Rafał Byczkowski

The knowledge gained at Lodz University of Technology can be used in many areas of the economy. After studying management and production engineering, which used to be at the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, Rafał Byczkowski derives a lot of satisfaction from his work in the medical industry. A lead auditor and certification expert at TÜV Rheinland talks about the university from the perspective of many years' experience. 

How do you assess your choice of field of study from the perspective of many years of professional work? 

Many years have passed since I started my studies at Lodz University of Technology. Looking back on that period, I can say that it was the right decision. It is likely that many young people who are to take high school final exams ask the question: "Does the mere decision of choosing a university and graduating from it guarantee landing a dream, easy and well-paid job?". I believe that a good education is a foundation that cannot be replaced by anything, but just having a degree is no guarantee of getting your dream job. Studying is a potential to be exploited, developing your capabilities through activities in research groups, internships, work placements, etc. A university degree is also a potential to be developed. I am convinced that it is only the combination of knowledge, gained at university, with a willingness to work and commitment that guarantees success. 

You graduated from Management and Production Engineering which was at the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering at the time. To whom would you recommend studying this course? 

I would definitely recommend the Management and Production Engineering to people who are interested in technological topics or plant construction, but would also like to learn the basics about issues such as business economics, manufacturing costing or quality management. Certainly, and this relates to my early career, I can recommend the field of study I completed to those people who would like to work as technologists, designers or quality control officers in medical device companies in the future. I would also recommend the combination of this field (along with work experience in a manufacturing company) to those thinking of working as Auditors/Experst/Certifying Experts in a Certification / Notified Body. 

You work as lead auditor and certification expert for the TÜV Rheinland Group. What exactly do you do? 

I currently work for the international TÜV Rheinland group, which is, e.g., responsible for the certification of medical devices in line with European law. As a lead auditor, I verify whether the relevant legal and normative requirements are met in relation to the services provided by the manufacturer or the products it produces. I perform audits at home and abroad, in countries like France, Portugal, Spain, England, Tunisia, the Czech Republic, Slovenia and Russia. During such audits, all processes that affect the quality of a medical device and its safe use for humans (both on the technical and clinical side) are assessed, i.e. for example production including the technology used, sterilisation, packaging, microbiology, quality control, etc. My daily professional life also involves a great deal of responsibility and regularity, which, in addition to the acquisition of knowledge, I also developed during my studies. I found the curriculum that had the pleasure of following to be complete and extremely valuable. The vast amount of knowledge gained, the understanding of technical issues and the development of logical thinking are all still very useful today. 

And what work do you do in your other roles within the TÜV Rheinland Group? 

As an Expert for specific device groups, I also to carry out periodic reviews of the technical documentation that the medical device manufacturer has to produce. During such reviews, it is assessed whether the legal requirements for the medical device and the normative requirements have been met. At present, my main activity as a Certification Expert is to perform certification reviews of audit documentation and, once these are successfully completed, to issue the corresponding certificate to the manufacturer. I am also qualified to review the qualifications of people working in a TÜV Rheinland Certification / Notified Body applying to become Auditors/ Experts. 

In your opinion, what are the greatest strengths of our university? 

The work I do is often related to technical issues which I explored at TUL thanks to committed and invaluable lecturers. Studying at Lodz University of Technology not only provides a solid foundation of theoretical knowledge, but also practical know-how acquired during work in laboratories. Undoubtedly, the advantage of this university is that it has well-prepared teaching staff who covered various topics in real detail. This approach pays off for years of professional life to come. It is also worth noting that the lecturers at TUL are open to having the obligatory papers prepared during the studies to be written based on real production processes carried out in manufacturing companies. From the point of view of a later career path, this is particularly valuable. 

Image

TÜV Rheinland Poland is the leading certification body in the market for certification and testing services in Poland. The company is part of the international TÜV Rheinland Group, the world's leading service provider for industry, operating on almost all continents.