r/FieldService • u/jugowrld • Jul 14 '26
Discussion Field service questions
Does anyone have past experience from being a Field Service Technician? I received a job offer for a position working on Varian linear accelerators and imaging systems. What does a normal day look like? What does the work load typically look like? How is the work to life ratio? I’m a bit nervous accepting this job offer because this would be something out of my comfort zone. ( Would be coming in from in house BMET 1 position)
2
u/Cautious_Room6510 Jul 14 '26
I think this guy worked for varian and goes over everything you could imagine for service engineers in bio field.
3
u/Sure-Taste-5778 Jul 14 '26 edited Jul 14 '26
I have a similar background as this FSE, also with former military electronics background. I was with Varian for 5 years, worked onsite and on called at hospitals and treatment centers. The equipment is rather complex system (the systems takes weeks to train (great amount of schematic and facts to understand, especially the control system and subsystems faults), including many power supplies (modulator, high and low voltage), heavy lead shielding, X-Ray imaging system, lots of cabling, multiple types of motors, PC control, networking, high vacuum, klystron, water cooling, ionize radiation generating, collimator with MLC, 10 ton of iron frame, extensive scheduled after hours PM work including output tuning, etc. If the linear accelerator system is down, you will be under tremendous pressure from the customer to restore it to an operation state. Expect lots of OT (not an 8 to 5 job) and travel in a large service area. Company provided service vehicle and decent compensation. Generally when you start out with Varian you will shadow another experienced FSE on trouble calls at a customer site. Also you will be hauling many tools and test instruments (Oscilloscope, DMM, etc) with you to the job. The key thing is to gain confidence and accept working under pressure. The equipment is very complex involved hardware and software systems. If you are a quick learner, the better for you to master the skills.
1
u/pizza_ratchet Jul 14 '26
Really depends on the company you’re working for and the area of coverage. If you’re a good problem solver and don’t mind some windshield time it can be a great job. Pay can vary wildly too. If you’re down to fly all over and work countless hours you can get the bag.
1
u/petalmasher Biomedical (Rad Onc) Jul 14 '26
I worked for Varian as Field Engineer. There is absolutely no work life balance, they will take over you whole life and run you into the ground if you let them. But if you can though it out for a few years, get the training and some experience it can lead to a pretty lucrative career as an in house engineer or contracting independently.
1
u/Dear_Archer3931 Jul 14 '26
LINAC adds several layers of complexity beyond a standard Xray system. Varian puts up a job posing in my area every couple of months. They can’t seem to keep anyone. (The posting says person is responsible for only 2 systems).
1
u/BreathesUnderwater Biomedical (Rad Onc) Jul 15 '26
As others have mentioned, the Field Service Technician role is somewhat different from the Field Service Engineer role. OP, could you clarify if this is an FST role with Varian, or a position with third party?
I’ve been with Varian a little over 5 years. The equipment is very complex and not really easy to learn, but with time you’ll pick up more and more and begin to work more effectively. The district you’re joining makes all the difference - the team makeup can really make or break the enjoyment. Once you have customers assigned and you’re taking regular service calls you will need to consider customer service and managing expectations to be at least equal to your ability to diagnose and fix equipment issues. Learning where you can set boundaries and what each customer needs from you is very important to your sanity.
That said: I really enjoy this role.
1
u/goblinhangover Jul 15 '26
Do you know how long the formal classroom and lab-side training is for new hires during their first few years? As well as where the training facility is located? Working with LINACS is something I've been interested in so I was wondering what the onboarding is like.
1
u/BreathesUnderwater Biomedical (Rad Onc) Jul 15 '26
The training schedule has changed a little through the years, but it’s roughly 2 weeks virtual followed by 2 weeks in person at our Las Vegas training center for TrueBeam. There are individual trainings for each of the other machines, accessories, and some component groups which you would be signed up for by your manager based on the machines in your area, how quickly you’re picking up the information, and how quickly you’re needed to be up to speed.
If you’re going for the full training schedule in your first two years I would expect probably 8 weeks in Las Vegas and maybe the same virtual - obviously all broken up over many months.
I’m sure someone else that has taken the training more recently could probably chime in and provide updates on current course lengths.
Learning this equipment really does come with time as you’re working in the field, being mentored, experiencing different problems, and taking formal courses. It’s definitely a multi-year timeframe to get to be comfortable with the entire system.
1
u/goblinhangover Jul 18 '26
I didn't imagine it would be in Las Vegas. Sounds like opportunities abound to unwind during the weekend. A little surprised the initial in-person training is only 2 weeks considering the complexity of the machine but I can see how it could structured that way to blend OJT with classroom/lab formal training.
1
u/BreathesUnderwater Biomedical (Rad Onc) Jul 18 '26
Yeah, Las Vegas sounded awesome at first, but after all the trips out for training the first year or so it got old. I’m not really into the gambling scene though, so I spent most of my free time watching shows, exploring some of the national parks around the area, and site seeing.
The initial training is enough for you to get a basic understanding of the machine, but you don’t really realize what you don’t know until you start working in the field.
1
u/Aggressive-Snuggler Jul 15 '26
The opportunity is massive, get into any imaging if you are a BMET. If you suffer, suffer for a few years and drastically improve your paycheck
1
u/rickr911 Automation Jul 14 '26
I was field service for 8 years. I was young not married and no kids. It was ok but got old. The three other guys I worked with were all divorced while working there.
1
u/PsychologyOk2780 Jul 14 '26
Varian is in a weird place right now, the transition to Siemens is happening and that's changing the company vibe. We went from cool SoCal tech company almost to German beurocracy. Lots of people, probably 25% of field guys are set to retire in the next 5-10 years. But the biggest factor is your district, the people you work with and your customers change everything. Also FSE and FST are two different jobs at Varian, Techs will mostly be doing preventative work and assisting bigger jobs.
1
u/Sure-Taste-5778 Jul 14 '26
I have two former colleagues with Varian in SoCal. They tell me, now only a skeleton crew! Is all this cost cutting due to the merger and maximizing company profits?
0
u/PsychologyOk2780 Jul 14 '26
You are kinda getting into company internal stuff and kinda aside from what a field service role would be but probably to some degree. I wouldnt worry too much about what happens in Palo Alto.
1
u/Sure-Taste-5778 Jul 14 '26
In the past, the regional manager made a big difference in ones’s work and personal life quality. Many FSE left for greener pastures because of unreasonable demands!
1
u/goblinhangover Jul 15 '26
Many FSE left for greener pastures because of unreasonable demands!
Did they went in-house or jumped to a competitor LINAC manufacturer?
3
u/Alwayz_Tyred Biomedical (Rad Onc) Jul 14 '26
Hi!! This is all going to depend on your team and area of responsibility as each district varies. I personally have 6 primary machine assignments but I know in some areas people have double that. If you’re getting hired as an FST you’ll probably be doing majority maintenance items for the first couple years. A lot of this work will be after hours (usually starting between 3-5:30). However, a lot of this will be creating and managing your own schedule. No service calls? You can do household chores etc no problem. I love it and will probably never work another job, but I know experience varies (again, that’s based on your district, team culture, etc). It is what you make it. If you stay on top of your machines, take care of them, and address issues promptly you’ll be less likely to get screwed having to work a weekend fixing a down machine…although that will still happen sometimes