John Bear

Experience

• 

  Foster Wheeler

  Jan 1991 - Jan 1999

  • Senior Process Engineer

    Jan 1994 - Jan 1999

  • Process Engineer

    Jan 1991 - Jan 1994
• 

  Merck

  Jan 2001 - Nov 2013

  PlatformBusiness critical Chromatography application (Empower) used by over 800 scientists at 12 sites; 5 countries; 7 business areas; and 3 divisions. Client-server architecture requiring integration between client computers, laboratory instruments, Windows file servers, Oracle database and Citrix interface.Roles• Conducted release management following SDLC and GxP standards. • Provided service management as operations team leader.• Conducted business analyst processes and methods to address project needs.• Technical lead ensuring reliable operation through process improvement, root cause analysis and main point of contact for support and business users.Results• Managed global release of major and minor application updates through collaboration with multiple infrastructure groups: Windows File Server, Citrix, Oracle, Software Packaging and SCCM Deployment.• Created uniform global platform support model replacing previous heterogeneous localized versions.• Established close partnership with Application Management Services (AMS) for service operation phase activities of service requests, incident and change management.• Led weekly meeting with operation team and AMS to review technical issues and progress of project initiatives.• Elicited requirements from stakeholders to develop business continuity plan.• Authored user and IT test scripts used to verify application releases.• Conducted cause-and-effect analysis to identify and correct critical software defect in vendor application.• Eliminated previous 3 month process for applying security patching through automation and coordination with business maintaining minimal user interruption.• Identified gaps with legacy monitoring plan and corrected deficiencies to align with application SOP. Show less Selected by IT director to assist on two key deliverables based on proven track record of identifying and solving process flow issues.Roles • Developed overall application design to integrate with existing clinical trial applications.• Directed application developers and infrastructure groups in design, testing and production deployment.• Interviewed business Subject Matter Experts (SME) to obtain requirements and create process flow maps.• Reviewed and approved all technical SDLC related documentation including test scripts and design specifications.• Conducted Failure Mode and Evaluation Analysis (FMEA) to ensure product reliability and project success.• Presented project progress and results to business sponsors and director-level management. Show less Valued member of high performing Lab Computing team providing support for 15,000+ users and 5,000+ instruments globally across 10 different sites located in 8 countries.Roles• Subject matter expert for all Lab Computing global infrastructure products.• Simultaneously administered and maintained three critical platforms: Inventory Management System (Eracent), Security Patching (Patchlink), Disaster Recovery/Business Continuity (Symantec BESR).• Conducted all upgrades, patches and backups and coordinated changes with business users to minimize work interruption. Trained field support and responsible business personnel on each product.• Primary point-of-contact between team, business users and infrastructure groups.• Provided additional support of laboratory computers through application scripting and conducting incident and problem management.Results• Created reliable global inventory of over 90% of all instruments and computers in laboratory area using Eracent.• Ensured security of critical laboratory systems with Patchlink.• Executed root cause analysis to investigate errors with Merck infrastructure security patching on laboratory systems. Provided multiple solutions to correct errors and improve future operations.• Developed and implemented validated Business Continuity solution using Symantec BESR. Reduced time to recover systems from up to 4 months to a maximum of 2 days.• Designed and scripted Excel VBA application to extract laboratory instrument data and present into desired format for further analysis. Application reduced work effort of scientists from 1 day each week to 2 minutes each week.• Created VB application for Lab Computing field support to streamline and minimize errors installing applications on non-company standard PCs. Application was used by other divisions for similar projects.• Reduced by 95% field support effort for anti-virus application replacement project by designing and scripting VB application. Show less

  • Platform Technical Lead

    Aug 2011 - Nov 2013

  • Solution Architect

    Jan 2011 - May 2012

  • Lab Computing Lead Engineer

    Jan 2005 - Jan 2011

  • Business Unit Support Associate

    Jan 2001 - Jan 2005

  • Help Desk Phone System Administrator

    Jan 2001 - Jan 2002
• 

  Bristol-Myers Squibb (via Townsend & Associates)

  May 2014 - Jul 2015

  Project Manager/Sr. Business Analyst

  Providing project management and business analysis on multiple high-profile projects to improve budgeting and forecast for global research and development portfolio.