Service engineers are required to install and maintain machinery, regardless of where it is located. Because of the combination of complex machinery and computerized operations, these technicians have had to specialize, becoming experts on a single machine type. When the engineer’s equipment is too large to be moved easily, he or she must go to it. Field service engineer jobs can be found in almost any industry, but they are most common in banking, manufacturing, and medicine.
Field service engineer jobs in the banking industry may include the maintenance and installation of automated teller machines (ATMs). Frequently, banks outsource this work to the machine’s original manufacturer or retailer. Because most of these businesses use specialized equipment, they frequently provide their own training. As a result, while having an associate’s degree in a related field is preferred, it is not required for employment. However, because each engineer is exposed to large sums of money, extensive criminal background checks are required to ensure worker trustworthiness.
Jobs as a biomedical field service engineer are specialized positions that work with medical diagnostic equipment. Certain machines, such as positron emission tomography (PET) scanners and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) machines, may necessitate specialization due to their complexity. Smaller machines, such as ultrasound and X-ray machines, are frequently serviced by general-purpose field technicians. Again, this type of engineer is rarely employed by a single health-care facility; instead, he or she works for the company that rents or sells the equipment.
To ensure the proper operation of certain critical biomedical equipment, medical centers may require the presence of a technician on-site. These types of field service engineer jobs usually deal with life support systems like ventilators and neonatal incubation units. It is frequently necessary to have knowledge of laboratory testing devices and patient monitoring equipment. In most cases, an engineer in this position is directly employed by a hospital, but there are independent contractor opportunities in this field.
Field service engineer jobs can also be teaching positions in some cases. Equipment manufacturers typically hire these individuals to teach consumers how to maintain and repair their products. Assignments for these engineers typically include both classroom and hands-on training at the purchasing organization’s location.
Field engineers have a wide range of educational requirements, but most positions require a two-year degree in electronics or a closely related field. Additional training in the repair and maintenance of specific machinery, as well as experience with specific equipment, may be required. By definition, these jobs necessitate frequent travel.