US Field Service Engineer – Laboratory Automation
Labman Automation · USA, United States · remote
US Field Service Engineer - Laboratory Automation
Location: Greater Philadelphia area - Montgomery County, PA
Initially this role will be based at a customer site in western Montgomery County. Candidates must already live within a reasonable daily driving distance or be willing to relocate before starting. There will also be additional travel throughout the US to further support Labman customers.
Salary: $90,000 USD per annum
Employment Type: Full-time
About Labman
At Labman, we design and build bespoke automation systems that enable our customers to solve complex laboratory challenges.
Our technologies are used by customers across a range of industries, supporting everything from sample preparation and materials testing through to large-scale laboratory workflows. Every system we build is unique, combining automation, software, mechanical engineering and scientific expertise to deliver real-world solutions.
We're now looking for a US-based Field Service Engineer or Field Application Scientist to support our growing customer base across North America.
The Role
We're looking for somebody who enjoys understanding how complex systems work, diagnosing problems and finding practical solutions. You'll become the face of Labman for our US customers, providing technical support, troubleshooting issues and helping customers get the best from their automation systems.
You might currently be working with scientific instruments, analytical equipment, laboratory automation, robotics or other complex technical systems and be looking for a role that combines travel, problem-solving and customer interaction.
This is not a routine break-fix service position. Labman systems are bespoke, and a complete service manual or predefined troubleshooting procedure may not always be available. You will need to understand unfamiliar equipment quickly, develop and test hypotheses, interpret technical information, and work from first principles to identify the root cause of complex problems.
Success in this role comes from curiosity, practical thinking and a willingness to get hands-on.
What You'll Do
- Install and commission Labman Automation systems
- Carry out preventative maintenance, repairs and upgrades
- Troubleshoot mechanical, electrical and software-related issues
- Diagnose and resolve complex faults where, in some cases, no predefined troubleshooting process exists, using engineering drawings, electrical schematics, software logs and technical expertise to identify and implement solutions.
- Provide remote and onsite technical support
- Train customers following system installations
- Support system validation and acceptance testing activities
- Investigate faults and identify long-term corrective actions
- Work closely with Labman's UK engineering teams to resolve technical problems
- Document service activities and customer feedback
- Build strong relationships with customers and act as a trusted technical contact
Who We're Looking For
- You'll likely be successful in this role if you:
- Like helping customers and explaining technical concepts
- Enjoy working directly with equipment and technology
- Have experience in a laboratory environment
- Can confidently troubleshoot technical problems
- Are naturally curious and enjoy figuring out how things work
- Prefer practical application over purely academic research
Experience We'd Love to See
- Scientific instrumentation
- Analytical chemistry
- Laboratory automation
- Robotics
- Instrument support
- Technical customer support
- Applications scientist experience
- Laboratory-based troubleshooting and investigation
- Experience with systems such as HPLC, GC, spectroscopy, sample preparation equipment, automated laboratory systems or similar instrumentation would be particularly beneficial.
Qualifications & Experience
- Analytical or applied chemistry
- Chemical engineering
- Mechatronics, robotics or automation
- Mechanical or electrical engineering
- Scientific instrumentation
Laboratory science with significant equipment ownership and troubleshooting responsibility
A Master's degree or PhD can be valuable, particularly when accompanied by practical experience, but is not required. This is an applied, hands-on role rather than an academic research position.
We are looking for evidence that you have independently diagnosed complex equipment or process failures. Strong candidates may have around 3-5 years of relevant industry experience, although we will consider less conventional backgrounds where the required technical judgement is clearly demonstrated.
Experience supporting scientific instruments, automation platforms, robotics, HPLC, GC, spectroscopy, sample preparation equipment or comparable complex systems would be advantageous. Customer-facing service, commissioning, validation or applications-support experience is also desirable.
You should be comfortable diagnosing and resolving technical issues, interpreting engineering documentation and applying your scientific or engineering knowledge to solve problems in real-world environments. Experience providing customer-facing technical support, service or commissioning activities would be advantageous.