Alumnus Sean Devereux talks design, robots and lots of Lego!

I’ve been an employee of Labman Automation, a bespoke robotics manufacturer based in Seamer, just outside of Stokesley for three years. My journey towards this career in engineering all began at Stokesley School and Sixth Form.

Labman make a diverse range of weird and wonderful machines for large companies all over the world. Companies typically come across our robots on YouTube or our website, before coming to us to see if we can automate their laboratory process. These companies often have laboratory technicians doing very tedious and boring jobs, like moving liquids from one vial to another, or rubbing shampoo samples into hair! Our robots free up lab technicians so their time and expertise can be better utilised doing things like analysing data or conducting research – things that could lead to revolutionary drug advancements, or better shampoo.

I am currently a Senior Project Leader at Labman. My job involves identifying requirements for the robotic systems with customers, designing the robots in CAD, and leading the project team during the build of the robot. As well as this, I also look after Labman’s environmental impact, organise social events and get the pork pies on ‘FridayPie-day’!

Apart from all the time I spent playing with Lego as a kid, my real interest in design and engineering kicked off during college, where I did A-levels in Product Design, Maths and Physics. Maths and Physics were necessary to give me grounding in the fundamentals of engineering, but my love for what I do came from Product Design. I found the pr ocess of designing, making and delivering a finished product extremely rewarding. Presenting all the work in a clear and understandable format for the coursework seemed to come naturally to me too. The experience from those classes and the knowledge passed down by Mr Stevens and Mr Simpson definitely helped guide me to where I am now.

After Stokesley I went on to study a Masters in Product Design Engineering at Loughborough. University provided me with a greater technical understanding in areas of design and engineering, but the priceless experience I gained there was in teamwork and self-management. Juggling countless team projects, late-nights working and socialising, whilst keeping my self-fed and on time for lectures has shaped me into the person I am today! I first worked for Labman doing a Year-in-Industry between my 3rd and 4th years at Uni.

Labman has been perfect for me. The work is interesting, you are given lots of responsibility, it is local,

family-owned, and all the people I work with in the open-plan office are friendly and like-minded.

If you love your STEM subjects, building things, fixing things, or just love playing with Lego, then don’t hesitate to get in touch! https://www.labmanautomation.com/jobs/