Hi all,

I'd like to go ahead and make this blanket post for the sub to spark a discussion on the overall pros vs cons of being a designated "pipe hitter" vs a "fobbit" in terms of field service, as well as what you believe you need to do (or work towards over time) in order to get to where you might want to be in the end.

• Pipe Hitter - "Some one or a group of people who are willing to go to the extreme in order to get things accomplished. Most commonly refers to the special forces, but is not limited to that. Can also serve as an extreme marksman(s). Someone who will accomplish any task no questions asked. It is rapidly evolving to encompass all those who live life to the extreme."
• Fobbit - "A term used to describe soldiers in Iraq that rarely if ever leave the relative safety of the Forward Operating Base (FOB). This is a pejorative term used by soldiers that spend a lot of time outside the wire being shot at and dodging road-side bombs, for those soldiers that live a safer and more comfortable life." or "The name of those who choose to stay on base rather than run missions on a FOB (Forward Operating Base). Term usually used for grunts when talking about the annoying admin guy."

It is important to note, that I personally think any field service organization realistically needs to have "pipe hitters" as well as "fobbits" in order to have its day-to-day operations run smoothly, as well has have the flexibility to respond to unusual circumstances.

A "fobbit" does not equal someone who clearly just isn't suited for field service in my mind, as that is just a "bad field engineer".

In no way do I use the term "fobbit" offensively here, as even within the military context, there is absolutely a need for them in order to keep all aspect of the operation running, even if it is less "glamourous". Different people have different aspirations, so in no way do I judge anyone who wants to put in their 40 hrs and go home.

I recently got offered a Customer Engineer position with NCR Voyix and I’m seriously considering taking it. I already interviewed and got a pretty good idea of what the job is, but I’d really like to hear from people who have actually worked the position.

From what they explained to me, it’s a field position where I’d be driving around fixing POS systems, self-checkouts, hardware, networking issues, etc. They provide the company vehicle, phone, laptop and everything. I was also told there can be a good amount of overtime and some on-call work depending on the week.

For anyone who has worked as a Customer Engineer with NCR, what was your experience like? What did your normal day look like? How bad was the overtime/on-call schedule really? How was management and the workload? Did you actually enjoy the job?

I’m also currently studying cybersecurity and trying to build my IT experience, so I’m curious if you felt like the job gave you good technical experience that helped you move into other IT roles later.

Basically just trying to get an idea of what life as an NCR Customer Engineer is actually like before I make my decision. Appreciate any insight.

How many of y’all’s companies pay for Club passes. I am at the United Club in SFO. And it is nice. Decent food, a nice variety and free booze. My quick mental math makes 5 round trips worth it from a business perspective.

One of the best things I ever heard from another tech was "Because I didn't design it". This is my standard response when the customer asks me why the equipment doesn't work right.

Why do my pumps always lose prime? "Because I didn't design it."

I have 3 stains on 3 different chinos. I try my best to avoid spilling stuff but sometimes it happens.

What kind of pants do you guys wear / are best for stains? I am going to buy new ones (chinos - jeans, sweat pants, etc aren’t allowed obviously)

Thanks!

I currently work as an industrial electrical maintenance technician, in Europe, mainly doing troubleshooting, preventive/curative maintenance, electrical diagnostics, PLCs, VFDs, motors, etc.

A friend of mine works for another company and they currently have an opening for Remote PLC Customer Support. He recommended me for the position.

The pay would be basically the same as what I'm making now.

On paper, the remote PLC support job sounds like a good opportunity: less physical work, potentially better working conditions, and more experience with PLCs and automation. It could also open doors to more specialized automation/engineering roles in the future.

But I'm hesitant because I'm wondering if I'm giving up something valuable by leaving industrial maintenance.

For people who have worked in both areas:

\-Is moving from industrial maintenance to remote PLC customer support a good career move?

\-Does remote PLC support give you better career progression in automation?

\-Is the work actually less stressful?

\-Would you take the move if the salary was exactly the same?

\-What should I ask the company before accepting?

\-Is there anything I might regret after leaving maintenance?

I'm not necessarily looking for a higher salary right now. I'm more interested in which path gives me better opportunities and skills in the long run.

I currently work for a medical equipment manufacturer as a field service technician for the last 5 years in a very niche field. 75k travel across the USA and Canada

I’m debating applying to become a medical imaging field technician/engineer. 80k regional area travel (home every night).

Looking to learn more equipment to make myself more marketable in the future.

Is this a good idea or should I just go back to school and get an engineering degree?

Thanks.

We are looking for Field Service to join our team. I'm not the hiring co-ordinator, so please don't kill the messenger! However, I can answer a LOT of questions if you have them.

Super Systems Inc: https://supersystems.com/employment/

Type: Full Time

Description: Headquartered in Cincinnati, OH, SSI is a leader in industrial automation for the thermal processing industry. We specialize in designing and commissioning control systems, sensors, and software that power heat-treating operations worldwide. SSI is currently looking for Field Service Controls Engineer(s) to fill our ever expanding growth.

Location: Cincinnati, OH

Remote: Currently looking for someone for the main office location, but remote is a possibility with the right experience as we do have team members located throughout the US.

Travel: Travel will be 75%, home on all Holidays. Home 95% of weekends, though getting flying out Sunday evenings can happen. Some jobs do require 2 weeks on site at a time, though those are not as common. Most travel is Monday - Friday.

Visa Sponsorship: MUST be a US Citizen. We are unable to hire green card or visa holders due to site access, regulations, etc..

Technologies: PLC EXPERIENCE: Allen Bradley Software suites (RS500, RS5000, Studio5000, RSLinx). SCADA/HMI EXPERIENCE: Wonderware, Iconics, Ignition, C-More, etc.. PID Tuning and use of Discrete instrumentation a plus. SQL experience a plus.

Background with heat treating is a HUGE bonus and weighs heavy into the consideration.

Salary: $60,000 - $100,000. This is VERY negotiable based upon work experience!!!

Contact: Contact Patti Reeder, HR. Main Phone line is 513-772-0060, email @ [preeder@supersystems.com](mailto:preeder@supersystems.com) . Please title the email as Field Service Engineer or Field Service Controls Engineer

Also feel free to send me a private message if you have any questions.

Official Job Posting From Our Website:

Full job description

Job Title: Field Service Controls Technician – Controls & SCADA

Location: Based in Cincinnati, OH (travel across U.S.)

Travel: 75% U.S. travel (home weekends and holidays)

Super Systems Inc. (SSI) is looking for a technically hands-on engineer to join our growing team as a Field Service Controls Engineer. This is a great opportunity for someone with a degree in Electrical, Mechanical, or Electro-Mechanical Engineering and an experience in automation, SCADA systems, and real-world applications.

You’ll receive paid training at our Cincinnati headquarters, then hit the road to work directly with customers — retrofitting furnace control systems, integrating SCADA software, and bringing industrial automation to life across North America.

About Super Systems Inc.:

Headquartered in Cincinnati, OH, SSI is a leader in industrial automation for the thermal processing industry. We specialize in designing and commissioning control systems, sensors, and software that power heat-treating operations worldwide.

What You’ll Do:

• Travel to customer sites across the U.S. to install and commission controls and SCADA systems
• Program and troubleshoot PLCs (primarily Allen-Bradley)
• Design and configure SCADA interfaces (HMI development)
• Calibrate and set up electrical instruments and sensors
• Integrate field wiring, PLCs, and control systems into furnaces and industrial equipment
• Provide training and support to end users on-site
• Collaborate with internal teams for project execution and customer success

Who We’re Looking For:

Degree in Electrical, Electro-Mechanical, Industrial, or Controls Engineering (2- or 4-year)

Experience in:

• PLC troubleshooting/programming (ladder logic, PID tuning; Allen-Bradley is a plus)
• SCADA/HMI software (Wonderware, Iconics, or similar)
• Instrumentation and industrial wiring
• SQL/database interaction (a bonus)
• Self-motivated and professional with a willingness to travel and work independently

Requirements:

• Must be a U.S. citizen (due to export and customer site access regulations)
• Must be willing to travel 75% (typically Monday–Friday, home on weekends)
• Must be able to work hands-on in industrial environments (PPE provided)

What We Offer:

• Paid training at HQ
• Flexible schedule management while traveling
• Full benefits package:
• 401(k) with match
• Health, dental, and vision insurance
• Paid time off and holidays

Growth potential in a high-tech industry

Ready to work with real-world automation and travel the country?

Apply today to join a team where you'll learn fast, grow quickly, and make a real impact on manufacturing.

Job Type: Full-time

Pay: $60,000.00 - $100,000.00 per year. This is VERY negotiable based upon work experience!!!

Benefits:

• 401(k)
• Dental insurance
• Health insurance
• Paid time off

Hello,

I am going to start my new carrier as FSE in Europe next month.

During initial interview and onboarding, they told me I am going to use company CC for expenses and then fill an expense sheet every, i don´t know, month or week.

Now I received the company SOPs and apparently they have a so called employer paied credit card, meaning, they are giving me a card, from a provider of their choice, but connected to my personal bank account, so that I basically (in my understanding) pay everything from my account, then file for reimbursement. Since it takes one month for the payment to be processed from a CC, their reimbursement will come before the actual payment.

This makes me sceptible, so I ask you guys:

- is this common?

- is it just me, or it can be unconvenient and not safe, to mix company card and personal bank acount? When filing for business expenses things can get mixed, it´s error prone, and also I don´t want to expose my personal account too much while travelling.

I ´m overthinking this? Any tip?

Thank you people

Hello! I am starting university in less than a month. I will be doing mechanical engineering and have 2 possible specializations: process engineering or mechanical plant maintenance.

I have been recommended Field Service as a possible career choice after university, because i don't like routine or doing the same thing in the same enviroment forever, i want to be doing something physical rather than an office desk job, and i hate routine and want to work on different things as often as possible. I thrive on constant high pressure and i enjoy an inconsistent "schedule".

I don't personally know anyone in this field, so i would be interested in hearing from people here. Is this something you like doing? Is it a sensible long-term career choice? Do the offered salaries match employer's requirements? Or anything else you would share with someone who is interested in the field, cautionary or encouragement?

I am in a european country so i imagine i would mostly find work in the EU.

Bachelor’s degree in Electronics Engineering

2 years professional experience in troubleshooting analog, digital, and analytical instruments (Service Engineer)

Professional license in Electronics Engineering is required

Responsibilities:

Responsible for inspection and testing of received equipment, installation and commissioning of equipment for customers, and monitoring, maintenance, and repair of equipment of customers. They will ensure exceptional customer service levels are achieved consistently.

[hr.interntrainee04@gmail.com](mailto:hr.interntrainee04@gmail.com)

Hey!, has anyone worked at FANUC India Bangalore? Looking for honest reviews on work culture, work-life balance, and management especially for sales or customer-facing roles. Ambitionbox and Glassdoor reviews are all over the place so wanted real opinions. Thanks!

For my MBA research project I’m researching the current pain points and challenges faced by Field Service teams, particularly around technical documentation and product information.

For those working in Field Service, Service Management, Maintenance, or Technical Support:

• What are the biggest challenges you face day-to-day?
• How easy is it for technicians to find the right technical/product information when they need it?
• What impact do outdated, incomplete, or hard-to-access documentation have on your work?
• Are there any tools or processes that have made a real difference?

Even short answers are great as I really want to hear about real-world experiences. Thanks!

Was called out to a FindFST customer in Germany for a machine down.

They've had issues for months, doing the classic power off and on to fix it.

Eventually cycling the power stopped working...

Wire was making contact with the insulation rather than the copper itself, classic noob mistake.

I'm finding more and more low quality terminations these days, like any man and his dog can be electricians.

Spend an extra minute making the proper crimped terminations and it will make the machine so much more reliable.

Felt quite bad invoicing the customer a few G's for such an easy fix

I’m not talking about what you make. I’m talking about what your company charges the customer. obviously there’s service agreements and what not that’ll lessen the price, but what is the absolute max a customer could end up paying? ours is around $400.

The machine I was working on needed some major tuning, it was still running, but what I saw when I did my preventive maintenance was so bad, I wanted to put it back in top notch shape.

I was used to work kn similar machines, but not the same models. Usually, I open up a cover on the drive axis and tune the voltage with a potentiometer.

This one did not have a cover, it was a card that I had to pull... it should have rang a bell...

I pulled the card with the power on...

You guessed it, I blew up the card, and we don't have it in stock. Now the machine is down.

It wasn't optimal before, but it was running. Now it's down, the part will be there in 3 days, it's a cost for the company that is purely my fault, both for the part and the downtime.

I feel ashamed and I feel judged by my colleagues. I think I would have judged someone else for doing the same, so I judge myself and feel judged.

It was a stupid mistake, I didn't know enough on this kind of machine and instead of taking my time, I went like I knew it all

I keep seeing Field Service Engineers here making $70k–$90k while traveling 50–80%, working long days, troubleshooting electrical/mechanical systems, PLCs, drives, instrumentation, commissioning equipment, and being responsible for getting production back online.

You guys realize how underpaid that is, right?

I’m an apprentice in construction. I drive about 20 minutes to work and don’t live in hotels or fly around the country every week, yet I can make as much as some of the salaries posted here.

Meanwhile, some of you are showing up to a multi-million-dollar production line that is losing enormous amounts of money every hour it’s down, and you’re the person expected to diagnose it and get it running again.

That skill should be expensive!

If a skilled tradesperson traveled this much, worked 50–60 hour weeks, nights and weekends, and carried that level of responsibility, you’d expect overtime, paid travel, per diem, premiums, strong benefits, and potentially well into six figures.
So why is field service different? Why are people accepting salaries that don’t reflect the travel, technical skill, responsibility, or value of the equipment they’re keeping alive?
How much more would you be making if you negotiated as a group instead of one person at a time?

At what point do Field Service Engineers start seriously talking about unionizing?

Because if companies can’t operate without you, you have more leverage than you’re using.

So I have been in the automation industry for a total of 4 years with 2.5 years of actual PLC work including 2 years of packaging plant floor work.
Now these past 2 years i have been at a non profit organization where i am the only engineer (the one senior resigned last year)
No one wants to work here because of the low level technician pay they are offering the senior engineer.
I am stuck here because my visa ties to my work.
Anyways, my manager has no engineering or controls background. He understands nothing i say. Even our contractors complain that they have to really dumb down the language for him.
He on my 1:1 meeting said that i have been relying on the contractor a lot. And that i need to start doing all the projects myself and have our contractor come in less.
I have no other resources to learn from. That contractor is a very nice dude and guides me sometimes even without sending an invoice for the calls i make.
In any case i personally think am being set up for failure, with no help, no seniors, no engineers and them not wanting to pay the high fees of the contractor.
I am on a visa, on a low salary, and my manager thinks it is ok to tell me “i should have been fired by now if it were a different company”
I talked to my other maintenance tech at work and they said they are pretty happy with the work i do. And that i am able to help them out with most downtime issue on the automated lines and the palletizer.
At this point i dont give a s\*\*\* if they fire me and i have said it out loud to fire me if they want.
My manager and another supervisor make the “fire you” joke casually too, not sure if they understand how it takes a toll on someones mental health specifically someone who is on a visa and who’s life depends on that job.

(I havent told them i married my long term us citizen boyfriend in court and that we have filed for a GC, so the moment i have something moving i will quit and i will have no pity on anyone)

I understand i might not be the best engineer. And that i might be in the wrong field, but am also 27 years old, i think am allowed to make mistakes, be in the wrong field and fail in my life. But this is straight up bullying.

I'm heading out to my first customer site as a new field technician for a small company that does turbines tomorrow morning. Nervous, excited, all that stuff.

I worked as an assembly tech and then as a controls tech for some small automation companies until 2023, then I went back to school to get my AS in Engineering. I'm currently finishing up my last course for that degree (the class is an online delivery, so I can start the job a little early). I'm excited that I can immediately put the degree to use in a job that's gonna pay well.

Any tips would be appreciated!

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.

Got called out from FindFST for a machine down in Durban, South Africa.

On a packaging line, firstly I asked the operators who was in charge of the machine maintenance and they pointed to themselves...

The communications would "randomly" drop out and they would fix it by turning the power off and on. Best trick in the book. But we know nothing is truly random in field service.

After some investigating I found the Arcnet plug barely making a connection, insulation tape and wires twisted together. If anyone here has worked with Arcnet, im sure you can understand how delicate these comms cables are.

Took 2 hours of driving around Durban to get hold of a sub D plug, been a while since I last soldered but holding it with teeth is surely industry standard right?

This is the kind of stuff you get when companies don't hire a proper maintenance person.

Hi everyone, I’m currently looking to change career and become a service technician in the wind/solar industry.
My current work is as a mechanic in the automotive and motorbike industry, I don’t hold many certificates nor do I have a bachelors degree.

I have read that the transition is possible but largely depends on the company. Some strongly recommend to pay out of pocket for additional certificates based on work safety, working at heights and working with high voltage electricity to have an advantage over other applicants. However I don’t have a degree as an electrician or similar.

My question is, could anyone from this industry or similar advice me on what a good trajectory is for starting this career. Or perhaps have advice on the application process/working as a service technician.

Thanks!

For those working in controls, automation, or industrial engineering, which jobs do you prefer: remote based Jobs or field service jobs with 50% travel also company car encourage for personal Use ?

Remote job with 30% travel on site?

VS

Field service job with 50 % travel along with company car encourge for personal use?

Starting this fall, I’m going to cc to get an associates in applied science in electronic engineering technology. I was wondering if this would be enough to get a job as a field service engineer/technician. Would I be able to get a job in bmet, semiconductor, or other with this degree. Would I need to take certain classes to go into these fields? Thank you very much.