diff --git a/processing/segmenter/planktoscope/segmenter/__init__.py b/processing/segmenter/planktoscope/segmenter/__init__.py
index fb38a8cb..b5085011 100644
--- a/processing/segmenter/planktoscope/segmenter/__init__.py
+++ b/processing/segmenter/planktoscope/segmenter/__init__.py
@@ -130,6 +130,11 @@ def __init__(self, event, data_path):
             if not os.path.exists(path):
                 # create the path!
                 os.makedirs(path)
+        
+         # Initialize job queue and status tracking
+        self.job_queue = queue.Queue()
+        self.job_status = {}  # Dictionary to track status of each job
+        self.segmenter_client = self.initialize_mqtt_client()
 
         logger.success("planktoscope.segmenter is initialised and ready to go!")
 
@@ -740,6 +745,65 @@ def _pipe(self, ecotaxa_export):
         # we're done free some mem
         self.__flat = None
 
+    def initialize_mqtt_client(self):
+        # Initialize the MQTT client (placeholder)
+        return MQTT_Client("segmenter/#", "segmenter_client")
+    
+    def add_job(self, job_id, job_data):
+        # Add a new job to the queue and set initial status
+        self.job_queue.put((job_id, job_data))
+        self.job_status[job_id] = {"status": "queued"}
+        self.segmenter_client.client.publish("status/segmenter", json.dumps({
+            "job_id": job_id,
+            "status": "queued"
+        }))
+
+    def update_job_status(self, job_id, status):
+        # Update the status of a job
+        if job_id in self.job_status:
+            self.job_status[job_id]["status"] = status
+            self.segmenter_client.client.publish("status/segmenter", json.dumps({
+                "job_id": job_id,
+                "status": status
+            }))
+
+    def process_jobs(self):
+        # Process jobs from the queue
+        while True:
+            if not self.job_queue.empty():
+                job_id, job_data = self.job_queue.get()
+                try:
+                    self.update_job_status(job_id, "processing")
+                    self.process_job(job_data)  # Actual job processing logic
+                    self.update_job_status(job_id, "completed")
+                except Exception as e:
+                    self.update_job_status(job_id, "failed")
+                    self.job_status[job_id]["error"] = str(e)
+            time.sleep(0.5)
+
+    def process_job(self, job_data):
+        # Placeholder for job processing logic
+        time.sleep(2)  # Simulate processing time
+
+    def run(self):
+        # Start the job processing thread
+        threading.Thread(target=self.process_jobs, daemon=True).start()
+
+    def handle_mqtt_message(self, topic, payload):
+        # Handle incoming MQTT messages for job status queries
+        try:
+            request = json.loads(payload)
+            if "job_id" in request:
+                job_id = request["job_id"]
+                if job_id in self.job_status:
+                    response = self.job_status[job_id]
+                else:
+                    response = {"status": "not_found"}
+                self.segmenter_client.client.publish(f"status/segmenter/{job_id}", json.dumps(response))
+        except Exception as e:
+            print(f"Failed to handle message: {e}")
+
+
     def segment_all(self, paths: list, force=False, ecotaxa_export=True):
         """Starts the segmentation in all the folders given recursively
 
@@ -998,6 +1062,19 @@ def treat_message(self):
                     f"We did not understand the received request {last_message}"
                 )
 
+class MQTT_Client:
+    def __init__(self, topic, name):
+        # Placeholder for MQTT client initialization
+        self.client = self.initialize_mqtt_client()
+
+    def initialize_mqtt_client(self):
+        # Placeholder for setting up the MQTT client
+        return self
+
+    def publish(self, topic, message):
+        # Placeholder for MQTT publish functionality
+        print(f"Published to {topic}: {message}")
+
     ################################################################################
     # While loop for capturing commands from Node-RED
     ################################################################################
@@ -1053,5 +1130,14 @@ def run(self):
 
 # This is called if this script is launched directly
 if __name__ == "__main__":
+    segmenter = Segmenter()
+    segmenter.run()
+
+    # Simulate adding jobs
+    segmenter.add_job("job1", {"data": "example_data1"})
+    segmenter.add_job("job2", {"data": "example_data2"})
+
+    # Simulate MQTT message for job status query
+    segmenter.handle_mqtt_message("status/segmenter/request", json.dumps({"job_id": "job1"}))
     # TODO This should be a test suite for this library
     pass