Dave Grainger worked as an engineer for USA company Digital Equipment Corporation, known as DEC. He began working for the company in 1969 as a resident engineer for Princeton University, who were using DEC computers for nuclear research. Prior to this job, Dave worked as an engineer in installation support for Honeywell, moving from Canada to the USA, which is where he came across DEC when looking for a change in career.
Dave knew Ken Senior, the first service manager in the UK. He was the person who hired Dave but also became his friend, and both had previously worked for Honeywell. Dave stayed with DEC until 1992, moving to Atlanta and then Manchester, England to develop the services organisation. In 1975 a new plant was opened in Ayr, Scotland and Dave was asked to replace Dave Lawrence, manager at the Reading office who was going to manage it. Dave and his family relocated, then returned to the USA before he left to join Xerox as their head of worldwide services.