Jonathan Cabrera plays an essential role in leading the Lab’s efforts to increase ergonomics safety and compliance as well as working with the Security and Emergency Service Division on traffic and pedestrian safety. Elements spoke with the occupational health and safety specialist about his career journey to Berkeley Lab and how taking chances, learning new things, and prioritizing work-life balance has yielded much for him over the years.
“It’s good to put yourself out there. If you have an idea, just contribute in any way you can. You never know where it can lead.”
– Jonathan Cabrera
Q: Tell us about the different jobs you’ve had on your career journey, and what brought you to Berkeley Lab?
A: I’ve been working since I was 17 and went to San Francisco State University, where I majored in kinesiology. I’ve always been passionate about health and helping people, so after college, my first job was at a physical therapy clinic. I managed the exercise program there for several years, and I was amazed to see that many of our patients were dealing with work-related injuries. It was incredibly rewarding to be part of their recovery journey. From there, I worked as an ergonomics specialist at Chevron, helping hundreds of employees before eventually joining the Lab.
Joining the lab was one of those moments in life that it felt like the right thing at the right time. I wasn’t really looking for a new job; it just kind of organically happened. But one of my coworkers at the time used to talk about working in the ergonomics program at Berkeley Lab, so when a position opened up, I was encouraged to apply, and I ended up getting the job.
Q: If you’ve had mentors during your career, either formal or informal, how have they shaped your career path?
A: I’ve been very fortunate to have a few mentors over the years who have guided and inspired me. At the private physical therapy clinic I worked at in Emeryville, the owner, Bob Baker, and I developed a really close relationship. He taught me the importance of hard work, dedication and always being willing to learn. Here at Berkeley Lab, there are several different people, but one name that stands out for me is Melanie Alexandre, who brought me on and with whom I’ve worked closely and learned a great deal.
I’ve always been someone that’s been risk-averse. One piece of advice she gave me that stands out is not to be afraid of taking chances and risks. It’s good to put yourself out there. If you have an idea, just contribute in any way you can. You never know where it can lead.
Lasty, just to have a work-life balance that lets you prioritize family along with work.
Q: What career challenges have you experienced that you learned from or that helped your future success?
A: One of the things was making the decision to pivot career paths and go into what I really wanted to do, which was ergonomics. I took the risk to learn something new, and I was open-minded about getting a fresh start. Doing that taught me that everyone has a different perspective and a different teaching method.
Q: What’s the most important piece of career advice that you could relay to someone who is considering working at the Lab or perhaps is starting their career?
A: The most important advice I can give is to stay adaptable and keep an open mind to different opportunities. I have been really fortunate to have interacted with so many different individuals lab wide, and the people here are incredibly diverse, so I’d advise to make as many connections as you can. There are so many different personalities and skill sets to learn from.
Q: What do you like to do in your spare time when you’re not working?
A: Anyone who knows me knows I’m a die-hard Golden State Warriors fan. During the season, my time is spent watching the games with my oldest son, Tyler (4), and soon I’ll be doing the same with my 4-month-old son, Nico, who’s more into drooling on the remote than the game. Outside of that, my free time is spent with my family, mostly trying to keep up with the chaos created by our two little ones.
