Employee Spotlight: Meet Jim Lancaster

Jim Lancaster  |  Lead Facilities Technician  |  Alameda, CA

Q. What is your current role at Penumbra?

I am the swing shift Lead Facilities Technician. I am responsible for supervising the swing shift crew and maintaining the Alameda campus and all of its facilities. A highlight of my time here so far was the opportunity to assist in getting the Roseville location up and running. I enjoyed training the facilities maintenance crew that will be responsible for that location, as well as getting to know the team.

Q. What drew you to Penumbra?

I have worked in the medical device field for over 8 years, and have been involved with many different companies, working mostly on R&D projects. Working at Penumbra allows me to draw upon all those experiences and combine the variety of skills I’ve gained over the years. Also, I was familiar with Penumbra and its reputation. So, when the chance presented itself, I thought it would be a great opportunity to join the family.

Q. If you did not pursue your current career, what do you see yourself doing professionally?

I am very much interested in opening my own laser fabrication machine shop. I started working in the laser fabrication field over 8 years ago as a Laser Technician. Eventually, I worked my way into the engineering department where I wrote programs and did all the setups for all laser welding and cutting jobs. From there, I grew my knowledge of metallurgy, cutting silicon and other nonmetallic materials such as Kapton, and Mylar. I’ve worked on many special projects for Lockheed Martin, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Intel, Think Surgical, and Intuitive Surgical. I love working on R&D projects, especially challenging ones that have never been done before.

Q. Describe yourself at age 10. What career aspirations did you have at that age?

I loved adventures as a kid and would pretend I was Indiana Jones. I wanted to be an explorer.

Q. What is your personal philosophy?

Never take things for granted. Make the best of your time and choose wisely, you only go around once.

Q. Before working at Penumbra, describe the most unusual or interesting job you’ve ever had?

I would have to say my time spent in the United States Marine Corps. The experiences, memories, and friends made cannot be replicated anywhere else.