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Hiring new graduates has acquired new focus for Diagnostic Products Corp (DPC). DPC is a Siemens company that is a worldwide provider of immunodiagnostic systems and in vitro diagnostics. DPC, which was acquired by Siemens in July 2006, sells its products to hospitals, clinics and laboratories in more than 100 countries.
Director of human resources Carroll Scribner notes that the company has grown and is now able to bring college graduates on board and give them mentoring and hands-on work experience.
"Seven or eight years ago when I first joined the company, we were really very small, less than 200 people," Scribner recalls. Today, she says, there are 2,500 DPC employees worldwide, 600 of whom work in the U.S. at the corporation's instrument systems division (ISD) in Flanders, NJ. "It was very difficult to hire grads at first, because we didn't have anybody to train them. Now we're much more organized in terms of our hiring structure.
"We have the advantages of a very large company, but the spirit of a very small company. Ours is a very warm, high-energy culture." DPC, she says, sends employees a small gift to welcome them when they first accept a job.
"Folks here are really interested in results, so performance standards are very high," Scribner adds. "But even in exit interviews, people say this is the best company they've ever worked for."
Scribner hopes women and ethnically diverse people will give DPC serious consideration during their job hunts. "The corporation is looking for electrical and mechanical engineering grads for research and development, and needs IT grads for internal IT systems and medical technology grads for its service department," she says. It also needs people with science backgrounds in chemistry, biology, physics and life sciences.
Recently filled jobs include systems engineering technician, associate scientist, electromechanical technician in the manufacturing area and technical service specialists. New grads learn the company's system and then may move into development.
DPC is very interested in people with masters and PhDs too. "We want to get folks with higher-level degrees in engineering or technology into our R&D group," Scribner says.
People who want to sample life at DPC before interviewing for a job may want to consider an internship. This past summer the company sponsored eight interns in different areas, including systems development, manufacturing and engineering. Of the eight, one was a graduating Hispanic senior who was offered a job. Three other interns in the group were women.
Scribner says interns were amazed at the responsibilities they were given early on. "They were given real work on key projects. I think their experiences were much more intense than they anticipated."
DPC recruits at schools like Stevens, Rutgers, NJIT, Lehigh, Lafayette, MIT and RIT, and is reaching out to groups like the National Black Association of Chemists and Chemical Engineers. It also sponsors people who have just exited the military, and has a strong connection to a local high school's FIRST robotics team. DPC provides both expertise and financial support to the students on the team, two of whom became DPC interns.
DPC has committed time and resources to compliance training and to making sure that all of its employees have everything they need to do their jobs to the fullest, Scribner reports. The corporation has been working hard to hire a well-balanced group of people. "I think we hire wonderful people, and they come in all shapes and sizes and colors. They're competent, good folks, and this is a great place to build a career," she says.
D/C
DPC, a Siemens Company
www.dpcweb.com
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Headquarters: |
Los Angeles, CA |
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Employees: |
2,500 worldwide |
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Business: |
Worldwide provider of immunodiagnostic systems and a leader in the global in vitro diagnostics market. Sells its products to hospitals, clinics and laboratories in more than 100 countries |
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