My name is Laura and I am a biomedical engineer in Spain. My early career path wasn’t straightforward. After completing my Bachelor’s degree in Biomedical Engineering, I faced a common challenge for job seekers in Madrid—limited industry opportunities in a market dominated by distributors rather than manufacturers. This lack of opportunities led me to pursue my Master’s degree in Ireland, with a focus on product design and biomedical engineering research and development (R&D).
Navigating change during the COVID pandemic
The COVID-19 pandemic threw my carefully laid plans into disarray. When everything started shutting down, I decided to return to Spain due to concerns about family members with delicate health conditions and travel restrictions. This unexpected move forced me to completely reimagine my career path.
Finding my place at Radiometer
I decided to pursue a career as a Field Service Engineer (FSE) to help customers fix issues with their medical instruments. I initially applied for a role with Danaher at a different Operating Company, but that didn’t work out. However, the recruiter recommended that I apply for an FSE position with Radiometer. During the interview with my future manager, we instantly connected on our vision and approach—a connection that would prove invaluable as I started my job at Radiometer.
Breaking ground as an early professional Field Service Engineer
Being the only female FSE in Spain and Portugal came with a unique set of challenges. Starting this role at a much younger age than the other FSEs, I often faced skepticism due to my lack of experience. Customers would watch me work and sometimes ask, “Are you sure you can put this back together?” These moments taught me to handle doubt with confidence and professionalism.
Growing into leadership
Four years later, I have progressed in my career from FSE to Area Manager, overseeing central and northern Spain, as well as the Catalonia region, while also leading a new call center project. What drives me? Two things: the satisfaction of fixing broken equipment and knowing that my work impacts patient care through medical diagnostics.
Working at Radiometer
What sets Radiometer apart is its culture. Seeing colleagues stay here for 30-40 years speaks volumes about the company. Our Spanish team operates like a family, making even the toughest days manageable. When you work with people you genuinely care about, it transforms the entire experience.
Advice for future FSEs
The FSE role isn’t for everyone. It requires a flexible schedule, as you don’t have a 9-to-5 job, the ability to adapt to the varied challenges of fieldwork and strong stress management skills. Success here is about having the right personality and attitude, embracing challenges and finding practical solutions.
Looking forward
There are excellent opportunities to develop your career at Radiometer. My own journey from FSE to Area Manager demonstrates the potential for advancement available here. And I have seen colleagues grow both within the company and throughout the Danaher enterprise. As long as you possess dedication, adaptability, and eagerness to learn and grow professionally, opportunities will be available.
Looking back, the unexpected changes during the COVID-19 pandemic led me exactly where I needed to be. Sometimes the best opportunities come disguised as challenges, and I’m grateful for every step of my journey at Radiometer. For those considering this path, remember that the right attitude and determination can open doors you never expected.
Ready to take the next step in your career?
Search for Field Service Engineer jobs across Danaher and our businesses.
Gaining industry experience can be a game-changer when you’re completing college and entering the workforce. That’s why internships can be so valuable. Just ask Zhiqiang Zhang, a systems engineer at Molecular Devices (a Danaher business), whose college internship at the company jump-started his award-winning engineering career in the life sciences.
Here are four things Zhiqiang gained by joining Molecular Devices.
Zhiqiang visiting the seaside city of Pingtan Island with his family on vacation last summer.
1. A clear path of professional growth, right out of college
Before graduating from China University of Mining and Technology in 2016, Zhiqiang was thrilled to land a full-time internship with Molecular Devices’ engineering department in Shanghai. For the next 18 months, he supported manufacturing teams in resolving various internal quality issues with microplate readers.
“I didn’t know much about Molecular Devices or Danaher before taking the internship—but I’m very glad I made the leap,” he said. “The internship really set my direction in life sciences and unlocked my path for professional growth.”
The internship also gave Zhiqiang the opportunity to experience the company culture and determine if it was a good fit.
“The overall atmosphere at Molecular Devices is very relaxed,” he said. “We can all share ideas openly, and individual efforts and abilities are valued and rewarded. Molecular Devices really values product quality, and I believe any company that values the quality of its products is a great place to work.”
For Zhiqiang, Molecular Devices was indeed the perfect fit. After graduation, he was offered a permanent role as a manufacturing engineer in the Shanghai plant’s Operations department, making him the first intern to be hired by the company for an engineering role. He welcomed the opportunity and has never looked back.
Four years later, when the company established a new R&D department in Shanghai, Zhiqiang was matched as a great candidate for an open role through Danaher Go, an internal program that helps Danaher companies promote from within. He was offered the role, which was a promotion, and was excited to take on new responsibilities as a mechanical engineer. A few years later, he was promoted again—this time to his current role as a systems engineer.
2. Countless opportunities to excel and succeed
Today, Zhiqiang enjoys many facets of his work, including formulating design schemes, solving problems that arise from system integration, and conducting final system verification. But what he really loves is contributing to product innovation.
“I’ve had many memorable moments in my career to date, but one highlight was launching the first R&D product I worked on—the SpectraMax® Mini Multi-Mode Microplate Reader,” he said. “Beyond the successful launch, it won Danaher China’s New Product Gold Award at the 2023 Danaher Innovation Awards. That was my first time standing on such a big platform to share the successful experience of our project and receive the award on behalf of the team.”
Another standout moment for Zhiqiang came in 2022, when he became his department’s first “Outstanding Associate” award winner—an annual honor bestowed on those who meet exceptional performance and career development goals.
Looking ahead, Zhiqiang is excited about opportunities for future growth. Eventually, he’d love to become a senior systems engineer, a department manager, or even the chief engineer overseeing the entire Shanghai R&D department. Based on his impressive track record to date, these ambitions aren’t a stretch.
3. A culture of innovation
At Molecular Devices, associates are passionate about equipping researchers with next-generation technology that advances scientific discovery. By developing innovative solutions, the company helps customers unravel the complexity of biological systems and develop new therapeutics, to improve the quality of life worldwide.
Zhiqiang loves being part of it all.
“The life sciences industry has always attracted me—I love all the high-tech equipment, but especially the innovation behind it,” he said. “In my first job as a manufacturing engineer, I became keenly aware of how important product quality is to customers. Now as a systems engineer, I can influence device quality at the beginning of the design, and I always push our teams to design for quality and reliability. Our goal is to provide robust, innovative devices to improve scientists’ work efficiency.”
4. A caring, supportive community
Another thing Zhiqiang enjoys is the sense of belonging he’s found within his work community. These strong connections began early on.
“I remember just after graduation my father was seriously injured in a car accident and was in the Intensive Care Unit for several weeks. Our savings quickly ran out,” said Zhiqiang. “My colleagues in various departments took the initiative to collect and donate money to help tide me over during the initial financial difficulties. They are generous in their support—a true community.”
Strong work relationships like these go a long way to creating a happier, healthier and more engaged workplace—and for Zhiqiang, they provide one more confirmation that he’s in the right company, doing the right work with the right people.
Want to learn more about careers like Zhiqiang’s?
Learn more about working at Molecular Devices, a Danaher Life Sciences business, and apply for open roles.
At Radiometer, fostering a sense of belonging and driving continuous improvement are at the core of our mission. Ashalatha Chalithadka, Senior Software & IT Engineering Manager in our Carlsbad, CA office, exemplifies these values through her commitment to innovation, advocacy, and team development. Here’s a closer look at Asha’s inspiring journey and her significant impact at Radiometer.
Setting Goals and Defining Success
“What I find truly inspiring at Radiometer is the collective awareness across all levels of the organization—everyone understands where we stand in the market as a leader in blood gas analysis and where we aim to go. There’s a clear commitment to continuous improvement, with strong support from leadership to help us reach our goals. Success is about having this shared vision, having access to the necessary resources and tools for growth, and ultimately sustaining that momentum.”
Asha envisions a future where Radiometer continues to lead the market through a unified vision and unwavering commitment to improvement. For her, success lies in collaboration, providing the right resources, and maintaining the momentum needed to achieve our collective goals.
Advocacy and Building Community
“One of the great advantages of being at Radiometer is that it feels like a small, close-knit company where we can wear multiple hats, yet we are also part of Danaher’s broader ecosystem. This gives us access to incredible resources, including Associate Resource Groups (ARGs) and the Danaher Business System (DBS). These have been invaluable for my personal and professional growth, and foster a strong sense of community and belonging.”
Ashalatha is actively involved in advocacy work and participates in Danaher’s Associate Resource Groups (ARG). These initiatives provide opportunities for personal development, foster a sense of community, and support belonging within the organization.
Leading Innovation at Radiometer
“I lead the software team responsible for developing the blood gas analyzer’s software. We also focus on data analytics to enhance the feedback loop from the field to the factory and provide critical technical support for both the lab and manufacturing floor. This varied scope allows me to engage with the product lifecycle holistically, contributing to areas well beyond my primary role, which has been incredibly rewarding.”
In her role, Ashalatha spearheads the development of software for blood gas analyzers and leverages data analytics to improve feedback mechanisms between the field and manufacturing. Her holistic approach ensures that Radiometer’s products remain at the forefront of healthcare technology, enhancing both clinical and manufacturing processes.
Opportunities for Innovation
“Innovation at Radiometer is an ongoing journey. Whether it’s driving incremental improvements or creating breakthroughs, the spirit of ‘Kaizen’ permeates the company. We have a wealth of resources, tools, and cross-site collaboration that supports continuous improvement. I’ve had the privilege of leading several Kaizen initiatives like the Problem Solving Process (PSP), Transactional Process Improvement (TPI), DMVM etc. These experiences have allowed me to methodically achieve outcomes I wouldn’t have reached as quickly without the structured processes we have in place.”
Ashalatha champions a culture of continuous improvement through the Kaizen philosophy. By leading various Kaizen initiatives, she ensures that Radiometer remains agile and innovative, consistently enhancing our products and processes to meet the evolving needs of the healthcare industry.
Looking Forward: Embracing Challenges and Driving Change
“I am passionate about problem-solving, and I’m eager to take on even larger opportunities where I can make a substantial, measurable impact. I thrive in environments where I can apply my skills to drive positive change and create lasting improvements.”
Ashalatha is excited about future opportunities to drive meaningful change within Radiometer and the broader healthcare landscape. Her passion for problem-solving and dedication to making a measurable impact continue to inspire her team and contribute to Radiometer’s mission of improving patient care.
My name is Zana Dauti and I have worked at Radiometer for over seven years. I started as an intern and was only supposed to stay for six months but fell in love with the culture and purpose of our work. As an Electrical Engineer, I work in the test and manufacturing processes department. This serves as the link between research and development (R&D) and production. My team ensures that products are ready for manufacturing and handles any additional testing or documentation needed.
My role involves working with test equipment and software for electrical circuit boards. We take the functional requirements from R&D and find solutions to create a production-friendly version of the prototypes. It can be challenging, but it’s rewarding to see our products used with the knowledge that they are helping people in critical health situations.
Our work at Radiometer is incredibly meaningful, creating medical devices that help save lives. It’s fulfilling to be part of such an important mission and to know that our work has a real impact.
Harnessing Potential: A Culture of Growth and Support
Radiometer is an amazing place to work. One of the reasons is due to the supportive and encouraging environment. Even though I’m often younger than most of my colleagues and one of the few women in the department, I’ve always felt valued and respected. I appreciate that everyone is willing to lend a hand or point you in the right direction when you need help.
I’m currently working on duplicating some of our test equipment. This job is a balance between fun and necessity, and while the tasks aren’t always the most fun, knowing that my work positively impacts lives motivates me to get out of bed and come to work every morning.
The other half of my job involves developing alternatives to our existing products. I ensure that once our R&D team has identified an alternative component, all necessary documents and test processes are in place so that manufacturing can proceed smoothly.
In my professional growth and development, I have received tremendous support from my managers and colleagues at Radiometer. They have helped me improve my skills through various courses and have encouraged me to raise the bar. I’ve always had the freedom to take ownership of my tasks, and I am encouraged to make improvements to my work where I see fit within our regulatory limits. This freedom and support has greatly helped me grow professionally and personally.
The fact that Radiometer is part of Danaher has many advantages, especially in knowledge-sharing. Some of my colleagues are part of an interest group where they meet engineers from other companies within Danaher to discuss their work, challenges and solutions. It offers a chance to learn about the different testing systems and processes used at other companies and share knowledge more freely as we all play on the same team.
Internally, we have a monthly meeting among electrical engineers where we present specific projects and insights. This knowledge-sharing is invaluable and often sparks ideas for how to do things differently.
Trailblazing Women in STEM: Fostering a Culture of Inclusion
In my personal life, a lot has changed over the past seven years, but one constant has been my work at Radiometer; the strong connection to my colleagues and work makes this place feel like a second home. Our work environment is supportive and nurturing and places value on mental health.
Despite being the only woman on my team, I have found my place here and feel a sense of belonging. As an electrical engineer, I am first and foremost an engineer and focused on the job at hand. My team has always included me and gave me space to be myself. Despite being the only woman on my team, I have never felt like my voice isn’t heard.
I always recommend Radiometer as a workplace to my friends and other women in the field. I’ve noticed that generally, women tend to doubt themselves more and hesitate to apply for jobs if they do not meet all the qualifications. This is why it is crucial to break down these barriers and create a more inclusive workplace where everyone feels empowered, but also to be transparent outside the company and showcase our authentic culture. I believe we have a strong culture here at Radiometer and we should be proud of it.
Interested in joining Zana and the rest of the Radiometer team? Check out open roles across Danaher or join our talent community today.
If Shanti Pi’s colleagues at Danaher’s India Development Center (IDC) hadn’t encouraged her, she might never have applied for her role at HemoCue. More than two years later, she’s leading a team of engineers—and helping the IDC itself grow as well. Below, Shanti explains her day-to-day work, what’s hard about her job, and why she finds it all so rewarding.
What do you do at HemoCue?
There are two parts to my role. The first is as an engineering manager for standalone software solutions, including our HealthTrender Anemia product. When a health care provider inserts a blood sample into a HemoCue analyzer, it displays the results for them—and those results can also be transferred via Bluetooth to an application on a mobile device, where they can add demographic information. That data is then added to a central repository, so governments and NGOs can monitor and evaluate their screening programs at the population level.
My team is responsible for software deliverables from end to end. As a medical device company, we’re of course subject to rules and regulations, and we reach out to headquarters for guidance on that. But otherwise, we’re set up to be completely independent in planning, building, and deploying releases. It’s a lot of responsibility, but it’s exciting for us and it gives us lots of opportunities to learn.
I’m also the HemoCue site lead for the India Development Center here in Bangalore, which is an umbrella organization that’s home to teams from multiple Danaher operating companies. I help promote support and collaboration between OpCos. Sometimes, in terms of career growth—if one of our team members is interested in a certain role, for example, and there’s a Beckman Coulter associate at IDC currently in that job, I might connect the two of them. We also work together on technology and solutions, helping each other grow and expand. And we seek and provide help from other OpCos for participation in and facilitation of Kaizens, which are weeklong problem-solving workshops.
Tell us about your path to this role.
Health care has always been close to my heart—seeing how my day-to-day work affects people’s lives is really important to me. I started my career with Allscripts, which provides electronic health record systems, then moved to Siemens as a product analyst before joining Beckman in 2016 to work on cloud projects. Back then, the IDC was just getting started. I’ve been able to see the whole journey, from a single OpCo to now.
When this position with HemoCue initially opened up, I didn’t think I’d even apply. They were looking for someone to establish the company’s first R&D team outside of Sweden, for both software and hardware—software development of mobile, web, and cloud applications had been outsourced up until that point. I didn’t have any experience with hardware, and I’d never been a people manager. But the IDC leadership had faith in me, and they explained their top priority was finding someone who was transparent and trustworthy. They encouraged me to just apply and see what happened.
I remember telling my husband after the last round of interviews that I didn’t think I’d get the job—I felt that just getting to the point where I was interviewing with the president of the company was an achievement in itself. But they ended up offering me the role, and I jumped at it. Two years later, I’ve been able to handpick 12 team members, and we’re on track to add two more this year.
How has HemoCue supported your learning and growth?
I’m extremely grateful the universe gave me Magnus Tunklev, who is such a supportive manager. From the start, I’ve always felt like he trusts me, and I can tell him about anything that is difficult or a pain point. He suggests possible solutions and helps me see the big picture. And—this was an eye-opener for me—he never forgets to ask how I’m actually feeling. It’s not just about me as a leader, but as a person.
He’s also made sure I’m plugged into the right meetings and connected with the right mentors, and everyone at both IDC and HemoCue has been so supportive. I’ve tried to carry that forward for my own team, as well. Each of us—including myself—starts out with a “buddy” from the company who’s in a similar role to our own; they help us not only learn the logistics of working at HemoCue but really immerse ourselves in the culture. It’s given us a foundation that makes day-to-day decisions much easier.
What are some of the challenges you’re taking on?
One challenge for me is balancing the HemoCue and IDC perspectives. We need to belong in both organizations, and that can sometimes be tricky. What works for our team in terms of working style or flexibility, for instance, might not work for another OpCo’s IDC team.
Another interesting challenge is identifying how we can best support the Hardware and Firmware teams in Sweden. Because we work remotely we’re somewhat limited in how we can contribute from IDC, but we’ve found creative ways to collaborate on new product development, sustainability and firmware projects. And we’re learning and getting better with each experience.
But the most interesting of all challenges is expanding HealthTrender—adding new features, rolling out to existing and new markets, improving connectivity, and extending HealthTrender to other solutions. We work closely with Marketing and Sales, and it’s hard to overstate the sense of accomplishment we all feel as key players in achieving something meaningful to human health and wellbeing.
What are you looking forward to right now?
Continuing to take our solution global. We started out building specifically for India, and that’s wonderful. When I talk with candidates, they’re thrilled about the idea of building for people in this country and contributing to the Indian government’s health missions, because so many of us have previously only worked on products for the U.S. or Europe. But it’s also exciting to expand. Last year, we took our solution global, moving into Mexico and Egypt, and in the coming year we’ll be adding a few other countries. Of course, each country comes with its own challenges in terms of languages, governance, and regulations on data privacy.
We’re also expanding our platforms later this year—we already have the web portal, which is written in Java, and the Android product, and we’ll soon have the opportunity to launch on iOS. We’re also exploring potential cross-OpCo collaborations, which is one of the benefits of the IDC. Is there something another company is doing that we can tap into at HemoCue, or a solution we can provide to them?
Finally, we’re thinking about expanding beyond HealthTrender to other software solutions. I really look forward to seeing the things we build today in the market tomorrow, helping those patients and providers, and I feel very fortunate that I’m able to be part of it.
Want to join Shanti and the rest of the team at HemoCue? Check out open roles or join the Danaher talent community today.
After childhood dreams of being a doctor, Supplier Management Engineer Daniela Rodriguez found a career path that blends her skills in math and her passion for problem-solving by helping others through medical technology. Daniela explains her journey to mechanical engineering and Mammotome, her involvement in Danaher’s LatinX + Friends Associate Resource Group, and why considering gender and race is crucial to providing quality medical care.
Tell me a bit about Mammotome and your role there.
Mammotome is a global leader in breast cancer diagnostics and surgical solutions. We pioneered vacuum-assisted breast biopsy, which improved breast cancer diagnostics, as well as the overall patient experience because the procedure is minimally invasive. It was a real game-changer in the industry.
I’m a supplier management engineer, which means I’m the bridge between our contract manufacturing suppliers and us. Day-to-day, I facilitate conversations with our contract manufacturers, everything from helping out with quality changes to delivery issues. In our group, we like to call ourselves firefighters, because when issues arise, we’re the first to know. We put out the fires by finding solutions, both in the moment and for the long term.
I also created and now oversee our obsolescence program, which addresses parts of our equipment from suppliers that are getting older and maybe going out of production, not recommended for new design, or parts that are hard to procure. We try to forecast the demand and find alternates if possible. It’s a cross-functional effort within our company—everybody’s involved.
My work is very dynamic. Every day is different, which is why I enjoy my job. It keeps my blood pumping!
What sparked your interest in engineering? And what brought you to Mammotome?
Part of it is that engineering runs in my family: My father was a mechanical engineer. He’d studied and worked in the U.S. but later moved back to Colombia, married my mom and had me. When I was a teenager, we immigrated to the U.S. from Colombia in pursuit of a better life. Math and science were always my strongest subjects—I think partly because they’re universal. It didn’t matter that I was learning them in my second language. I’d always wanted to be a doctor because identifying and solving problems fascinated me, and problem-solving is also what drove me to love engineering. Engineering allowed me to combine my passion for medical work with my skills in math. So I became the first female engineer in my family.
After getting my degree in mechanical engineering, I got a job at a contact lens manufacturer. That was in Atlanta, where I went to school. Eventually, I made my way to Ohio. I have family near Cincinnati, which is a major biomedical hub, with companies like Procter & Gamble, Johnson & Johnson, Ethicon, and, of course, Mammotome. I knew about Mammotome’s top-of-the-line products, but what really attracted me was the cause and how the company puts patients first.
Being a woman, the issue of breast cancer hits close to home. On one hand, it doesn’t matter what your social, racial, or political background is. Cancer is something that is a risk to all of us. On the other hand, Hispanic women are one of the least likely groups to seek out preventative measures for breast cancer. There are lots of reasons—finances, language barriers, lack of health insurance—but, as a Hispanic woman, this issue really speaks to me.
Knowing that we are impacting women’s lives motivates me to get up each morning and do the best I can.
How have you learned and grown at Mammotome?
When I first started here, Danaher Business System (DBS) tools quickly oriented me with the basics, so I could hit the ground running. From there, I was blessed with a great team and manager who helped me. I learn by asking questions. I’m definitely not a shy person when it comes to not knowing things, and the culture at Mammotome welcomes people who want to learn, to know more, and to continuously improve. Furthermore, my boss trusts me to take on new tasks, while still providing guidance if I need it. Their management style really works well for me, and we get along great.
The obsolescence program is a great example of a task he gave me to really take on and make my own. Before I started, people would talk through a list of components every week, but we’ve improved the process by adding timelines, clarifying end goals, and allocating resources. Now, the obsolescence program has become one of our biggest cross-department meetings and has helped prevent serious supply chain obstacles. Sourcing components remains an ongoing challenge, not only because of the pandemic but also due to other global crises like a water shortage in Taiwan, where half of the world’s semiconductors are made, for example. But the program has done a lot, and it’s something that I’m very proud of owning and working on.
Finally, I’ve also grown in terms of advocacy. I’m heavily involved within the company with Danaher’s LatinX + Friends Associate Resource Group (ARG), Mammotome Inclusion and Belonging initiatives, the Society of Women Engineers and the Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers. My focus is on advocating for and increasing the representation of Hispanic women in roles like mine.
Tell us more about your advocacy work and participation with the LatinX + Friends ARG.
Women, especially women of color, are underrepresented in STEM. That data speaks for itself, but I also learned about the additional challenges we face from an early age, when my father explained, “You have to work twice as hard to be considered half as good.” I think times are changing, and I want to see and be a part of that change. That’s why it’s important for me to be part of the LatinX group. No one else in my direct department is in that ARG, so I like to keep people informed about what we do.
I think people forget how many different Hispanic identities there are, especially in Latin America. Sometimes people can’t find my home country, Colombia, on a map, or they misspell it with a “u.” If you put a Colombian, an Argentinian, and a Mexican person in a room, we’re all going to speak differently and have different customs. So with the LatinX + Friends ARG, I get to learn more about other cultures while also teaching fellow associates about my own. We’re proud of our Hispanic heritage 365 days a year, not just in October. It can be hard to have conversations about race, especially for me, as someone who is non-confrontational. I’m trying to learn—by taking courses and just through better understanding—how to handle a room and get my point across without it being too personal or too emotional.
As a Colombian, I want to create a positive memory for people. And as a woman, too. There weren’t a lot of female engineers as role models for me growing up, but those few that were there, like my professors in college, really inspired me. I’d like to be an inspiration for future generations.
What’s next in your career? What are you excited about?
I’m excited to connect more in person. I started just a few months before the pandemic hit, so most of my work has been online. That meant I was able to work from Colombia for several months and spend a lot of time with my family, which was wonderful. But I’m definitely a people person, and, once it’s safe, I would love to get more involved with Mammotome’s volunteer events in the community, maybe even create new volunteer opportunities. Data shows that Hispanic women respond more to community-based programs that promote proper breast care and early breast cancer detection, so this work is vital and important for my own advocacy goals.
Right now, I’m focused on doing my best work and learning from my peers. I would like to continue down my path at Danaher, which may lead to becoming a subject matter expert or, eventually, a people leader. I like to think I’m someone people can trust and communicate with. Being that type of leader inspires me, and I think with proper training I could be very successful in that role. Thanks to Danaher’s tools, I’ve been able to take some courses, and I know there is a guided path forward for career growth.
Interested in joining Daniela and the rest of the Danaher team? Check out open roles or join our talent community today.
Ben Datson went from stocking shelves at a supermarket to joining Pall, where he’s worked his way from the factory floor to an engineering technician position. Below, see how his approach to embracing every opportunity led him to his current role—and toward a degree in manufacturing engineering.
You’re at the forefront of what Pall makes. Tell us what the company produces and about your role. What projects are you working on?
Pall makes hundreds of products that have to do with filtration and purification, and we have factories around the world. Here in Newquay, UK, we make medical products, and the main one now has to do with breathing filtration. If someone’s on a ventilator, for instance, there’s a filter between the machine and the patient. It stops anything from transferring back and forth. So when the machine is switched to a new patient, only the filter has to be replaced instead of taking the whole machine apart and cleaning it.
I’m a product engineering technician now, but I’ve probably worked in about 75% of the rooms here during my time on the shop floor. At the moment, I’m actually working on projects from a room I worked in for five years, so I’ve gained a lot of knowledge. I’ve got a nice blend at the moment between teaching others and learning new skills myself.
Our job is to help the shop floor resolve material issues. For example, if the raw materials come in from the suppliers and they’re the wrong shape or color, or they’re not reacting the way they should react, it’s up to us to investigate. Sometimes, it’s the machine setting, in which case we change our machines here on-site. Or it could be the supplier has made changes that affect how the material runs in our machines.
Can you share your journey from the shop floor to a management role?
Six years ago, I was working in a supermarket, stocking shelves, without a lot of career prospects. I felt like I had to do something. Another guy I was working with at the store was feeling the same way, and he went to Pall first. I think he’d been here for about three or four months when he convinced me to give it a go.
When you’re on the shop floor, you may wonder why management can’t change a process. It’s not until you come upstairs and see how much paperwork, regulations, and signoffs you need to be able to change something small that you understand. Coming from the shop floor means I have an understanding of what the people on the floor are thinking. Having that crossover is invaluable, really.
We use DBS for almost every meeting, whatever department you work in, which means everyone can go to every meeting and know how it will run. Everyone knows what the graphs are showing. Everyone knows that red and green days show if you hit a target or not.
Our DBS boards are like a grid, so anyone should be able to walk up to a board, see why it’s red, and know what action is in place to make it green again. It really depends on what metric you’re looking at. If it’s output, maybe you need to run overtime to catch up. Maybe you need to get more staff in.
For example, there are milestones for every project. That could mean if you need to make 1,000 of a product a day and you made 900, that’s a red day. We then have a 24-hour action to get back to a green day. If it can’t be resolved in 24 hours, there’s a permanent action. So if something extreme like a machine blowing up requires the permanent action of bringing in a new machine, the success links to that single red day in production even though it’s part of a six-month project.
Once you learn how DBS works, it’s really useful. When we have engineers off, we can cover each other’s areas. When you’re on the shop floor, your main focus is to keep the machine running, but up here in Product Engineering, you actually see what can happen if a procedure isn’t followed, which is quite eye-opening. When you see the whole picture, then you actually understand why each part of the process needs to be controlled strictly.
What does the future hold for your work at Pall?
As part of my new role, Pall is putting me through an HND (Higher National Diploma). It’s remote learning, which means I can work my 39 hours a week and study at home. Eventually, I’ll have a foundation degree in manufacturing engineering.
I’ve finished the engineering and mathematics part, and I found that interesting, so it didn’t really feel like work. Now I’m learning about material properties and electromagnetism.
The plan now is to complete the HND and, hopefully, go to a full degree. I’d like to specialize in something that we can use here at Pall. About 80% of our products are made from plastics, so something like plastic molding techniques or the molecular structure of plastic would be useful. I want to continue progressing.
