Region

Waikato

Job

Sensortec specialises in developing electronic equipment to measure specific molecules in biological substances, for example to detect hormone levels or the presence of antibiotics in milk.

Rod’s role as CEO of this innovative company is diverse. He leads the Research and Development team, sets the overall direction of the company, and is also responsible for overseeing financial and marketing decisions. When Rod started with Sensortec it was a small company of five people. It has now expanded to sixteen.

Rod loves the fact that his work is dynamic, innovative, and helps dairy farmers. Because Sensortec is such a “cutting edge” industry, Rod does a lot of international travel. He enjoys the range of experiences that this gives him. He meets a huge range of people from diverse cultures and gets to see different perspectives of dairy farming from all over the world.

Career Pathway

Rod grew up in Pennsylvania, USA. As the son of a milking machine dealer, he had an early introduction to the use of automation on farms. Except for a short stint where he wanted to be a maths and physics teacher, Rod was always working towards a career in the dairy equipment industry.

Careers: Science is all about working with others (V0142)

As the CEO of Sensortec, Rod Claycomb knows a lot about developing electronic tools to measure substances in biological fluids. One of the perks of his job is meeting and working with people from all around the world.

Duration: 0:28

After high school, Rod did a degree in electrical engineering. He went on to do dairy-related post-graduated studies, where he learned to combine his knowledge of electronics with biological knowledge he picked up on the job. This work resulted in a PhD in Biological and Agricultural Engineering.

Rod first came to New Zealand while still completing his studies. His work caught the attention of a New Zealand company, DEC International NZ Ltd, who asked him if he would be interested in moving here permanently.

Interests

Church activities, singing, golf, squash, viticulture.