Alan trained as a mechanical engineer with the Department of the Environment, based at RAF Burtonwood/US Army 47th Area Support Group where he maintained a wide variety of industrial and military equipment
In 1988 Alan joined Daresbury Laboratory (SERC) Warrington, as a mechanical engineer. He spent 10 years with Mechanical Services before working with the Instrumentation and Synchrotron Radiation Detector Group.
In 2004 Alan worked with the Remac Group (Liverpool office) as a technical author, compiling maintenance manuals, and engineering CAD drawings for British Nuclear Fuels, Sellafield.
In 2006, Alan started work at the University of Liverpool as a Teaching and Research Technician. Since then he has been the technician supporting electron microscopy at the Albert Crewe Centre for Electron Microscopy. In addition, he supports undergraduate teaching, PhD students and research projects within the School of Engineering.