A day in the life of Hydratech’s Charlotte

How did you get into a career with a fluids specialist?

I previously worked for a steel stockholder in Sheffield, before moving to Swansea. My role involved dealing with subcontractors - to further process material to customer specification. I was based in a fast-paced sales office and required a strong technical aptitude, putting me in good stead for my current role.

Now, I’m Hydratech’s Fluid Monitoring Program (FMP) Coordinator. Initially, I was responsible for identifying customers who qualify for our sample testing. I’d then explain how the program works and dispatch pre-packaged and labelled bottles for sampling.

As my knowledge and understanding of heat transfer fluids, and the key part they play in maximizing heating and cooling system efficiencies has developed, so my responsibilities have grown. I love learning, dealing with customers and providing solutions, so this role suits me down to the ground!

What are the key responsibilities in your role?

My role is to promote and facilitate a proactive approach to fluid management and water treatment.

It is not uncommon for the maintenance of cooling systems to be overlooked, leading to potential issues, primarily; advanced corrosion, biological fouling and sediment formation.

I act as a link between our customers, our lab technicians and our FMS engineers. FMP is part of Hydratech’s Fluid Management Services (FMS).

Describe a typical day.

We work with a diverse range of partners across many business and industry sectors including; food and drink, power stations, data centres, water and waste, construction and renewables, so no two days are the same.

I normally start the day by checking to see if we’ve received any samples back from our FMP customers. If we have, I’ll catch-up with the technicians in the lab to ensure we have comprehensive, up to date profiles of the customers sites and systems on our records.

For FMP sample reports that identify systems that require urgent attention, I will arrange a briefing with our FMS engineers to discuss recommended remedial action.

In the afternoon, I usually follow up the reports I have previously sent out. Calling customers, to run through the report and discuss any recommended actions.

What skills are needed for this role?

Strong organisational skills are essential to manage a range of customers at different stages of the FMP sampling process. A technical mindset is important to understand fluid characteristics, efficiencies and their associated systems. I think customer service and communication skills are really important too.

What challenges do you face in this role?

I’m a meticulous planner, but my day doesn’t always go the way I expected! At times we receive a sample for urgent analysis and we have to react quickly. We’re pretty good at working to very tight timescales, it’s great to be able to provide solutions effectively and avoid costly downtime for our customers.

What keeps you motivated to go into work every day?

I’m learning something new every day about working fluids, water treatment and system performance. Coming from an engineering background, I enjoy getting involved in the technical detail and providing solutions.

What advice would you give someone considering a career in your field?

I would recommend gaining as much experience as possible while in education, either through work placements or through summer work.

Adopt a consultative approach. Do your background research and understand the customer’s requirements. Provide the best service you can and deliver proven solutions.

Awareness of individual system design, thermal and pumping demands are key. Detailed publications produced by CIBSE and BSRIA provide excellent guidance on the commissioning (and recommissioning) of pipework systems.