We are EMBL: Zoe Robinson

Zoe Robinson is a local to the Wellcome Genome Campus, and she has seen it grow and change over the years. Born and raised in Essex, UK, Zoe has a background in facilities management. Crucially, she has a knack for understanding the office needs of her colleagues, often before they do. 

We caught up with Zoe to find out more about herself and how her team is enabling the smooth running of the institute. 

Tell me a bit about yourself and your background.

I’m originally from Saffron Walden, and over the years I’ve lived in Cambridge and London, before returning to my hometown to start a family. Before joining EMBL-EBI, I worked for a company that provided office solutions to a range of clients, including the Wellcome Genome Campus, where EMBL-EBI is based. 

The way I used to describe it was “if you tip the building upside down, anything that falls out, we can help with” – so this covered anything from furniture, stationery, cleaning and catering supplies. 

What does the Facilities team at EMBL-EBI do?

We ensure our buildings are in running order, and if there are any issues, we aim to resolve them as soon as possible. We’re here so that colleagues don’t have to spend time worrying or fixing things themselves. For any issues, from heating, to furniture, things being broken in the building etc, they can raise a request with our team, and we will deal with it as soon as possible. 

We work closely with our Health and Safety colleagues, to ensure the workplace is safe, comfortable and accessible to all. Although the Facilities and Health & Safety teams are very small (there are only six of us in total!) we have complementary skills and work really well together.  

What are some of the big projects you’ve been working on recently?

The last few months have been all about the new Thornton Building. Together with our IT colleagues, we managed to get the building ready for occupation in record time. Normally, it takes about 4 months from the building hand-over to people moving in, but we managed it in about 4-5 weeks, so it was quite an achievement! There will always be some snags with a new building, but overall, the feedback has been positive so far.

The Thornton Building opening was also an opportunity to rebalance our office spaces as part of a larger office move, which included over 400 colleagues. The aim was to ensure all our teams have the space they need, and to improve the working conditions across our buildings. The project also included the introduction of sit-stand desks and a refresh of spaces in other buildings.

None of this would have been possible without the patience and support of colleagues across all the teams affected, so I want to say a big thank you to everyone! The work continues for us, as we make sure that everyone is comfortable and happy in their space.

What do you enjoy most about working at EMBL-EBI?

I think it has to be the variety – no two days are alike. From fixing things, to heating and ventilation, lighting, signage, furniture, to sometimes providing emotional support for colleagues, we see it all. 

One thing that is challenging but also rewarding and necessary is the constant change. The only constant, for me at least, since I started working at EMBL-EBI is that I almost always average 10,000 steps a day.

Do you have any unusual hobbies or interests?

I’ll be doing three charity walks this year (two of them half-marathons), which I’m really looking forward to. This year is also about exploring university options with my daughter. I’m hoping that once that is done I can take up some more unusual hobbies and interests!

Read more about EMBL-EBI staff, fellows and achievements in the 2024 EMBL-EBI Highlights report.