A Day In The Life of: An Engineering Manager

Features & Interviews

Kashif Saeed, Engineering Manager at Tunstall Healthcare

 What does your average day look like?

The day normally starts with a team meeting which can be scheduled across the morning – we discuss priorities and anything important that’s been scheduled for that day. This can include preventive maintenance and development of test equipment and fixtures on the production lines.

From there, I move into new product development meetings with other departments across the business, including Product Marketing, Tunstall Technology Group and Firmware Test and Validation team. This can also be part of wider project planning, where business strategies are discussed.

I make sure I prioritise early afternoons to engage with my team on all the test and development work being undertaken. This is probably my favourite part of the day – for me, it’s the hands-on, technical work I really enjoy! Finally, in the late afternoon I go through and review all the production statistics – yields, throughputs, KPIs and OEEs so I’m ready to take on the next day.

What are your main roles and responsibilities?

I am responsible for the design, development, implementation and the maintenance of all factory processes that are required for manufacturing products here at Tunstall in-line with the latest BSI ISO quality standards. We generate digital solutions that enable providers to deliver integrated, efficient and person-centred care in the community, that empowers people to live more independently and with an improved quality of life.

This is a huge responsibility as a pioneering business in the technology sector for the health, housing and social care markets, quality standards are of the utmost importance. Myself and my team develop test equipment, fixtures and assembly lines in-house which incorporate state-of-the art technologies used throughout the industry.

How long have you been in the industry?

I have worked at Tunstall Healthcare for over a decade now, starting out as a Senior RF Engineer back in 2012 and working my way up. Prior to that I was a post-Doctoral Research Associate at the University of Leeds. I’m also a proud and active member of the Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers (IEEE).

What do you like most about your role?

I love the hands-on part of my role and feel very lucky to have the opportunity to get involved and stuck in with my team developing new innovative test systems that improve production yield and throughput.

As technology advances and solutions become increasingly digital and cloud-based, we are developing new products that can predict and even prevent emergency events, using data-driven insights. Our focus is on creating a more connected world that fulfils the potential of technology to offer intelligent care and support, and give people greater choice and control about how they live their lives.

Currently we’re building our next generation of platforms with data at the centre, using technologies such as machine learning and AI to enable quicker and data-driven decision-making to determine whether someone’s health could be about to deteriorate and action accordingly.

My line manager is also my mentor, and thanks to her support and guidance I lead the team to develop and incorporate state-of-the-art technologies into our production processes, continuing the legacy of Tunstall as an innovator and industry leader in health and care technology provision.