News 13 November 2024

Meet our people: Maria’s a high-flyer below ground

A laboratory for cutting-edge experiments located 1.1kilometres below ground sounds like something out of a James Bond movie. In fact, the Boulby Underground Laboratory in Yorkshire is where Mitie colleague, Maria Wood, works as a soft services manager. It’s an important job – Maria makes sure the facility is well-managed and remains spotless for all users. This includes the many scientists who travel from around the world to work in its unique environment. On a Teams call from beneath the Earth’s surface, Maria shared her experiences working for the UK’s leading facilities management company.

A Mitie colleague working on a laptop in a laboratory setting
Maria Wood works as a soft services manager at the Boulby Underground Laboratory in Yorkshire, 1.1km below ground

Hi Maria – can you tell us about your role?

I’ve been with Mitie for four years and I work in a specialist underground laboratory. We’re located within the UK’s only polyhalite mine on the border of North Yorkshire and Cleveland. And in case you’re wondering, polyhalite is a type of mineral that contains potassium, magnesium, calcium and sulphur. There are regular miners who work outside the lab, but I only deal with the scientists using our facility for their experiments. They come here for deep underground science projects because the environment has a million times less background radiation than a regular environment above ground. They’re researching everything from dark matter to Mars in a special area called the Mars Yard, which is dedicated to mimicking conditions on the planet.

I’m responsible for making sure the lab is spotless and ready for experiments. The highest level of cleanliness is in what we call ‘BUGS’ – a class 1,000 (ISO 6) cleanroom. We have to wear double PPE to go in there, and there are no materials that shed particles, such as cardboard. Where I’m standing now is known as the ‘dirty’ side of the lab – but it’s kept far cleaner than a standard office. We have all mod cons – two toilets, water coolers, microwaves and kettles. We’re just 1.1kilometres underground.

You must have a unique commute to the laboratory?

It takes about eight minutes to make the descent inside a steel carriage, which looks a bit like a shipping container. It’s really slow at the start, then it gets faster, and then slows down again. We have to wear helmets and there are head torches because it’s so dark. It was quite surreal the first time, but now I find going into the mine therapeutic. It’s so still and quiet.

And do you get to work with interesting people?

There are three of us on the Mitie team. Becca is the general lab cleaner, while Chloe works on the surface. Then there are local lab scientists, plus visiting scientists, who could be flying in from anywhere in the world. They have PhDs and other qualifications, and while I don’t count myself as very good at science, I’m never treated any differently. Of course they demand the highest standards, but that’s all part of the job. Cleanliness is essential for the experiments to work without contamination, so I know I’m as much of the process as they are. I’m just a regular person, but thanks to Mitie I’ve been given this amazing opportunity. Some of the scientists who’ve used the lab include Japanese Nobel Prize winner, Takaaki Kajita, the German astronaut Matthias Maurer, and the NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory scientist, Scott Perl.

What’s the best thing about your job?

Telling people about it. They think I’m having them on, and then realise I’m telling the truth. Previously I worked in horse racing, so I was used to getting my hands dirty. Now I’ve swapped the days of horse poo for this pristine laboratory and it’s mind-blowing. I was hooked from the day I first came for a visit. Unsurprisingly there’s quite a lot of interest from the media, so besides the scientists we also have the odd celebrity. Visitors have included the comedian, Rhod Gilbert, BBC radio presenter, Ali Brownlee, and Michael Palin, who came for the Great British Railway Journeys show.

What advice would you give to others who want to develop their career at Mitie?

The opportunities are there for the taking. I’ve been here four years and have been promoted twice. I’ve seen how Mitie recognises and rewards hard work, so my advice is to always give your best, no matter what role you’re in. If you show you can handle additional responsibilities, you may well move up the ladder to a more senior role.

At a glance

  • Name: Maria Wood
  • Age: 30
  • Role: Soft services manager, Boulby Underground Laboratory contract

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