Following my early career in engineering, I joined Furness Controls as an R&D Technician, where I was responsible for the assembly, testing, and evaluation of electronic systems used in the company’s range of low-pressure leak detection instrumentation. These highly sensitive instruments were developed for industrial and scientific applications, requiring a high degree of precision and reliability.
As my knowledge and experience developed, I progressed into an Electronics Design Engineer role, contributing to the design and development of several new products. My work involved the design of processor-based instrumentation using commercially available microprocessor boards, programmed primarily in BASIC, together with the development of supporting analogue electronic circuitry.
In addition to electronic design, I was responsible for PCB layout, producing artwork during a period when printed circuit boards were created manually by applying adhesive tracks to drafting film—a process that demanded exceptional accuracy and attention to detail.
My responsibilities also included the development of comprehensive product documentation and user manuals, as well as the testing, verification, and validation of completed products prior to manufacture. This role provided valuable experience across the complete product development lifecycle, from initial concept and hardware design through to testing, documentation, and production support.
Working within the Research and Development department strengthened my practical understanding of electronic product design, scientific instrumentation, and engineering problem-solving, while establishing many of the skills that have continued to underpin my career in electronics engineering.