Claire Jones
Application Consultant, Endress+Hauser UK
Claire Jones is an Application Consultant specialising in flow measurement solutions. She also serves as Chair of WiMAC (Women in Measurement and Control) within InstMC (Institute of Measurement and Control). She leads initiatives to promote diversity, professional development, and collaboration across the measurement and control community.
Dare to discover instrumentation engineering
When most people think of engineering, they picture bridges, buildings, or perhaps robots. However, some of the most critical engineering happens behind the scenes - in the instrumentation that keeps water clean, medicines safe, and food production running. Instrumentation engineering is a niche area, but one with enormous impact. Whether it’s ensuring the correct ingredient dosage, monitoring steam or water usage, flow instrumentation plays a vital role in making systems safe, efficient, and sustainable.
What does an application consultant for flow actually do?
An application consultant for flow specialises in helping industries measure and control the movement of liquids and gases using flow instrumentation. The role blends technical expertise, problem solving, and customer interaction, and is critical to ensuring safe, efficient, and compliant operations. Flow measurement is critical to industrial processes where precision directly impacts performance, safety, and compliance.
Application consultants:
- advise on flow measurement solutions
- support both internal teams and external customers
- help industries meet safety and regulatory standards
- ensure accurate, compliant, and efficient use of instrumentation
It’s a discipline with real-world impact, often behind the scenes, but essential to keeping operations running smoothly and responsibly.
No 2 days are the same. One day I might be at a food and beverage site advising how best to measure ABV%, sugar concentration, and flow rates of products. The next I could be ensuring hygienic dosing and compliance for a pharmaceutical application. It’s a blend of technical expertise, problem solving, and communication - and it’s deeply rewarding.
How can students get into this field?
There is no single pathway into this role. While some professionals begin with engineering degrees, that route isn’t suitable for everyone - myself included. Today, there are a variety of entry points including T Levels, apprenticeships and technician roles. All of these offer valuable hands-on experience and can lead to specialisation later in your career.
My own journey into engineering didn’t follow the traditional academic route. Instead, it has been shaped by practical learning, a strong desire to grow, and the support of a company committed to nurturing development. What truly matters is curiosity - a drive to understand how things work and how they can be improved. Equally important are communication skills, especially when collaborating across teams or engaging with clients. Professional organisations like the Institute of Measurement and Control provide excellent resources, mentoring, and networking opportunities. Joining communities like WiMAC (Women in Measurement and Control) can help students see themselves in the field - because visibility makes a difference. Don’t feel disheartened if the start of your career doesn’t go to plan.
A career worth exploring
Instrumentation engineering may not be the most visible branch of engineering, but it’s one of the most impactful. For students who enjoy solving puzzles, working with data, and making a tangible difference, it’s a career worth exploring.
What truly matters is curiosity - a drive to understand how things work and how they can be improved.
— Claire Jones, Application Consultant, Endress+Hauser UK
