduate who is looking to enter the field of engineering?
Never stop learning. You have to adapt as new information comes to light or new practices become standard. By constantly learning and growing, you’re ensuring that you’re never obsolete.
Who is your biggest role model, either personally or professionally?
My biggest role model is Optimus Prime, leader of the Autobots. Fighting for a future on Cybertron where all are one.
What is something you are passionate about outside of work?
Outside of work, I am passionate about health and fitness. You can make as much money in the world, be super popular, have a fulfilling career, and so on. But none of that lasts if you’re in poor health. Bodyweight fitness, competitive powerlifting, organized sports, yoga… I can never get enough. I am also very passionate about video games. I used to play Halo CE competitively through high school and college. Nowadays, I show my team who’s boss in Mario Kart during lunch. Nobody at HPNE has ever beaten me.
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About HPNE
As the industry needs grow, High Purity New England, Inc. continues to supply the biopharmaceutical industry with a range of innovative products, from drug discovery and development to fill-finish, including their flagship product, custom single-use assemblies, as well as pumps, sensors, bioreactor systems, storage and handling solutions and other single-use solutions. Along with their own manufactured products for the global market, they are also a distributor for more than 18 brands in North America.
