Here at Edinburgh Instruments, we are proud of all our employees for all they do behind the scenes, so we thought it was time to put them in the spotlight. This series does exactly that; you get a sneak peek into what drives, excites and enamours our team. We hope you enjoy it!   

Let’s get into it…

Meet Heather, Optical Product Engineer here at Edinburgh Instruments. Heather’s work is all about developing and refining the optical systems that help our instruments deliver accurate and reliable results. Heather works closely with colleagues across production and applications to improve product performance and support new instrument development. You may also have the pleasure of Heather attending your lab to help with installation and upgrades.

What does a typical day/week in your role look like?

I work in Operations, and I love the variety in my role. Some days I’m in the factory carrying out final testing on our spectrophotometer instruments, which involves liaising with other departments and problem solving to ensure everything is working perfectly.

About one week of each month, I travel to customer sites across Europe to install instruments and deliver training. I really enjoy meeting customers and seeing the research our products support—it’s always fascinating. I also love travelling, and it’s a great chance to experience new places, try different foods, and explore other cultures.

What have you enjoyed the most working at EI?

One of the things I’ve enjoyed most about working at Edinburgh Instruments is getting involved beyond my day-to-day role. I’m part of both the LGBTQIA+ committee and the social team, which has been incredibly rewarding.

It’s great to help create a workplace that’s inclusive, welcoming, and fun for everyone -whether that’s through social events, awareness initiatives and fundraising, or just getting people together for a laugh and a catch-up!

What do you do in your spare time?

In my spare time I enjoy hiking in the Scottish highlands, rock climbing and going to dance classes.

Do you have any hobbies/ interests?

I enjoy playing video games, cooking, and foraging.

Death row meal?

Starter: Sushi with unlimited pickled ginger, Main: Saag aloo with roti, Dessert: Sticky toffee pudding.

Fun facts?

I have a pet giant African land snail called Gary, and his favourite food is tomatoes.

If you enjoyed getting to know Heather, check out the rest of our People of EI series!