Scientific Instrument Engineer (Lc-Ms)

Fera Science; York and North Yorkshire; On-site; GBP 34,000 - 52,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

25 days’ holiday rising to 29

Flexible working hours

On-site gym

Restaurant on-site

Free parking

Discounted on-site nursery

Company matched pension

Life assurance

Cycle-to-work scheme

Long Term Incentive Plan (LTIP)

Job summary

Fera Science is seeking a Scientific Instrument Engineer to provide expert troubleshooting, maintenance, repair and qualification support for LC-MS, GC-MS and IC-MS systems across our labs in York. You will work with Waters, Agilent and Thermo platforms to maximise instrument uptime and data integrity.

You will collaborate with scientists, QA and external service engineers to coordinate repairs, ensure regulatory compliance and drive continuous improvement initiatives, while mentoring colleagues

Qualifications

• BSc (or equivalent) in Chemistry, Analytical Chemistry, Engineering, or related field.
• Strong chromatography and mass spectrometry knowledge to diagnose issues.
• Proven experience troubleshooting LC-MS/MS, GC-MS/MS, IC-MS/MS on Waters, Agilent and Thermo platforms.
• Ability to communicate with scientists, lab teams and external suppliers.
• Experience in quality, data integrity and regulatory standards.

Responsibilities

• Provide troubleshooting, maintenance, repair and qualification support for LC-MS, GC-MS and IC-MS instrumentation.
• Diagnose complex issues and minimise disruption to scientific activities.
• Coordinate repairs and maintenance with scientists, QA and external engineers.
• Support instrument compliance, data integrity and quality standards.
• Identify process improvements to boost instrument performance and efficiency.
• Develop business cases and proposals for new equipment and lab projects.
• Provide training and mentoring to colleagues to build capability.
• Act as SME for chromatography and MS instrumentation for analytical services.

Skills

Chromatography

Mass spectrometry

Troubleshooting

Maintenance

Repair

Communication

Problem-solving

Education

BSc in Chemistry / Analytical Chemistry / Engineering or related field

Tools

Waters instruments

Agilent instruments

Thermo instruments

Job description

Join us as a Scientific Instrument Engineer and make an invaluable contribution to our Food Safety & Biosecurity!

As an instrument engineer you will be providing expert troubleshooting, maintenance, repair, and qualification support for liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS), gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) and ion chromatography-mass spectrometry (IC-MS) systems, along with other similar instrumentation. Ensuring maximum instrument uptime, data integrity, and compliance with relevant quality and regulatory standards through primarily Waters, Agilent and Thermo products.

What you’ll be doing:

• Providing expert troubleshooting, maintenance, repair, and qualification support for LC-MS, GC-MS and IC-MS instrumentation, ensuring maximum uptime and performance across our laboratories.
• Diagnosing complex technical issues and implementing effective solutions to minimise disruption to scientific activities and customer delivery.
• Working closely with scientists, laboratory teams, quality colleagues, and external service engineers to coordinate repairs, maintenance activities, and continuous improvement initiatives.
• Supporting instrument compliance, data integrity, and adherence to quality standards within a regulated scientific environment.
• Identifying opportunities to improve processes, enhance instrument performance, and introduce innovative technical solutions that deliver operational efficiencies.
• Developing business cases and contributing to proposals for new equipment, technologies, and laboratory improvement projects.
• Providing technical guidance, training, and mentoring to colleagues, helping to build capability and promote scientific excellence across the organisation.
• Acting as a subject matter expert for chromatography and mass spectrometry instrumentation, supporting the successful delivery of analytical services to internal and external customers.

What we’re looking for:

• A BSc (or equivalent experience) in Chemistry, Analytical Chemistry, Biomedical Science, Engineering, or a related scientific/technical discipline.
• A strong understanding of chromatography and mass spectrometry principles, with the ability to diagnose complex technical issues and implement effective solutions.
• Proven experience troubleshooting, maintaining, and repairing LC-MS/MS, GC-MS/MS, IC-MS/MS and similar instrumentation, specifically Waters, Agilent and Thermo platforms.
• The ability to build strong working relationships and communicate effectively with scientists, operational teams, quality professionals, and external suppliers.
• A proactive mindset, with a passion for innovation and identifying opportunities to improve processes, instrumentation performance, and service delivery.
• Experience working within a laboratory or scientific environment, with an understanding of quality standards, compliance requirements, and data integrity principles.

What’s in it for you:

• 25 days’ holiday (rising to 29) with the opportunity to buy & sell extra leave.
• Flexible working hours, on-site gym, restaurant, free parking and a discounted on-site nursery.
• The opportunity to take a paid day out of the office, volunteering for our charity partners or a cause of your choice
• Company matched pension, life assurance, a cycle2work scheme, 15 weeks’ fully paid maternity, adoption and shared parental leave, paternity pay of two weeks…and plenty more.
• Voluntary benefits designed to suit your lifestyle – from discounts on retail and socialising, to health & wellbeing, travel and technology
• Fera operates a LTIP ( Long Term Incentive Plan) under which all employees are awarded points towards shares in the Employee Benefits Trust on an annual basis. The Employee Benefits Trust holds shares on behalf of our employee, at the point of an equity event the shares will realise a cash value.

We’re an equal opportunity employer, which means we recruit and develop people based on their merit and passion. We’re committed to providing an inclusive, barrier-free recruitment process and working environment for everyone. If you need the job description or application form in an alternative format or if you’d like to discuss other changes or support you might need going forward, please email at and we’ll get back to you.