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.
At Danaher, we are committed to advancing precision medicine through innovative diagnostic solutions and enabling healthcare providers to diagnose disease with unprecedented speed and accuracy. We foster innovation through collaboration across our diverse businesses and cutting-edge technologies.
Hear from some of our top associates on why they love working at Danaher’s diagnostics companies and about the impact of their work on patient outcomes around the world.
At Radiometer, part of the Danaher family, leadership is all about driving continuous improvement and empowering our teams to shine. We sat down with Tiffany Murphy, our US Commercial General Manager, to hear about her unique management style, how the Danaher Business System (DBS) supports her work, the exciting changes she’s led, and how Danaher has invested in her journey.
Photo: Tiffany Murphy and her family
Adapting Leadership to Empower Teams
“I flex my leadership style based on the associate’s needs or situation. However, the style I align closest to is the ‘transformational leader’ – focused on continuous improvement and empowering the team to be problem-solvers. As a leader, I think it’s imperative to go to gemba or “where the work happens” to deeply understand the state of the business, the customer experience, or the challenges that my organization is facing. Then, I ruthlessly prioritize the most critical areas of opportunity!”
Tiffany believes in being flexible and adaptable, tailoring her leadership to meet the unique needs of her team and the challenges at hand. By embracing a transformational leadership style, she creates an environment where everyone feels empowered to innovate and tackle problems head-on.
Leveraging the Danaher Business System for Excellence
“Danaher, and thus Radiometer, is built on the foundation of the Danaher Business System (DBS). It is the ‘how’ we do our work. When we apply the principles of DBS, we expand our capabilities, improve our processes, execute at a higher level, and sustain performance. This ultimately gives us a unique competitive advantage.”
DBS is at the heart of Radiometer’s operations. By consistently applying DBS principles, the team enhances processes, drives continuous improvement, and maintains high performance, giving Radiometer a unique edge in the healthcare industry.
Driving Growth and Enhancing Experiences
“We are driving significant growth through improving our commercial rigor and execution, expanding our teams, and working on improving our overall customer AND associate experience. “Under Tiffany’s leadership, Radiometer America focuses on robust growth by strengthening commercial strategies, growing the team, and enhancing customer and associate experiences. These initiatives ensure that Radiometer continues to meet the evolving needs of the healthcare sector while providing a supportive and dynamic workplace.
A Journey of Professional Growth within Danaher
“I have essentially grown up at Danaher and will celebrate my 25th year soon. I have progressed my career through experience at three different Danaher Operating Companies. I have been afforded the opportunity to attend many leadership development programs, received valuable coaching from many great leaders and mentors, and gained my MBA with the tuition assistance program. My family has been blessed by the opportunities I have gained here.”
Tiffany’s 25-year journey with Danaher highlights the company’s commitment to nurturing talent. Through diverse experiences, leadership training, and educational support, Danaher has played a crucial role in her personal and professional growth, enabling her to lead Radiometer with expertise and passion.
At Radiometer, leadership is about more than just managing teams—it’s about making a meaningful impact on our associates and the customers we serve. Eduardo Marin, Regional Director of Human Resources for the Americas, embodies this philosophy through his dedication and personal experiences. Here’s a glimpse into Eduardo’s inspiring journey and the larger impact Radiometer is making in the healthcare industry.
A Personal Connection to Radiometer’s Mission
“My name is Eduardo Marin, and I’m the Regional Director of Human Resources for the Americas Region at Radiometer. I take great pride in my work, as it allows me to make a difference in the lives of Radiometer associates and customers. Let me tell you a bit about why my work is so meaningful to me.”
Eduardo’s commitment to Radiometer goes beyond his professional responsibilities. A few years ago, he and his wife welcomed a beautiful baby girl into the world. However, soon after, they were faced with the challenging reality of their baby spending several weeks in the NICU due to premature birth. During this difficult time, Eduardo witnessed firsthand how Radiometer products played a crucial role in acute care diagnostics. Radiometer transcutaneous monitors provided vital information about his daughter’s oxygen levels and breathing patterns, offering his family much-needed peace of mind.
“This experience had a profound impact on me and made me realize the importance of the work that we do at Radiometer. In my role, I’m responsible for developing strategies that attract, hire, develop, and engage our fantastic associates. Building strong teams, seeing our team members grow, and partnering with diverse associates helps us achieve our goals and provide the best possible products and services to our customers and patients.”
Building Strong Teams and Supporting Growth
Eduardo’s role involves creating strategies that not only attract and hire top talent but also foster the growth and development of our associates. By building strong, diverse teams, Eduardo ensures that Radiometer continues to deliver exceptional products and services. His dedication to employee engagement and development is key to maintaining our high standards and achieving our mission.
“For me, my purpose working at Radiometer is more than just a job – it’s about giving patients and their families comfort and confidence that our products help healthcare professionals make the best medical decisions. I’m grateful for the opportunity to make a positive impact on people’s lives, and it’s what keeps me motivated to do my job every day.”
A Mission-Driven Career
Eduardo’s story is a powerful reminder of why Radiometer exists: to improve patient care through innovative healthcare solutions. His personal experience in the NICU reinforced the critical role that our products play in helping save lives and providing peace of mind to families during their most vulnerable moments.
Radiometer’s commitment to excellence is driven by leaders like Eduardo, who bring both professional expertise and personal passion to their roles. His journey highlights the profound impact that dedicated individuals can have within our organization and the broader healthcare community.
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 diverse 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 Maria Sanz Rodriquez and I am a Marketing Manager at Radiometer. My career path is not the traditional one you would imagine. I started my career as a chemistry scientist, doing research in academia – along the way, I developed new skills that led to a career change in marketing and sales.
From Lab Coats to Marketing
As a scientist, I was always interested in the clinical aspects of chemistry and as a result, decided to specialize in laboratory medicine. In Spain, coming from a science-based background, you can choose one of four laboratory specialties; I chose laboratory clinical biochemistry. I started working in a hospital and had my first contact with analyzers. When I finished my specialization at the hospital, Radiometer asked if I was interested in joining the Iberian Radiometer team. The rest is history.
Now, years later, I am a marketing manager at Radiometer. I love my job because it allows me to explore my passion for growth and development – for businesses, people, and myself.
Did I expect to work in a global diagnostic technology company when I started my career as a scientist? Definitely not. But I’ve found many opportunities for personal growth, high-quality products and community within a global team.
The Power of Seizing Opportunities
As time passed, I realized that a job at Radiometer is not just a one-time proposition. You get a development plan and work with your manager towards your goals. And because we are part of a larger organization, Danaher, you become part of a global community inside and outside Radiometer. I have close connections with colleagues from around the world. And honestly, I am proud to sell Radiometer products because they are the best on the market.
Improvement is what motivates me. And not just business-related improvement but (maybe even more) related to people management and development. I want to work to support the business and my people. I make a habit of asking myself: “How can I support my team? Can I share knowledge? Can I have another one-to-one meeting with someone to check in and improve their current situation?”
Anyone can change their career path, but I think I could take the journey I am on because I learned how to see opportunities; this is a skill that anyone can learn.
You cannot wait for things to happen to you. The chance that someone offers you your dream job out of the blue is extremely low. You must raise your hand and speak up when you’re ready to take on the next challenge and continue learning. And you need to ask yourself from time to time: What do you want to do in your future career?
Continuous Improvement: Applying Business Principles in Life
I call it improvement, but at Radiometer and Danaher we call it continuous improvement. Danaher Business System (DBS) is the foundation on which we build lean manufacturing. And honestly, I love the DBS. When I started using DBS, I thought it was just about numbers. Now I understand why we use it – why we think strategically and learn new tools and processes.
Believe it or not, I even apply DBS tools at home with my kids. When their grades were slipping, I called for a meeting and used visual management and problem-solving tools to help them see the problem and create a step-by-step solution. This is just one example of how DBS adds value and can be helpful in many ways.
Interested in joining Maria and the rest of the Radiometer team? Check out open roles across Danaher or join our talent community today.
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.
For organic chemist Henri Sund, coaching an amateur football team helped him discover a passion for leadership. Through mentorship and the Danaher Business System (DBS), Henri nurtured his talent, and now leads his own team of scientists as a senior manager in assay development. Below, Henri discusses his journey from research assistant to team leader, how DBS empowered him to take on a mentorship role and how he’s guiding his team through the transition to a hybrid work model post COVID-19.
What do you do at Radiometer?
My two main responsibilities are to lead my team and to secure continuous development of tools and workflows for the R&D department here at our site in Turku, Finland. I manage a great team of nine chemists and scientists who develop dry chemistry-based test kits for our immunoassay product line. More specifically, it’s the test cartridges that hospitals and other health care providers use in a Radiometer immunoassay device—similar to a coffee pod or an ink cartridge for your printer. My team members work on new product development so they really make a difference in providing caregivers with point-of-care (POC) solutions to make fast and accurate diagnoses.
We have project managers who are responsible for the progress of each project; my job is more focused on the team itself. I make sure they have the tools and support they need to do their jobs effectively; I keep an eye on their workloads and I mentor them on how to build and grow their careers further.
Our big focus right now is automation and digitization. We’re looking for opportunities to streamline processes and eliminate “muda”—a Japanese term meaning “wasteful” that we often use within DBS. We want to remove unnecessary manual steps to make better use of people’s time. We’re also upgrading equipment to make it compatible with the current systems for analyzing and utilizing data. We already gather tons of information, but we’re still laying the groundwork to make that more organized and easier to use.
What led you to this role?
I basically started my professional career here at Radiometer. I studied organic chemistry at the University of Turku, and while working as a temporary research assistant for the Department of Biotechnology we were collaborating with Radiometer on some projects. It was motivating for me as a young chemist to get to contribute to something new and to have support and mentoring from the team. They invited me to do my thesis work here, and after I finished that I officially joined the team in 2010.
Early on, my goals were very research-oriented, in part because I admired my mentors so much. I was working with these widely known experts in the field, and I wanted to be just like them! But over the years, I started getting more interested in management. At one point, I started coaching amateur football as a hobby, which taught me a lot about what to do and what not to do, working with people from different backgrounds and keeping them motivated. Then in 2017, I became laboratory supervisor for our organic chemistry lab, which is a cross-functional group that includes both Operations and R&D.
During those earlier years, I got to better understand the DBS tools, like Problem-Solving Process and Situational Leadership, and that led me to a sort of an “aha!” moment. I realized there were a lot of shared values with what I’d learned as a coach. So I started to think the manager path might be a good fit. My own managers suggested different trainings to help me prepare for a leadership role and see how I would like it, and then last year this opportunity came up.
Even though I’d been preparing, I was hesitant at first. I’ve worked in assay development my whole career, but as an organic chemist in a research team. This role also meant managing people in biochemistry, biotechnical engineering and other fields—which aren’t my areas of expertise. I wondered, “Can I really pull that off?” I wanted to make sure I could create the trust I needed to fully support people. I decided to go for it, and I’m very glad I did.
Tell us more about that. What’s the transition been like?
It’s been a lot of me learning—about my team members, the details of their work, and the kinds of challenges they face. We did a lot of one-on-ones, especially in the first year, to help us get to know each other. Of course, every relationship is different. There are some associates I’ve worked with for years—so we had to figure out the dynamics with me leading the team—while others I was meeting for the first time.
Because I was focused specifically on organic chemistry until last year, I’m not always the person to give my associates the answers or tell them what to do. I ask a lot of questions; it’s more about thinking through together how they might solve a problem. We’ll find someone in their area they could talk to, or I’ll give them insights from my experience that might apply. Whenever I can help by sharing something I learned in a similar situation, not just specific tasks, but navigating challenges and ups and downs, those are the most rewarding moments for me.
How have you and your team navigated the challenge of remote work since the emergence of COVID-19?
Like most companies, we’ve been through a lot of change in the past couple of years because of the COVID-19 pandemic—but of course, that doesn’t affect everyone the same way. If you’re doing research in a lab or working on our Production team, you probably don’t have the option to work from home often. With this new role, I’ve been able to work remotely, although I’ve always been mostly on-site.
The last year was a bit hectic just because I was learning so much that was new, but I do have the freedom to decide where and when I do a lot of my work. I still regularly work on-site to make sure I’m on top of what’s going on in our facilities and to help me stay connected with my team.
We’ve now officially moved to a hybrid model, meaning everyone is on-site at least two days per week. We’ve had workshops about different models for the future of work, and it’s been really interesting to hear how associates feel about their workdays and what the downsides and upsides are of working in person versus at home.
We’re thinking a lot about how we can make each arrangement work—scheduling meetings differently, for example, or aligning the days certain groups are at the office so they can collaborate more easily. It’s a very personal thing—how you respond to different situations, what you need to be productive. But at least for me and my reports, we’ve found a lot of value in flexibility, being able to fit work and family into the day. I’m very much looking forward to seeing what kind of possibilities these new models will bring.
As a manager, how do you help your team members grow their careers?
I’ve been very fortunate in my career to have great managers and other mentors who got to know me quite well, and when they sensed I needed support or was ready for a new challenge, made suggestions. I’m so grateful for that, and I try to do the same for my team, in part by just sharing my own story and learnings. If someone is wondering about career progression, it’s quite natural for me to talk about how I started and that there was a long period of time where I thought I’d stay in the lab, or was stuck there, but then a different path opened and I started work systematically to achieve it. It raises a question for them, “Okay, what could my version of that story look like?”
One thing I avoid is telling them directly what I think they should do, because it’s easy to influence someone and I know firsthand how important it is for people to feel free to change their mind.
I know my team members might find it frustrating at times that I don’t just tell them what they should do. But it’s important to really listen—to pick up on clues: what kind of work do people do, what motivates them, what makes them feel alive. Then I suggest DBS tools or other areas of potential interest, but what’s exciting is letting it all play out.
You don’t have to know from the start where you want to go. Everything someone experiences and learns will play a role in helping them find their path, and it’s my job to support them on that journey.
I’m part of the Radiometer team in Turku, Finland. At our site in Finland, we make reagents for our immunoassay tests—which hospitals, medical centers and labs around the world use to diagnose their patients. I work as a production planner, which means I take information from our Global Supply Chain team on what customers need, and turn that into a plan for the manufacturing of our reagents analytes, which are formed with test-specific components, chemical substances or mixtures added to cause reactions. We have nine different analytes, and on average we start a new analyte batch each day of the week. For our Troponin test, for example, which helps triage patients with chest pain, we might do two large batches per week, while a test like βhCG, used for early detection of pregnancy, might run once per month. It’s my job to fit all those production runs together, communicate that plan to the manufacturing teams and other stakeholders and then oversee the process and address any issues if they come up.
We use Daily Management, one of the Danaher Business System tools, to track the progress of each batch. At our daily management meetings we always start out focusing on on-site safety, because that’s very important to us, and then we look at quality and testing, manufacturing processes, inventory, maintenance and anything else we need to address to ensure proper testing and packing. I follow each process from beginning to delivery and help make sure everything goes smoothly.
Tell us about your background, before you joined Radiometer and since.
I used to work in the furniture industry as an upholsterer, but after I started having problems with my elbow, I went back to school to be a laboratory technologist. I didn’t really know much about scientific work at first—I’d just seen all the equipment and white coats on TV and thought it looked cool! But I was interested in chemistry and biology; it drew me in. After I finished my studies, I got my first diagnostics job as a production worker in batch packing with a company called Innotrac Diagnostics, a company that Radiometer acquired a few years later. That was 16 years ago, and I’ve since worked on nearly every process we have here at the site in Turku—SA and analyte coating for substance testing, lab maintenance, solution manufacturing, tracer dispensing and quality control testing. I’m very interested in learning new things, and I’ve gradually gotten involved in more and more. I’ve also started training new employees; I like helping people and I know the processes, so it just comes naturally.
My journey to becoming a leader started when I became an assistant supervisor, first in packing and then in liquid quality control (LQC) manufacturing. I guess I did well because, after a couple of years, my manager asked if I was interested in being a supervisor. At first, I wasn’t sure. But then I thought, “Why not take the chance and challenge myself?” So I said yes, and started out with a small team, supervising a few processes as a team leader. Then, in 2018, I was named stream leader, which meant I was responsible for laboratory maintenance, solution manufacturing, coating, tracer dispensing and LQC manufacturing. And then last year, after about eight years as a supervisor, I moved into this role. Most of what I’m planning, I’ve worked on myself, so I understand it well, and I was excited to try something new. I’m still learning a lot, but I enjoy it.
What’s the company culture like?
It’s a very helpful, supportive culture. No one’s on their own. If you have a problem or question, you can ask someone for help and solve it together. And it’s flexible, as well, in terms of both when and where you work. I spend part of my week on-site at the manufacturing plant and then work from home two days per week.
We’re also very open-minded, both to different cultures—we have associates from lots of different backgrounds here—and to new ideas. It’s a two-way conversation; workers are listened to and we hold a lot of “kaizens”, which are like weeklong process improvement workshops that anyone can join. We recently did one around batch approval process, for example, to make our release process more efficient and reduce batches lead time. Whether you’re a leader or a quality specialist or a production worker, everyone has input.
How do you collaborate with your teammates?
Beyond our daily management meetings, I meet with the Global Supply Chain team a couple of times per week to make sure I’m up to date as customers’ timing and needs change—sometimes they need a product sooner or other priorities shift. I work closely with production managers and our technical service manager, as well as the senior operators from every process, all of whom help manage the information flow to the rest of the team. Some of those conversations are proactive and some are more reactive. If a supplier can’t deliver materials on time, for example, an operator might come to me to figure out what we should prioritize instead. Or we might have an equipment issue, or sometimes it’s staffing, as so many companies have faced during COVID-19.
I’ll go to Global Supply Chain if I need to talk through some options or get more information, and then I’ll adjust the plan so production can keep going. Because these are products being used for critical care, we want to make sure our customers always have what they need to help their patients. Whatever happens, we make sure we have strong quality but also try to solve things as quickly as possible.
What are you excited about right now?
We’re growing quickly—Radiometer in general, and our location in particular. We just bought the building we previously only used part of, so we are expanding our operations to a much larger scale. That means new lines, new equipment, new staff and all of the training and testing that entails. We actually just had a workshop for the new floor plan.
Continuing to keep up production while we’re building so much that’s new is challenging, but it’s worth it to see all our plans come true. It creates new opportunities for our associates to succeed; I love it when I see my former team members grow to new roles and be promoted, for example. And to know that it all helps our hospitals and medical centers and the people they serve—that’s wonderful. It’s inspiring.
Interested in joining Tea and the rest of the Radiometer team? Check out open roles across Danaher or join our talent community today.
Whether it’s parenting during a pandemic or helping her globally distributed team transition to working entirely from home, the last year has offered no shortage of challenges for Kirti Bhogle. But thanks in part to Radiometer’s supportive culture, she and her colleagues have been able to take those challenges in stride. Below, Kirti shares what drew her to the company, what she’s learned as a manager during COVID-19, and what she’s excited about in the years to come.
What do you do at Radiometer?
I’m a manager in the software department of our Research & Development organization; we work on developing new medical and in-vitro devices. It’s my job to plan projects and establish the process we’ll follow, then keep things on track for release. That includes a lot of stakeholder communication—collaborating closely with our colleagues on the hardware side in Electronics, Mechanics, Chemistry, Compliance, and QA to understand what they need, and then translating those requirements at the product level. Because Radiometer makes diagnostic equipment and other devices used to treat patients, we must meet precise standards. We can build in all kinds of fancy functionality, but it won’t matter if it doesn’t meet regulations or keep people safe.
From there, my job is really about mentoring my team and helping them execute, whether that’s giving them clarity on a task or just asking if they have any hiccups and removing impediments to their work. We have close to two dozen people, half here in Denmark and half in Bangalore, India, where Radiometer has a development center, and we also sometimes interface with a project team in San Diego at SenDx, which is another one of Danaher’s businesses under Radiometer America.
Tell us about your background and why you joined the team.
I studied computer applications in India, where I’m from, and after I finished my master’s I started working for a consultancy there, managing a team that worked for various clients. One of those clients was based in Denmark, and I ended up moving here for a year to work on a project. They asked me to stay as an employee, but I wanted to go back home and start a family.
I did, and my son was born in 2009, but it was tough—I was working 12 to 14 hours every day, and I felt like I wasn’t giving him enough time. I knew from living in Denmark that the norms around work-life balance were very different, so I got in touch with the company I’d been at before, and they offered me a position. I worked there for several years, and then Radiometer reached out. At the time, they were just starting to build the distributed team in both Denmark and India, and they thought I might be a good fit.
It was a completely new domain for me; I’d never worked in medical devices. As I learned about the product, I was intrigued. I remembered having to get blood tests when I was pregnant, and how critical it was that those results were correct. I liked the idea of being able to contribute to that process in some way and make a difference.
What’s learning and development like at Danaher—especially when you’re new?
I feel like the company has really invested in not just what I need to complete a project, but my own personal development. When I joined, there was a well-defined onboarding plan, and it was customized to my background. I had a lot of mentoring from not only my own manager but the specialists we work with in project management and compliance. And the guidance went beyond just a few hours of training—it was continuous support until I felt completely confident on my own. There are also a lot of opportunities to learn new tools and skills here, not only through the Danaher Business System but externally as well. For example, when we decided to implement a SAFe workflow, which stands for scaled agile framework, I was able to get certified and do a six-day training.
I started at Radiometer as a project manager, and I’ve also had a lot of support moving into my current role—even in terms of deciding whether I wanted it at all. My boss and the management team thought I could succeed in a people management role, but they didn’t push or just throw me into it. We talked about what it would take, the challenges I’d face, and the training I’d need, especially managing a team that’s located all over the world. I decided to go for it, and now I’ve brought on my first new team member and we’re in talks about expanding the team further.
Tell us about some of your challenges.
One that comes to mind is shifting from a kanban workflow to a scrum-based system, and then to SAFe. That was a couple of years ago, when I was in the project manager role, and there were a lot of reservations at first. We have a wide diversity of experience on our team, including some associates who have been with Radiometer for decades and were used to a certain process. Plus, we were on a deadline to deliver a project, so people worried about changing the process and structure.
I think what really helped was the message from management that it was okay to fail. My manager was very much an ambassador for SAFe, but we still framed it as something we’d try for one release. If it succeeded, we’d expand from there. And that’s exactly what happened—we established the foundation, and the rest of the department is now making the same transition.
Another challenge has been bridging the cultural gap in terms of geography. Here in Denmark, people tend to be quite upfront, whereas in India, people might not argue with someone more senior to them out of respect, even if they don’t actually fully agree. And of course, we all have different personalities, which can also create communication gaps. I remember we did an interesting exercise during a team-building workshop—we gave everyone the same sentence, and then each of us shared how we interpreted it. Our answers were so different! I think experiences like that have helped us open up a bit to understand and celebrate our differences. Before the COVID-19 outbreak, we also made sure to travel at least once per quarter; the team in Copenhagen would visit the team in India, or vice versa. We also had a company-sponsored “ONE team” event in Dubai for a week, where both teams participated. That time being face-to-face and solving problems together is so important.
What’s different about leading a distributed team during COVID-19?
The pandemic has definitely prompted me to adjust my leadership approach. Some of it is logistical, like arranging for shipping when an associate needs physical access to a device, but most of it is just making sure people have support. Some of our team members have very young kids, or kids at home who would normally be at school, and they might need more flexibility around when they work. Trust is important; it’s my job as a manager to set expectations, but I don’t want to pressure people to do exactly what I would do or to keep certain hours.
We in the management team have also tried to put some extra effort towards knowing the temperature of the team, whether people are feeling stressed—and making sure they feel comfortable speaking up. That can be tougher not only because we’re missing our quarterly visits, but because even those of us who usually work in the same place haven’t seen each other for so long. But we do our daily stand-ups on video, and if I notice someone more introverted seems uncomfortable raising an issue with the full team, I’ll bring it up during their one-on-one and see how I can help.
What are you looking forward to right now?
Beyond things opening up so we can all get together again, we have a release coming up near the end of the year that will be a major milestone for our team. We’re working toward rolling out a new generation product in 2024, and this is the step that will set us up for the next two years.
After that, we’re planning to scale the team a bit, and I’m particularly hopeful that we’ll be able to add more diversity, in terms of both location and gender. As a company, Radiometer actually has a lot of female associates, but not as many as we’d like to have within IT and software in particular. I’d love to see that change, in part because I know firsthand how much Radiometer supports employees from all backgrounds, including women and mothers. When I joined, I was going through a divorce and custody arrangements, and the management team and my colleagues were extremely caring, not only in terms of giving me the flexibility I needed to take care of my son, but just checking in on me now and then to see if there was anything I needed. That touched my heart, and I know it’s part of how we can not only attract great and diverse people, but make sure they stay. At our headquarters here in Copenhagen, we have something called the “Wall of Fame,” with pictures of associates who have been here 25 years or even longer. I hope my picture, and pictures of my team members, will be up on that wall someday.
Interested in joining Kirti and the rest of the Radiometer team? Check out open roles across Danaher or join our talent community today.
