Marcos Lopez Marrero / Electronics engineer

“I finally got a chance to join the ESRF this year and I can happily say that I have found my best place.  I lead the Electronics Operation and Services 6-person team. This is the first time I’ve had to manage people. The learning curve has been steep and I’ve had to adapt, but the result is extremely rewarding. Every day is an exciting challenge, but it is also a source for growth. I have discovered an aptitude in myself for listening, talking things through, building bridges between people and services, introducing change, defusing conflict and bringing out the best in my colleagues. I split my time between managing the group and working hands-on with the electronics that I love. This keeps me closely connected to our scientists and their experiments.

Electronics at the ESRF demand a high level of technicity and precision. We have 8000 motors under our responsibility and we have to make sure they are in the right place at the right time, in some cases ensuring nanometre-level precision. We are first responders when there is a fault or an emergency and we place a high priority on the quality of our service to the users. I interact a lot with the scientists, the users, the computing people, and the mechanics people. We rely on each other for constant feedback and our different perspectives to bring a project to fruition. We have many projects ongoing; all of them are unique, tailored to the specific needs of the ESRF. The international aspect is a big advantage: I speak English, Spanish and French daily. This mix of cultures offers rich exchanges and different perspectives on how to go about a job. Every person involved has a role to play in our success and this constant exchange of ideas is incredibly stimulating.”

Marcos Lopez Marrero studied electronics at University of La Laguna. He grew up on Tenerife in the Canary Islands. Before joining the ESRF in 2023, Marcos worked for nine years at the ESRF’s neighbour institute, EMBL (European Molecular Biology Laboratory). While there, he installed robots and equipment at the ESRF MX beamlines and gained in-depth knowledge of the environment, needs and people. He applied for several jobs at the ESRF before finding “the perfect match” with his skills and personality.  

The ESRF Electronics Operation and Services group specializes in managing precise measurement instrumentation, including low current measurements in the range of picoamperes, and the synchronization of an array of advanced instruments for complex scientific experiments. Beyond these high-end applications, the group confronts daily issues that might appear simple to resolve, but which require intricate diagnostics.