In the field of biomedical services, engineers work with imaging equipment such as MRI machines.
Service engineers must install and maintain machinery in service, regardless of its location. The combination of complex machinery with computerized operations required these technicians to specialize, becoming experts on one type of machine. When the equipment is too big for the engineer to move easily, he should go to him. Field service engineer jobs can exist in almost any field, but are especially common in the banking, manufacturing, and medical industries.
Certification in the maintenance of certain types of equipment may be required to become a field service engineer.
In the banking industry, field service engineering jobs may include ATM maintenance and installation. Banks often outsource this work to the original manufacturer or distributor of these machines. As most of these organizations work with specialized teams, they often offer their own training. As a result, an associate’s degree in a related field is preferred, but not necessarily required for employment. However, exposing each engineer to large sums of money requires extensive criminal background checks to ensure the reliability of the workers.
Service engineers may be tasked with routinely checking and maintaining equipment in a manufacturing plant.
Biomedical field service engineer jobs are specialty positions that deal primarily with medical diagnostic equipment. The complexity of certain equipment, such as positron emission tomography (PET) scanners and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) machines, may require specialization. However, smaller machines such as ultrasound and X-ray equipment can often be repaired by generally trained field technicians. Again, such an engineer is rarely employed by an individual health facility; he or she usually works for the agency that rents or sells the equipment.
Field service engineers must understand the importance of accurate calibration of manufacturing equipment.
Medical centers may require an on-site technician to ensure proper operation of certain essential biomedical equipment. Field service engineer jobs of this type often work with life support systems such as ventilators and neonatal incubation units. Knowledge of laboratory testing devices and patient monitoring equipment is often necessary. Typically, an engineer with this ability is hired directly by a hospital, but independent contractor opportunities exist in this area.
In some cases, field service engineer jobs are teaching positions. These individuals are often hired by equipment manufacturers to educate consumers on the maintenance and repair of their products. Assignments for these types of engineers often require classroom settings and hands-on instruction at the purchasing organization’s location.
Educational requirements for field engineers vary widely, but most positions require a two-year degree in electronics or a closely related field. Additional certifications in the repair and maintenance of specific machines or experience with certain equipment may also be required. These jobs, by definition, require frequent travel.