Product Support Engineer

Essential Functions:

1. Acquire, maintain and disseminate expert-level knowledge of the full Lumencor product portfolio (including both current and legacy products) and their applications.
2. Respond promptly to technical questions submitted by external customers or Lumencor sales staff. Technical questions are submitted by phone, e-mail or website chat interface.
3. Manage the Return Material Authorization (RMA) process to facilitate factory service of Lumencor products. Lead weekly review meeting for prioritization of current service cases with Engineering, Customer Service and Quality Assurance teams. Prepare and send cost quotations for out-of-warranty repairs. Respond to customer questions on progress of repairs and estimated shipping dates.
4. Coordinate the deployment of Lumencor’s fleet of demonstration products as required, working with the sales team, the engineering service team and the customer service team.
5. Generate support documentation for installation and operation of Lumencor products including operations manuals, product data sheets and instructional videos.
6. Collaborate with sales team to understand customer requirements, to promote the sale of company products, and to provide sales support.
7. Prepare and deliver technical presentations that explain products or services to customers and prospective customers.
8. Design, set up, perform and analyze laboratory tests for evaluation and validation of Lumencor products.
9. Supporting product installations at customer sites either in person or via video conference.

Other Duties

Please note, this job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties or responsibilities that are required of the employee for this job. Duties, responsibilities and activities may change at any time with or without notice.

Competencies

1. Customer Service — Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer service. This includes timely response to inquiries and requests, assessment of customer needs, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.
2. Engineering and Technology — Knowledge of the practical application of light microscopy techniques. Familiarity with life science applications that employ fluorescence microscopy. This includes applying principles, techniques, procedures and equipment to the design of basic research.
3. Troubleshooting — Ability to obtain conclusive statements of customer-reported problems by asking appropriate follow-up questions. Ability to discriminate between user error and abnormal product performance issues requiring factory service. Ability to relate customer-reported problems to past precedents and to identify supporting data required to ascertain root causes.
4. Written Communication — Ability to assemble technical information from multiple sources into clear, concise standard English text for communication by e-mail. Ability to use tables, graphics and attached documents to enhance effectiveness of written communications.
5. Verbal Communication — Ability to assemble technical information from multiple sources into clear verbal communications to individuals and small groups.
6. Computer Skills — Proficiency with standard office desktop applications including e-mail, voice mail, calendar, word processing, spreadsheets and databases. Experience with video conferencing applications such as Microsoft Teams, Facetime, Zoom or Google Meet. Experience using remote desktop platforms e.g. TeamViewer.
7. Data analysis — Ability to extract data from databases and manipulate and analyze it in spreadsheets or plotting programs. Ability to define conclusions from analysis and present them to colleagues and customers.
8. Sales and Marketing — Knowledge of the role of technical support as part of the total value proposition in sales and marketing of technically-oriented products and services to technically-oriented customers. Understanding of warranties as part of a total value proposition and ability to evaluate qualifying and disqualifying circumstances.
9. Information Protection — Ability to recognize and carry out the company’s requirements regarding protection of proprietary information. Understanding of the difference between proprietary (restricted) and customer-facing information. Ability to seek appropriate guidance if boundaries between restricted and customer-facing information are unclear.
10. Active Listening — Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times. Ability to probe for missing information and establish full understanding in conversations with customers whose first language may not be English.

Education Training and Experience

This position requires:

1. PhD from an accredited college or university in Biology, Chemistry, Physics or related fields. Research experience in optics, lasers and/or microscopy preferred.
2. 1+ years of technical support experience, ideally in optics, lasers and/or microscopy.
3. A work history and proven record of problem solving and working independently.
4. Experience in reading schematics, mechanical drawings, assembly documents and test procedures.
5. Familiarity with customer-facing processes for ordering, shipping, returning and servicing of products.

Skills and Abilities

Language Skills:

English language fluency. Ability to read, analyze, and interpret general business periodicals, professional journals, technical procedures, or governmental regulations. Ability to write reports, business correspondence, and procedure manuals. Ability to effectively present information and respond to questions from groups of managers, clients, customers, and the general public.

Mathematical Skills:

Ability to work with mathematical concepts such as probability and statistical inference. Ability to apply concepts such as fractions, percentages, ratios, and proportions to practical situations.

Reasoning Ability:

Ability to solve practical problems. Ability to assess weighting of determining factors in situations where only limited standardization exists. Ability to interpret a variety of instructions furnished in written, oral, diagram, or schedule form.

Computer Skills:

Proficiency as an end-user of database software and programs. Strong proficiency in office suite programs, including Microsoft Office and Apple iWork (Pages, Numbers, Keynote). Basic knowledge of computer science concepts, including file sharing, algorithms, data structures.

General Skills and Abilities:

Professionalism, Attention to Detail, Critical Thinking, Active Learning, Time Management, Active Listening, Judgement, Decision Making, Inductive and Deductive Reasoning, Problem Sensitivity, and Speech Clarity.

Tools and Equipment

Fluorescence microscope, scientific CMOS camera, fluorescence microplate reader, optical power meter, spectrometer, pulse generator, oscilloscope.

Physical Demands and Work Environment

Physical Demands

While performing the responsibilities of this job, the employee is required to talk and listen. Continual walking, standing, sitting, stooping, bending, kneeling, and reaching occurs, with some heavy lifting and carrying. The Product Support Engineer will occasionally lift up to 25 pounds.

Gross and fine motor skills, including movement control, finger dexterity, and sensitivity. The ability to keep your hand and arm steady while moving your arm or while holding your arm and hand in one position.

Vision Requirements

The Product Support Engineer will be required to rely on close vision, distance vision, peripheral vision, depth perception, ability to adjust focus, and ability to see color.

Work Environment and Conditions

Due to the nature of the products manufactured at Lumencor, the Product Support Engineer may potentially be exposed to risk of electrical shock, to caustic or hazardous chemicals, to lasers, visible and non-visible light which may be harmful to the eye.

Noise Level

The Product Support Engineer will be exposed to moderate noise level, similar to a business office, or light traffic.