Case studies : Laboratory instruments and services (LIS) engineer: Ben

Ben graduated with a degree in systems engineering from Loughborough University in 2006. As a laboratory instruments engineer, he has to provide quick response services for a wide range of laboratory instruments and equipment.

'My job as an LIS engineer is to provide primary contact for first line response services to a wide range of laboratory instruments and equipment. I’m responsible for the diagnosis and rapid repairs of this equipment, allowing for maximum productive use and minimum downtime.

By personal effort, and liaison within the team, I ensure that equipment is in good working order and operates within expected specifications. I troubleshoot problems relating to hardware and software, and ensure a rapid resolution of these by hands-on repair and, when necessary, by liaison with our research informatics department and/or external service providers. It’s essential that I build good working relationships with a variety of key users and act as a focal point for contact to those users for a defined area of the site.

Either through self-diagnosis or as directed by my manager, I need to proficiently effect repairs and troubleshooting for equipment over a range of laboratory equipment such as gas chromatography, GCMS, LCMS, UV/VIS spectrometers, DNA/Protein sequencers, centrifuges, incubators, dissolution equipment, auto samplers, anaesthetic rigs and specialist HPLC equipment. Where necessary, I provide accurate problem descriptions and diagnoses to external support engineers and coordinate and expedite second tier response repairs by these external engineers.

Other aspects of my job are to carry out quality control protocols to assess efficacy of repairs and ensure correct performance is achieved, to maintain accurate records of faults and repairs and to conform to all health and safety rules and working practices.

I like the fact that, although I mostly work independently and autonomously, I’m part of a wider team. I get to interact with lots of people, including my team, my managers and client departments. A good relationship with clients is important, as I need to provide them with clear feedback on work in progress, resolution times and the cost and other implications of the work involved. I often have to prioritise ongoing and incoming work, providing feedback to clients and considering alternative options when necessary.

To be successful in this type of work, you need to be adaptable and calm under pressure, and you really need to be able to take on board others’ advice and value alternative opinions. You also need to realise that you’re working for a large organisation, and so your aim should be to minimise the impact on your internal customers’ productivity.'