Director of AFM Technology & Applications

Business Unit: Oxford Instruments AFM

Location: Santa Barbara, CA (hybrid)

Job Title: Director of AFM Technology & Applications 

Reports to:  President, Oxford Instruments AFM

About the Opportunity:

The Director of AFM Technology and Applications will lead the development of high-value AFM technologies and application solutions that strengthen our competitive position, expand market adoption, and enable long-term business growth. As a key member of the AFM senior leadership team, this role blends deep technical expertise with strategic leadership to shape the applications roadmap and deliver measurable commercial impact. 
 
This position serves as a bridge between science, product innovation, and the business, ensuring customer needs, market trends, and emerging technologies translate into compelling solutions. 

Key Job Responsibilities include, but not limited to:

Strategic Leadership

• Define and drive AFM technology and application strategies that support revenue growth, market expansion, and product differentiation. 
• Serve as a strategic contributor to the AFM senior leadership team, influencing long-term product and application direction. 
• Build and nurture internal and external collaborations to translate customer needs, pain points, and market trends into impactful solutions. 
• Partner closely with R&D, Product Management, Engineering, and Sales & Marketing to ensure alignment between customer requirements and solution development. 
• Contribute to global business objectives through collaborative, data-driven decision making. 

Application Solutions & Innovation 

• Lead the product science team in the design, validation, and launch of advanced AFM applications and solutions. 
• Build, maintain, and expand a robust applications portfolio addressing both established and emerging markets. 
• Drive innovation by introducing new techniques, workflows, and application methodologies that enhance the value and performance of AFM technologies. 
• Oversee the development of clear, high-quality technical documentation to support customer success and sales enablement. 

Team Leadership & Talent Development 

• Provide strong technical and strategic leadership to a high-performing scientific team. 
• Mentor and develop team members, building succession plans to ensure long-term scientific and technical excellence. 
• Foster a culture of innovation, accountability, collaboration, and continuous improvement. 

Cross-Functional & Customer Engagement

• Support regional teams by providing application best practices, technical expertise, test methodologies, and troubleshooting support. 
• Identify recurring opportunities, challenges, and trends across regions to inform future product and application development. 
• Engage with strategic customers to gather insights and co-develop solutions that drive adoption, retention, and business growth. 

Project & Operational Management

• Manage application solutions from concept through validation and deployment. 
• Oversee budgets, timelines, and resource allocation to maximize efficiency and impact. 
• Ensure full compliance with safety, quality, and corporate standards. 
• Perform other duties as assigned. 

Core Qualifications:

• Ph.D. in Physics, Materials Science, or a related field. 
• 5+ years of experience across a broad range of AFM applications. 
• 5+ years of experience leading technical projects and/or scientific teams. 
• Strong commercial acumen with the ability to connect technical solutions to business outcomes. 
• Proven experience collaborating with senior leadership and cross-functional teams. 
• Excellent communication and presentation skills. 
• Strong problem-solving abilities with a creative, solutions-oriented mindset. 
• Demonstrated ability to prioritize effectively, manage time, and deliver results. 
• Commitment to continuous improvement and process optimization. 

Desirable Qualifications:

• Experience developing and commercializing AFM application solutions. 
• Experience in the semiconductor industry. 

• Track record of scientific publications and/or patents. 

• Experience leading, mentoring, and developing a high-performing scientific team. 

Salary:

In accordance with California law, the expected salary for this full-time, benefited position is between $151,000 - $191,000, plus a management bonus. The actual compensation will be determined considering factors such as relevant skills and experience and other factors permitted by law.

Oxford Instruments Perks and Benefits:

• Generous benefit packages - We offer our employees competitive health insurance options, including Medical, Dental, and Vision plans.
• Our 401k program has options for saving both pre- and post-tax dollars for retirement.
• Paid Time Off (PTO) Work-life balance is a key part of our company culture here at OI, and we know that our employees do their best work when they can take the time they need to rest and recharge.
• Director level employees start with 5 weeks of PTO, which is accrued each pay period.
• Holidays - We recognize 12 holidays this year
• In addition to all the standard PTO options, Oxford Instruments proudly offers a generous and progressive paid family leave policy.
• Professional Development - Oxford Instruments supports you and your professional development with $5,250 available in annual tuition reimbursement after 6 months of service.

Oxford Instruments is an equal opportunity employer.

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, disability, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, veteran status, or genetic information. Oxford Instruments is committed to providing access, equal opportunity and reasonable accommodation for individuals with disabilities in employment, its services, programs, and activities.

E-Verify:

This employer participates in E-Verify and will provide the federal government with your Form I-9 information to confirm that you are authorized to work in the U.S. If E-Verify cannot confirm that you are authorized to work, this employer is required to give you written instructions and an opportunity to contact Department of Homeland Security (DHS) or Social Security Administration (SSA) so you can begin to resolve the issue before the employer can take any action against you, including terminating your employment. Employers can only use E-Verify once you have accepted a job offer and completed the I-9 Form.

Note to recruitment agencies:

Oxford Instruments does not accept agency CV’s. Please do not forward details to our jobs alias, Oxford Instruments employees or any other company location. Oxford Instruments is not responsible for any fees related to unsolicited CV’s.

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