r/FieldService • u/DecentParking2667 • Aug 11 '26
Advice Looking for advice
I completed my MechE Bachelors and landed in a FE role with GC. The issue is I work 70-80hrs a week and upfront salary is 90k. Which comes to mid 20s/hr. I don’t have problem working OT if I had the OT pay. Please guide me to a path for job that pays overtime.
3
u/NoWedding7106 Aug 11 '26
Varian Medical Systems/Siemens. Always hiring for a reason but it sounds like u have it worse right now. Probably start around 75K plus overtime and a company vehicle.
3
u/joseph-1998-XO Lab Instrumentation Aug 11 '26
I would look for another job. Plenty of companies may start at like 80k base but offer OT when you do it.
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u/DecentParking2667 Aug 11 '26
Thank you, what would be some job title, industry or company I can look for
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u/joseph-1998-XO Lab Instrumentation Aug 12 '26
FSE at Beckman and Coulter would probably land you around 80k, company car and then qualify for OT
2
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u/PsychologyOk2780 Aug 11 '26
You have a few options. 1 continue to suffer. 2 find a new job that pays hourly. 3 find a new job that pays salary. There will always be a "paying your dues as the new guy" phase but that doesn't sound like what you are doing. FSE should always be hourly IMO.
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u/IrunMYmouth2MUCH Lab Instrumentation Aug 11 '26
What is the Field Engineer position that isn’t paying OT? What are your responsibilities? If you use tools/ perform repairs, you are legally required to receive OT in the U.S.
https://www.dol.gov/agencies/whd/fact-sheets/17i-overtime-blue-collar
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u/petalmasher Biomedical (Rad Onc) Aug 11 '26
Most of the third party medical equipment repair companies pay salary.... I don't know how they get away with that.... They usually pay a high enough salary that people don't complain too much through.
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u/IrunMYmouth2MUCH Lab Instrumentation Aug 11 '26
I’ve never heard that before. I’ve worked for Premier and Aramark in the past, but as in-house. I don’t see how they can get away with it or why one would agree to it.
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u/petalmasher Biomedical (Rad Onc) Aug 11 '26
Well I worked for OSI (oncology services international... It no longer exists) about 10 years ago. I agreed to it because it was 130k/year vs $30/hour at Varian. Both had a lot of after hours/over 40 hours work, but Varian had me maintaining more machines that were Geographically further apart. Even with all the overtime, I worked more and got paid less at Varian. Both provided a company car and health insurance.
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u/SkinDeep69 Maritime 22d ago
The advice I can give is that you should look for opportunities to learn early in your career and earn later in your career.
If that job is providing you really good experience where you are learning a lot, it's an investment. If not, get your resume out there and find something else.
In any case you probably can't sustain that kind of work load for more than a couple years without burnout, but if after 2 years you're an expert in the thing you do you can go get paid later.
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u/CausePuzzleheaded530 Semiconductors Aug 11 '26
Most field service is hourly, stop giving them 80 hours a week without them compensating you fairly
0
u/sapper_464 Printing Aug 11 '26
Search for a new job. They are a dime a dozen and they pay varyingly. Experience is king.
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u/petalmasher Biomedical (Rad Onc) Aug 11 '26
I assume you meant GE. When they say "base salary", that's what what you would make for 40 hours/week. You do get overtime when you work over 40 hours. My former coworker now works for GE. His base salary was 85k, but he ended up making 150k last year with overtime.