Field Engineering Specialist - Mass Spectrometry - Washington

F. Hoffmann-La Roche AG; Indianapolis (IN); On-site; USD 69,000 - 128,000; Full time

Job summary

Roche is seeking a Field Engineering Specialist – Mass Spectrometry to provide hands-on field service, maintenance, and installation of cobas i601 systems across customer laboratories in your territory.

You will troubleshoot mechanical and software issues, support routine workflows, and coordinate with National Engineers on escalations while maintaining strong customer relationships.

Qualifications

• Requires 5 years of progressive experience repairing or servicing mechanical/system hardware and software, or networking/wireless networking.
• Bachelor’s degree in Biomedical/Mechanical/Electrical Engineering, Chemistry or related field plus 1–2 years of progressive experience.
• High school diploma plus 2 years technical school or equivalent military training or experience.
• Ability to travel, including overnight travel, is required.

Responsibilities

• Deliver regional field engineering support: service, repair, calibrate, and install cobas i601 systems and automation.
• Perform hardware maintenance on UHVac pumps, ESI/APCI sources, ion optics, RF/DC quadrupoles, and high‑pressure LC pumps.
• Execute preventive maintenance: rebuild/oil vacuum pumps, clean ion sources, replace LC components, optimize MS performance.
• Diagnose hardware and software failures using TICs, mass spectra, and tuning logs.
• Provide applications/workflow support and guidance on operational practices and vacuum integrity.
• Collaborate with National Engineers on high‑complexity accounts and escalations.
• Maintain customer relationships and service documentation; participate in after‑hours support as required.

Skills

Field service

Mass spectrometry

Preventive maintenance

Troubleshooting

Education

Bachelor's degree in a related field

Tools

Vacuum pumps

Ion sources

LC components

Job description

Position

Field Engineering Specialist – Mass Spectrometry - Washington

The Opportunity

Roche Support Network offers an exciting opportunity for individuals who are passionate about problem-solving and technical service excellence. As a Field Engineering Specialist – Mass Spectrometry, you will provide primary field engineering support, routine maintenance, and system installation for Roche’s fully automated mass spectrometry platform, the cobas i601, across customer laboratories within your assigned territory. Unlike traditional Core Lab liquid-phase diagnostic systems, automated clinical mass spectrometry introduces complex gas-phase ion physics, ultra-high vacuum (UHV) environments, and extreme-pressure fluidics. In this role, you will perform hands‑on technical repair, system maintenance, and basic applications workflow support—partnering closely with National Field Engineering Specialists on complex escalations and multi‑system accounts.

Key Responsibilities

• Deliver Regional Field Engineering Support: Showcase your technical expertise in servicing, repairing, calibrating, and installing cobas i601 mass spectrometry systems and associated automation in customer laboratories throughout your assigned territory.
• Perform Hardware Maintenance: Maintain specialized mass spec hardware, including ultra‑high vacuum (UHV) pumps, atmospheric pressure ionization (ESI/APCI) sources, electromagnetic ion optics, oscillating RF/DC quadrupoles, and high‑pressure LC fluidic pumps operating at thousands of PSI.
• Execute Targeted Preventive Maintenance: Perform deep molecular‑pathway preventive maintenance, including rebuilding and oiling vacuum pumps, cleaning ion sources and sampling capillaries, replacing LC components, and optimizing MS performance.
• Diagnose Hardware & Scientific Failures: Diagnose and resolve mechanical, electronic, software, and gas/fluidic failures. Utilize data output—such as Total Ion Chromatograms (TIC), mass spectra (m/z ratios), and tuning logs—to troubleshoot hardware performance issues.
• Applications & Workflow Support: Collaborate with customer operators and FAS teams to support routine applications workflows. Provide guidance on basic operational practices, fluidic maintenance, vacuum integrity, and minimizing chemical interference/contamination.
• Collaborate with National Engineers: Work closely with Advanced Engineering Specialists on high‑complexity accounts, major account rollouts, and advanced technical escalations.
• Maintain Customer Relationships & Operational Excellence: Serve as a primary technical contact for service‑related issues, perform scheduled PMs, and maintain accurate service documentation using Roche's CRM system. Participate in on‑call rotations, providing after‑hours or weekend support as required.

Who You Are

• High school diploma and 2 years of technical school or equivalent military training or equivalent work experience.
• 5 years of progressive experience repairing or servicing mechanical/system hardware and software, or networking/wireless networking.
• A Bachelor’s degree in Biomedical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Chemistry or related field plus 1‑2 years of progressive experience repairing or servicing complex mechanical/system hardware and software, or networking/wireless networking.
• Successfully training or certification as defined by RD Services Leadership and policy.
• Ability to travel, including some overnight travel, is require.
• This is a field‑based role covering Washington, depending on customer needs. Travel: Overnight travel within the territory is expected > 50% of the time based on customer maintenance, service, and installation schedules.

Preferred Qualifications

• 4+ years of experience with a Bachelor’s degree in a relevant field (or 8+ years of progressive technical experience) servicing analytical chemistry instrumentation, clinical mass spectrometry platforms, or high‑pressure fluidic systems.
• Hands‑on experience operating, servicing, or troubleshooting mass spectrometry platforms (LC‑MS/MS), liquid chromatography (HPLC/UHPLC), or vacuum systems.
• Technical Competency: Familiarity with vacuum leak detectors, mass calibration tuning fluids, RF/DC voltage tools, and nitrogen gas flow measurement.
• Applications & Science Literacy: Basic understanding of gas‑phase physics, m/z ratio detection, and sample matrix effects to aid in diagnostic troubleshooting.
• Team Collaboration: Strong desire to work cross‑functionally with FAS colleagues and leads to resolve operational issues quickly.
• Customer Skills: Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with a track record of building positive relationships with lab operators and managers.

Relocation benefits are not available for this job posting.

The expected salary range for this position based on the primary location of Washington is 68,900.00- 127,900.00 USD Annual. Actual pay will be determined based on experience, qualifications, geographic location, and other job‑related factors permitted by law. A discretionary annual bonus may be available based on individual and Company performance. This position also qualifies for the benefits detailed at the link provided below.

Benefits

Who we are A healthier future drives us to innovate. Together, more than 100’000 employees across the globe are dedicated to advance science, ensuring everyone has access to healthcare today and for generations to come. Our efforts result in more than 26 million people treated with our medicines and over 30 billion tests conducted using our Diagnostics products. We empower each other to explore new possibilities, foster creativity, and keep our ambitions high, so we can deliver life‑changing healthcare solutions that make a global impact. Let’s build a healthier future, together. Roche is an equal opportunity employer. It is our policy and practice to employ, promote, and otherwise treat any and all employees and applicants on the basis of merit, qualifications, and competence. The company's policy prohibits unlawful discrimination, including but not limited to, discrimination on the basis of Protected Veteran status, individuals with disabilities status, and consistent with all federal, state, or local laws. If you have a disability and need an accommodation in relation to the online application process, please contact us by completing this form Accommodations for Applicants. We believe it’s urgent to deliver medical solutions right now – even as we develop innovations for the future. We are passionate about transforming patients’ lives. We are courageous in both decision and action. And we believe that good business means a better world. That is why we come to work each day. We commit ourselves to scientific rigor, unassailable ethics, and access to medical innovations for all. We do this today to build a better tomorrow. We are proud of who we are, what we do, and how we do it. We are many, working as one across functions, across companies, and across the world. We are Roche.