Prior to being a Confocal Microscope Service Engineer, I worked at the Bio-Rad manufacturing facilities in Watford and Hemel Hempstead (U.K.) for eight years. Upon completing my further education in Electronic Servicing I began my journey in Confocal Microscopy. During the four and a half years before becoming a Service Engineer, I was heavily involved in every step of the Confocal Microscope production process including: populating circuit boards, making cables and sub assemblies. I configured the system computers and completely built, assembled and commissioned both the MRC600 and the MRC1024 systems. Also within this time I worked alongside the Research and Development team to help design and improve the MRC1024 Tower Controller and the Radiance Manual Control Unit (MCU).
I then worked for twelve years as a Confocal Service Engineer within the Service teams of Bio-Rad Laboratories, Bio-Rad Laboratories Europe Ltd, Bio-Rad Europe, Bio-Rad Microscience and Carl Zeiss Ltd. In due course I was promoted to the position of Senior Confocal Service Engineer. Within these positions, I carried out over 1000 service visits in many countries including Belgium, Brazil, China, Denmark, England, Finland, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Hungary, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Scotland, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and Wales.
My next job after working on the Bio-Rad Confocal systems was at Olympus UK as an Advanced Product Support Specialist (Confocal). In this role I provided support for the 50 company installed systems throughout mainland UK. In addition to this I was responsible for the set-up and smooth running of the demonstration systems for each potential customer evaluation, assisted in the sales process by providing both sales & technical support, helping to man the company’s trade stand at exhibitions and delivering training on workshop courses.
I then started to work as a consultant on a freelance basis, working on the Bio-Rad Confocal system for a number of Institutes, which included The John Radcliff Hospital, The Marine Biological Association, Warwick University and the Wellcome Trust.
In March 2011, I set myself up in business as a sole trader in the name of “Steves Optical Services” offering my professional services to the industry in the UK and overseas. My customer base has now increased to over 35 institutes, which is growing all the time, including Bristol University, Cambridge University, Dundee University, Edinburgh University, Oxford University, Seoul University, University College London and the University of New Mexico.
Olympus stopped making spare parts for the FlouView FV500 in 2017 and in 2018 for the FV300 Confocal systems. In 2019 all support stopped meaning I could now add these to my portfolio of systems I am able to support.
With a portfolio of over 70 customers now, from all around the world an opportunity arose in early 2019 for me to take over the functions of LSM Technical Services Ltd which also included their premises and stock holding. When the transfer was completed in May 2019 it meant that I now had the largest stock holding in the world, a vast array of written and digital material which results in me being able to provide a more complete level of service and support.