Employee Spotlight: Justin Nix

Chemical engineering technician supports field operations with analytical expertise

Q. What is your current job at CBARR?
A. I’m a chemical engineering technician. I work in the lab running gas chromatography mass spectrometry (GC-MS) equipment. I first started working at ECBC in 2009 and am primarily located at Pine Bluff Arsenal (PBA), Arkansas.

Q. What is your background? How have these experiences shaped your perspective on the work you do?
A. I’ve almost always worked in a lab. My previous jobs included running GC-MS for hazardous waste material and I was an environmental protection specialist at PBA for a few years before CBARR. I’ve also had a few jobs as a chemist working for companies in the private industry.

Q. What has your experience been like at CBARR? How would you describe the culture?
A. I’ve never worked any place like this in my life. It’s a great thing. It’s the most unique job I’ve ever had because you can travel to different places. I’ve been to Australia, Oregon, Arizona, Baltimore and Spring Valley in Washington, D.C.

Q. How would you describe the culture?
A. It’s dynamic. There’s always something new going on, new work on the horizon, and something is always changing. It’s pretty cool, I like that. It’s enjoyable to work on a variety of different project.

Q. How would you describe a typical field operation? What is your role?
A. It’s a team effort and everybody has a part to play. CBARR’s role is part of a bigger remediation picture and I’m the mobile laboratory point of contact for operators and other site managers out in the field. We take a strong stance on safety and are the first line of defense for technicians running the MINICAMS and DAAMS equipment onsite. If they get three consecutive alarms, they bring me samples from the field and we do a confirmation analysis for identification and verification. And that’s important. We do a lot of training ahead of time to prepare us.

Q. How does it feel to be working toward a world free of WMD?
A. I know the work that we do is important, but my job is looking for something I hope I never find: chemical agent. Instead, I’ve always thought of our mission as being goal-oriented. We have somewhere we’re trying to go and we know the way to accomplish it. That’s the mindset I’ve always had.

Q. What’s your favorite part about working at ECBC?
A. I like to meet new people and we get to do a lot of that when we travel. I’ve met some really great people all over the place and it’s neat to see how they do things, as well as talk to them about their hobbies. That’s a big deal to me and I like that. I also love to learn about the history of different Army installations to see where we came from.

Q. What are your hobbies outside of work?
A. I’ve been a runner for 27 years or so, and I’ve always hunted deer and love to fish. I like being outside. It’s a favorite pastime for me and my kids.