Employee Spotlight: Alyssa MacDonald, Engineering Technician

At Precisionary Instruments, our team is the backbone of innovation in tissue sectioning technology. In this employee spotlight, we introduce Alyssa MacDonald, one of our talented Engineering Technicians, who plays a crucial role in ensuring the quality and precision of our vibratomes.

A Hands-On Path to Engineering

Alyssa’s journey into engineering is unique. With a background in psychology, she has always been drawn to the sciences. She first joined Precisionary Instruments as a part-time contractor, a role that allowed her to immerse herself in the company’s products and workflow. In January 2020, she transitioned to a full-time Engineering Technician and hasn’t looked back since.

“I was excited for the opportunity to grow into a more hands-on role, where I could help develop and refine the very tools that researchers rely on for high-quality tissue sectioning,” Alyssa shares.

Bringing Innovation to Vibratomes

Alyssa works closely with our lead engineer to improve the design and performance of our vibratomes. Over time, she has taken on more independent responsibilities, allowing the engineering team to focus on new product development while she ensures quality control at every stage.

Her daily work includes:

• Hands-on assembly and testing of vibratomes to maintain precision and consistency.
• Troubleshooting technical challenges, especially in improving efficiency and quality control.
• Refining workflows and organization, helping streamline production processes for greater transparency.

“I enjoy the problem-solving aspect of my role,” Alyssa explains. “Every day brings a different challenge, whether it’s optimizing an assembly process or working with engineers to make a vibratome component more efficient.”

Commitment to Quality & Innovation

One of Alyssa’s key responsibilities is conducting final quality assurance tests before a vibratome is shipped to customers. She ensures that each instrument meets high standards of performance. Over time, she has helped refine these QA protocols, adding new checks to further improve product reliability.

Her contributions don’t stop at testing—she actively collaborates with scientific application specialists to align product improvements with the needs of researchers in electrophysiology, histology, and other tissue sectioning applications.

Looking Ahead

Alyssa is excited about the future of tissue sectioning technology. Precisionary’s patented specimen tube technology has already transformed vibratome performance, and she is eager to see how new innovations continue to push the industry forward.

“Being part of a forward-thinking team means we’re constantly refining and developing solutions that make a difference in research labs worldwide,” she says.

Interested in learning more about our precision engineering? Stay tuned for more behind-the-scenes looks at the people behind Precisionary Instruments.