We caught up with Murphy Ireland Laboratory Technician and Athlete Sophie Becker to learn more about her role and Olympic hopes. Sophie has worked at Murphy for two years and is based at City West. 

​​​​​​​What do you do at Murphy? 

I am a laboratory technician in Citywest. My role involves travelling out on site to collect samples and data, performing analyses on the samples from site and analysing the results.

What do you like most about your role?

I really enjoy how each day changes for me, some days I am in the lab all day other days I am out on-site collecting samples and data. I get a great insight into how each department is involved in the development of a water treatment plant and get to meet people involved in various aspects of water treatment. 

What has been your biggest challenge at Murphy?

My degree is Genetics & Cell Biology so learning about water treatment and infrastructure was a whole new world to me and it took me some time to understand the processes involved in water treatment.

What attracted you to the construction industry? 

I originally came to Murphy’s as a lab technician and gradually began travelling to various water treatment plants to take samples and I had the opportunity to experience the operation aspects that the laboratory department is involved with.

What is the most rewarding part of your job? 

I like that analyses that we carry out in the lab can help solve an issue out on site. It is really rewarding to receive a sample in the lab and to perform various analysis on to determine the fault.

What is your proudest achievement? 

I began my journey at Murphy’s as an intern for my college placement. I am proud to still be working here two years later and to have broadened my experience outside the lab.

What are your career aspirations?

I hope to get the opportunity to work in different labs across the country and play a role in big projects from start to finish.

On a typical weekend, what can we expect you to be doing?

On Saturdays you will usually find me at the track doing my final running session of the week. Sundays I usually spend drinking coffee with my friends and family or at the beach attempting to surf.

Tell us a funny/interesting fact about yourself...

My parents used to farm ostriches on our farm when I was younger. They turned out to be not very popular, so they gave them to Dublin Zoo. The ostriches in the zoo currently are the offspring of our ostriches!

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