Tell us about your role

My role as Laboratory Engineer at Scanlube involves responsibility for quality control of primarily manufactured products but also raw materials such as base oils and additives. Our product is a lubricant that is made by mixing base oils and various additives to create different properties for the product. At the lab, we are responsible for all formulas for the manufacture of our products and we check that product quality meets the relevant requirements. "Right First Time" is a measure of mixing efficiency and it is an important goal that I work on together with other departments such as planning, production and warehouse.

To ensure that we get reliable test results, we are responsible for the control and maintenance of all analytical instruments and that we perform analyses according to carefully described standard methods. Each product manufactured has a unique batch number which is linked to results and documented for traceability according to our quality requirements.

What does the job look like in more detail?

Each customer order that is created is linked to a manufacturing order that must be carefully checked and possibly adjusted to match raw materials before being released to production. In addition to calculations, sample mixing is needed in the lab if there is a change of raw materials or supplier. When a mixture is ready, the lab is responsible for performing all analyses and approving the batches. If the analysis results do not meet the specification, for example due to variation in the raw materials, I communicate with the production team to understand the reason so that an adjustment can be made. This means calculating how much of a base oil or additive to add. Each adjustment requires follow-up through tests and decisions for the batch to be approved.

To check that our lab instruments are producing reliable results, we participate in test comparisons where our methods are verified against other laboratories that run the same test.

What does a working day look like?

My working day may include routine analyses and quality control of products, communicating with customers and licensors, as well as customer inquiries and problem solving of existing products which may sometimes require consultation with licensors. During a working day, I am both in the lab and in the office.

When a new product is to be manufactured, I test mix it on a small scale to fine-tune the formula to get it approved on the first production – Right first time.

What do you like best about the job?

It's a fun job and with so many products there's a lot of variety. New products are especial-ly interesting because I learn new things. It is fun to be able to use my knowledge from the world of chemistry as well as environmental science in my work. My colleagues are nice and we work well together to be able to deliver good products to satisfied customers.

Education

Chemistry degree and then Master's in environmental engineering and licentiate degree in atmospheric chemistry from Chalmers University of Technology, 2014.

What do you like to do in your free time?

I enjoy working out, reading books, watching movies and spending time with family and friends.

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