A day on the job as a Service Engineer
Anders Petersson has a background as an electrician and installer before he started as a Service Engineer at Firefly 6 years ago. A friend recommended the job to him, and today he believes he has the world’s best job, ensuring that fire protection and safety systems work correctly at process industry sites.
It’s a varied and fun job that he recommends to others who are technically inclined, enjoy solving problems, and working with customers. The customer’s perception of the problem may not always match reality, and here the service engineer has an important role in communicating and helping the customer understand what happened and what needs to be fixed.
A day on the Job
He shares a day on the job: «It starts with breakfast at the hotel in Norway, followed by an early departure to the customer’s site. We review the day’s tasks and maintenance work. Among other things, I prepare a work permit, which involves both safety considerations and risk assessment. I then test the equipment: detectors, valves, and signals. After completing the maintenance and tests, I write a service report, which I finalize with my customer and contact person.»
«Reviewing the test may involve ending the assignment with a training session for the company’s staff, lasting about 30-60 minutes. The day ends with a flight to the next customer in Sweden. In total, I have about 450 customers with whom I plan my maintenance work weekly. This week, I spend three nights in hotels and two nights at home in Stockholm,» says Anders.
Anders Petersson, Service Engineer, Firefly
Qualities for enjoying the job
The work as a Service Engineer is broad and varied and looks a bit different depending on whether you work in construction and property, the process industry, medical technology, IT, energy, the automotive industry, or the forestry industry.
At Firefly, it’s good to enjoy traveling and being alone between assignments. It’s also a physically demanding job to maintain systems in large facilities, and you shouldn’t be afraid to exert yourself sometimes. You might encounter tight spaces and need to climb ladders at high altitudes.
A major advantage is enjoying communicating with different people and helping them in their work. Service is a big part of the job, and you thrive on being flexible and adapting to the assignment.
«No two days are the same, and being a Service Engineer is a bit of an adventure in everyday life,» says Anders.
Encouraging and welcoming women to take the plunge
Pierre Jansson has worked for many years as a service engineer at Firefly before becoming the Service and After Sales Manager, overseeing regions around the world. Pierre currently travels a lot in the USA and Canada. In this work, interest and ability to work with personal relationships are crucial for enjoying the job.
«My customer and I have both a business and a friendly relationship to continue working together for a long time,» says Pierre, adding:
«The fun part of the industry now is that women bring a lot to a historically male-dominated world, and at Firefly, we welcome and encourage more women to pursue a career as a service engineer, especially given the high demand for this role in the market.»
The Future as a Service Engineer
As the industry becomes more automated, job tasks change, and Pierre sees that new target groups are looking for work in service technology. Firefly is a global company characterized by openness and a positive, dynamic work environment, with many different nationalities represented, attracting a diverse workforce.
Pierre Jansson, Service & After Sales Manager, Firefly
Why do you recommend others to work as a Service Engineer?
«The varied work with technology, service, and problem-solving, and above all, meeting so many different customers adds extra sparkle to a regular workweek and makes it very special. That’s why we want to recommend others to discover the joy of working as a service engineer.»
What’s the best part of the job?
«The customers!» answer Anders and Pierre in unison.