After completing a science degree, Janet DeBoos studied ceramics at East Sydney (National Art School) in 1970/71. She has taught at and been in charge of ceramics at various colleges in Sydney (St George and Randwick TAFEs) and was Head Teacher at East Sydney when she retired from fulltime teaching in 1980 to run a production pottery for almost 20 years.

She has written (or co-authored) three books on glazes (Glazes for Australian Potters, More Glazes for Australian Potters and Handbook for Australian Potters), been invited speaker at national and international conferences, and conducted workshops or demonstrations in most states of Australia, the USA and China.

She is an editorial consultant on Ceramics Technical and Ceramics-Art & Perception, and a regular contributor to these and other journals. She received Australian Research Council Grants for 1996, 1997 and 1998 to examine the stability of barium glazes.