Pros
This role offers a high degree of flexibility, allowing you to set your own schedule while benefiting from supportive neighboring FSEs who are willing to help when you encounter challenging problems. The company car is a valuable perk, and the work itself is varied, as you visit different sites each day rather than remaining in the same building or on the same equipment. Many lab managers are professional, appreciative, and often thank you for quick service turnaround times. In addition, the company provides strong technical training for Field Service Engineers at its Bedford and San Diego locations, helping to ensure you are well-prepared for the job.
Cons
The company appears to prioritize FSEs’ feelings over effective customer service, yet customers—especially lab managers—will not hesitate to hold you solely accountable when issues arise. Management frequently micromanages carefully planned schedules, only to change them abruptly to address urgent needs for large network customers, and senior FSEs can feel singled out by leadership. Questioning or challenging unclear or impractical policies is often met with defensiveness, and these issues, combined with very high FSE turnover and below‑market compensation, create a difficult work environment. You should expect to work most weekends because, even if you are not formally on call, the territory is large and the nearest FSE is expected to respond to fix a down analyzer. In addition, management’s focus on protecting their bonuses, which are tied to FSE overtime, can leave you caught between meeting customer expectations and being fairly compensated for your time. Overall, there is a clear disconnect between upper management—who often lack field service experience—and finance‑driven leaders, resulting in metrics that are nearly impossible to achieve while maintaining both inventory standards and customer satisfaction, especially as the company grows rapidly without hiring additional FSEs to support that growth.