Jobs in Singapore: “How I use my engineering skills to help people sleep better at night”

Estee Keong is a Senior Design Engineer at California-headquartered Resmed, which is the world’s top respiratory care and sleep apnea management company. Singapore is home to Resmed’s most advanced manufacturing facility for sleep and respiratory care devices and hosts one of the company’s largest R&D sites worldwide, employing 150 researchers, scientists and engineers. As part of its growth strategy, Resmed has committed to making new investments in Singapore— this includes expanding production capacity, driving advanced manufacturing process innovation, and supporting the growth of its Digital Science and AI Lab. Estee holds a Bachelor of Engineering from the Nanyang Technological University.
 

1. What is your role exactly and can you describe what a regular day at work is like?

At Resmed, we produce sleep and respiratory care devices, such as CPAP (Continuous Positive Airway Pressure) devices andmasks that are used in the treatment of sleep apnea and COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease). It is estimated that one in three Singaporeans are affected by obstructive sleep apnea, and Singapore is known as one of the most sleep-deprived countries in the world.

For people diagnosed with sleep apnea, it’s hard to get a good night’s rest - their breathing literally stops for 10 seconds or longer when they are sleeping, which results in air being unable to flow to the lungs. This can leave one feeling tired and wrung out and it might even have serious long-term health effects – including heart and kidney disease, stroke and hypertension - if left untreated. Resmed’s recent study found that treating sleep apnea with CPAP can help lower these risks and even reduce mortality.

As a Senior Design Engineer in the Product Lifecycle Engineering team, I help ensure that our products continue to perform safely, reliably, and effectively even after launch. A regular day at work can be quite dynamic for me — for instance, I might have to review a design change request, lead a problem-solving session on a production issue or meet with colleagues from the Regulatory or Manufacturing teams to make sure our solutions meet global standards. No two days are ever the same, but I find it extremely satisfying to know that the work I do helps people sleep better.
 

2. What do you find most meaningful about your job?

This opportunity to turn innovation into reality was what drew me to Resmed in the first place. To be part of a team that delivers products people can rely on and improving the well-being of patients is what I find most meaningful about my work. When I resolve a production issue or find a way to improve the design and reliability of our masks, I know it is not just another engineering task. I am making sure that patients around the world can continue their therapies safely and comfortably.

A memorable moment for me was when I had the opportunity to visit a hospital where patients were using our sleep and respiratory care masks. Hearing how these devices have improved their daily lives reminded me why I do what I do. That sense of purpose is what motivates me every day.

3. What have you learnt through your experience at the company?

At Resmed, I have learnt the importance of teamwork and adaptability. Collaboration between different cross-functional teams is critical in enabling us to bring our products to life. This includes engineers, regulatory experts and colleagues from our commercial department coming together to contribute their expertise. That is how we, as a company, can truly make a difference for our users.

I continue to keep myself relevant by staying open to new ideas and learning from others in the company, while taking on new experiences that can push me to grow further in my career. As our industry is rapidly moving towards AI and digital health, I have also learnt to embrace these new tools and technologies in my work. The company has supported us by providing us with opportunities to lead projects and grow our skill sets as Resmed transforms into a digital sleep health company. These experiences have not only boosted my capabilities but also deepened my belief in the positive impact that we can make on people’s lives through innovation.

4. Why do you think engineering is an important and exciting field to be in, and what do you think are some opportunities that Singaporeans can look forward to in the MedTech industry?

Engineering is an exciting field as you have the power to turn ideas into reality and create impactful solutions that shape the way we live. Just look at your smartphone — it started out as a simple idea, but now it is a device we cannot imagine living without. The problems we tackle can be challenging but by combining creativity and critical thinking in problem-solving, we can change people’s lives. I find that deeply rewarding.

For me, the most exciting part about a career in the MedTech industry is that you are not just building devices but creating solutions which can directly improve lives. As the population ages, there will be a growing need for medical devices that can support respiratory care, sleep health and chronic disease management. At the same time, MedTech is also moving into digital health, wearables, and AI-driven solutions. This means Singaporeans can look forward to jobs not only in product design and engineering, but also in AI, data science and healthcare technology.

Singapore’s position as a hub for innovation and advanced manufacturing means that we are well-positioned to lead in this transformation. With the support of EDB, global companies like Resmed are anchoring themselves here and investing in R&D centres, which further strengthens our position on the world stage and creates more opportunities for Singaporeans to explore.