Field Engineering Specialist - Mass Spectrometry - Washington

Roche; Washington; On-site; USD 90,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

Roche in Washington seeks a Field Engineering Specialist for the cobas i601 mass spectrometry platform. You will perform hands-on maintenance, installation, and service in customer laboratories across your territory.

The role requires strong troubleshooting skills, experience with analytical instrumentation, and willingness to travel up to 50% of the time to cover assignments and installations. You will coordinate with National Field Engineering Specialists on escalations and work closely with

Qualifications

• High school diploma and 2 years of technical school or equivalent military training or equivalent work experience.
• 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.
• Training or certification as defined by RD Services Leadership and policy

Responsibilities

• Deliver Regional Field Engineering Support: service, repair, calibrate, and install cobas i601 MS systems and automation in customer labs.
• Perform Hardware Maintenance: maintain MS hardware including UHV pumps, ESI/APCI sources, electromagnetic ion optics, RF/DC quadrupoles, high‑pressure LC pumps.
• Execute Targeted Preventive Maintenance: rebuild oil vacuum pumps, clean ion sources, replace LC components, optimize MS performance.
• Diagnose Hardware & Scientific Failures: troubleshoot mechanical, electronic, software and gas/fluidic issues using TIC, mass spectra, tuning logs.
• Applications & Workflow Support: assist customers with routine workflows, fluidic maintenance, vacuum integrity, and contamination control.
• Collaborate with National Engineers: work with Advanced Engineering Specialists on complex accounts and major rollouts.
• Maintain Customer Relationships: act as primary technical contact, perform PMs, and document activities in Roche CRM; participate in on‑call rotations.

Skills

Field service

Mass spectrometry

Troubleshooting

Preventive maintenance

Travel readiness

Education

High school diploma + technical school

Bachelor’s degree in Biomedical/Mechanical/Electrical Engineering or related field

RD Services certification / equivalent

Tools

LC-MS/MS

Job description

At Roche you can show up as yourself, embraced for the unique qualities you bring. Our culture encourages personal expression, open dialogue, and genuine connections, where you are valued, accepted and respected for who you are, allowing you to thrive both personally and professionally. This is how we aim to prevent, stop and cure diseases and ensure everyone has access to healthcare today and for generations to come. Join Roche, where every voice matters.

The 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.

As a Field Engineering Specialist - Mass Spectrometry, you will:

• 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 OR 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-functionall