Vacancy: Electronic Test and Repair Technician (Mitcham, Surrey, UK)

[Cicero]

Hi there chaps,

My company is looking for an Electronic Test and Repair Tech, please comment here or PM me for more info if you are interested, or if you can recommend someone I'd be very appreciative.

Thanks

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Purpose of the role: To undertake testing, repairs, and routine servicing of smoke and haze machines, and other special effects equipment.


Key Responsibilities:

Fault finding to component level of simple PCB assemblies

Repair of equipment by module and/or component replacement

Testing of repaired PCB assemblies, electrical and electronic equipment

Processing repair paperwork

Technical assistance (via email and telephone) to customers

Capable of working independently


Need to know:

Solid fundamental understanding of electronic principles

Practical knowledge of basic electronic test equipment (multimeters, oscilloscopes)

Understanding of electronic schematics and wiring diagrams

Practical electrical and electronic skills (wiring, soldering, crimping)

Practical mechanical skills

 

[Cicero]

Bump... still looking.

 

[tomizett]

Looks like we're in the same line of business... I'm in the repair shop at a large rental house in Liverpool. We don't stock your gear I don't think, but it does cross our benches from time to time - nice kit, if I remember rightly.
Is it just repair at Mitcham, or do you have R&D or manufacturing there, too?

Servicing smoke & haze must keep you busy - those machines get a hard life, being damp and full of gunk all the time. I'll freely admit that they're not my favourate gear to work on!

I'll keep and ear to the ground and see if anyone knowns anyone who'd be interested.

 

[Cicero]

Looks like we're in the same line of business... I'm in the repair shop at a large rental house in Liverpool. We don't stock your gear I don't think, but it does cross our benches from time to time - nice kit, if I remember rightly.
Is it just repair at Mitcham, or do you have R&D or manufacturing there, too?

Servicing smoke & haze must keep you busy - those machines get a hard life, being damp and full of gunk all the time. I'll freely admit that they're not my favourate gear to work on!

I'll keep and ear to the ground and see if anyone knowns anyone who'd be interested.

Hey Tomizett, yeah you are correct!! We do R&D, manufacturing and repair in Mitcham. The abuse smoke+haze machines get always baffles me, they get treated like there's no electronics in them at all, its insane. The gunk of a 20year old machine is something else, haahha

Thanks for keeping a lookout for someone. We're looking for someone who can process routine repairs/servicing, but also work closely with R&D during the development phase on test procedures/requirements. Our current tech is retiring mid year, taking a stackload of expertise with him, so we're hoping to find someone in the next month or two so they can spend some decent overlap time with him.

 

[Nigel Goodwin]

I'd be interested, but it's too far away

 

[tomizett]

Yea, sounds like a good opportunity for someone (so long at they don't mind getting a bit sticky).
Repair work can be a bit frustrating, and I must admit that I'd like the chance to work more closely with R&D/manufacturing people sometimes. With ever-growing companies and conglomerates it's getting harder and hard to "close the loop" between the service tech and the designer. There are a few small companies still designing and building in the UK though, and it's a real treat to pick up the phone and actually speak to someone who knows (and probably worked on) the product.

 

[Cicero]

I'd be interested, but it's too far away

We'd be very lucky to have someone of your caliber

Yea, sounds like a good opportunity for someone (so long at they don't mind getting a bit sticky).
Repair work can be a bit frustrating, and I must admit that I'd like the chance to work more closely with R&D/manufacturing people sometimes. With ever-growing companies and conglomerates it's getting harder and hard to "close the loop" between the service tech and the designer. There are a few small companies still designing and building in the UK though, and it's a real treat to pick up the phone and actually speak to someone who knows (and probably worked on) the product.

Yeah, we're a very small team and it comes with its advantages and disadvantages. It is a rather unique environment these days, but I find it nice and varied enough to keep me interested.

 

[Ian Rogers]

There are a few small companies still designing and building in the UK though, and it's a real treat to pick up the phone and actually speak to someone who knows (and probably worked on) the product.

I must fit in there somewhere... I design, build, sell, invoice, trouble shoot, install and market all my products... How's that for a small company!!!

 

[cmartinez]

I'd be interested, but it's too far away

So am I ... both interested and waaaayyyy too far away ...

 

[picbits]

Out of curiosity, what kind of calibre applicants are you getting ? We've been advertising for technicians / engineers for a while now and had some rather "interesting" applicants.

 

[Cicero]

We're getting a mixed bag of applicants.

Majority just not the right fit.
Some are over qualified (Masters degrees etc) but from backgrounds not necessarily in electronics.
Many way under qualified (cooks, barmen, shop assistant, insert random title here).
One or two candidates we were keen on (with not quite the perfect technical electronics experience) but with the right attitude and personality fit. Unfortunately we were just too late in our decision making for that couple and we missed out on them.

Its a tough process thats for sure.

 

[picbits]

Sounds similar to my experience. I had one person turn up for an interview in jeans and a teeshirt.

Have you had the "worked for 20 years on an oil rig and earn £100k+ a year but will settle for £5ok a year to be closer to home" yet ?

 

[Cicero]

Sounds similar to my experience. I had one person turn up for an interview in jeans and a teeshirt.

Have you had the "worked for 20 years on an oil rig and earn £100k+ a year but will settle for £5ok a year to be closer to home" yet ?

Oooh, haha, something to look forward to.

 

[tomizett]

We have had some trouble on a recent round of recruiting for repair techs, too. A lot of people from general technical backgrounds (metalworkers, welders, electricians, fitters etc) but, again, not a lot of relevent electronics experience. Unfortunately, we're not geared up to pay the sort of wages that a formally qualified and expereinced "Engineer" (with a capital E) would expect. We did take on a fresh EE graduate, though, who has proved to be very good.

We did, eventually, find an experienced repair technician with good skills - but failed to keep him! He left after a couple of months... perhaps it was me?
On a brighter note we took on at the same time a young chap to specialise in software support who, despite apparently not having a massive grounding in electronics, has an increduble knack for fixing things (his previous work was in consumer electronics repair, phones, laptops etc).

I'm sure there must be good tinkerers out there (we're always hearing how hobby electronics is on the up), they're probably just not the kind of people who are easy to find.

 

[Cicero]

Any suggestions on where to advertise for this post? We really need to ramp up exposure.

 

[unclejed613]

have you tried the forhire reddit? https://www.reddit.com/r/forhire/ or the ECE reddit? https://www.reddit.com/r/ECE/

 

[Cicero]

I haven't. I've listed it on Indeed and Reed.co.uk at the moment.

 

[large_ghostman]

Hate to say it but facebook and twitter, although you get swamped with Randoms.

The hobby side is one the few places where people get close to circuit board level servicing! Or avionics, a friend has just left uni with a masters in avionic electronic systems. Starting salaries are 35,000 feet above my pay grade . A small company down the road has just opened, they advertised for someone with soldering experience. I got an interview and they offered me a 4 week trial no pay!

I even took in some boards i had made from scratch, despite apparently liking them and despite soldering up one of there boards on the spot, they still wanted a 4 week free trial period?? I would have turned them down anyway, something wrong about a company that uses £10 soldering irons!

They make some kind of light system looking at the board, not sure they going to be around long.

 

[Cicero]

Luckily we found someone, managed to snag one of the good ones after his other offer fell through due to unforeseen circumstances.

LG, I'm surprised they questioned you after showing them all you've done. 4 weeks trial is a right piss take, no pay means they just wanted to get free soldering done the bastards.

 

[picbits]

Good news Cicero - we're still interviewing !