Factory Service Engineer

At Oxford Instruments, we enable the world’s leading industrial companies and scientific research communities to image, analyse and manipulate materials down to the atomic and molecular level. Using Atomic Force Microscopes from Asylum Research, our customers can see how cancer cells respond to new treatments, extend the lifetime and efficiency of renewable energy systems and lithium-ion batteries, and develop the novel materials required for quantum computing.

Business Unit: Oxford Instruments AFM

Location: Santa Barbara, CA (in-person)

Job Title: Factory Service Engineer

Reports to: Factory Service Supervisor

About Oxford Instruments:

Our purpose is to accelerate the breakthroughs that create a brighter future for our world. Our technology and scientific expertise enable our customers to discover and bring to market exciting new advances that drive human progress. We aim to be the scientific instrumentation partner in every significant lab and production facility across the world.

Oxford Instruments Asylum Research is a manufacturer of nanotechnology instrumentation for industry and research. Specifically, we design, build and sell Atomic Force Microscopes (AFM) which are used to analyze material topography, elasticity, conductivity, and other properties.

We are part of the wider Oxford Instruments Group that includes the Imaging & Analysis Division. The I&A Division includes Andor Technology, our Electron Microscopy products, NanoIndentor, Raman products, and NMR product lines. Plasma Technology and X-Ray Technology are part of the Advanced Technology Division. With a sixty-year history, and fourteen Queen’s Awards and a King’s Award for Enterprise, our world-class products and technologies are helping our customers to address the greatest challenges of the 21st century.

We want to empower our employees so that they innovate, support our growth, and improve our productivity. We support them to make the right decisions and reach their full potential as they develop their careers at Oxford Instruments. Our ways of working are lived every day and are as follows:

• We start with the customer
• We succeed by being focused
• We make and keep our promises
• We work together as one team
• We help and trust each other to succeed

About the Opportunity:

Oxford Instruments Asylum Research is seeking a hands-on Factory Service Engineer to support the factory service, repair, troubleshooting, testing, and continuous improvement of advanced Atomic Force Microscope (AFM) systems and related components at our Santa Barbara facility. This in-person role partners closely with Production, Test, Engineering, and other teams to diagnose complex technical issues, restore equipment to specification, and deliver reliable solutions that support our customers and internal operations. The Factory Service Engineer also serves as a customer-focused technical partner, providing timely updates, clear explanations, and responsive support that builds trust and helps minimize customer downtime.

Key job responsibilities include, but not limited to:

• Diagnose, troubleshoot, repair, and test AFM systems, subassemblies, electronics, mechanical assemblies, and related accessories returned for factory service.
• Perform systematic fault isolation using schematics, technical documentation, diagnostic tools, test equipment, and established service procedures.
• Complete preventive maintenance, calibration, upgrades, refurbishment, and verification testing to ensure serviced equipment meets applicable performance and quality requirements.
• Document troubleshooting steps, repairs, parts used, test results, and final disposition clearly and accurately in service and quality records.
• Partner with Engineering, Manufacturing, Quality, Applications, and field service teams to resolve complex or recurring product issues and provide actionable technical feedback.
• Support root-cause investigations and corrective actions by identifying failure trends and recommending improvements to service processes, documentation, test methods, or product design.
• Maintain service work areas, tools, test fixtures, and equipment in a safe, organized, and ready-to-use condition.
• Communicate status, findings, risks, and priorities effectively with internal stakeholders and, when appropriate, support technical communication related to customer service cases.
• Provide responsive, professional technical support for customer service cases by listening carefully, clarifying symptoms and expectations, and communicating troubleshooting findings and next steps in clear, customer-friendly language.
• Build customer confidence and long-term trust through dependable follow-up, accurate commitments, and a service-oriented approach that keeps customers informed throughout the repair or support process.
• Support remote troubleshooting and technical guidance, when appropriate, to help resolve issues efficiently, minimize customer downtime, and determine when equipment should be returned for factory service.
• Provide system operation, maintenance, or user familiarization guidance when appropriate, helping customers use and care for their instrumentation confidently and effectively.
• Manage service interactions with professionalism and empathy, including technically complex or time-sensitive situations, and escalate issues appropriately to ensure effective resolution.
• Follow company safety, quality, ESD, and documentation requirements while handling precision scientific instrumentation and components.
• Assist with development and improvement of factory service procedures, troubleshooting guides, training materials, and test methods.
• Other duties, as assigned.

Core Qualifications:

• 5+ years of relevant hands-on experience in electrical, mechanical, scientific, or precision instrumentation work, with demonstrated ability to troubleshoot and resolve complex technical issues.
• Working knowledge of electronic and mechanical troubleshooting techniques and ability to interpret schematics, drawings, specifications, and technical procedures.
• Experience using common diagnostic and test equipment such as digital multimeters and oscilloscopes, as appropriate to the work.
• Strong analytical problem-solving skills with a disciplined, methodical approach to fault isolation and root-cause identification.
• Ability to perform precise hands-on work with delicate components and assemblies while following documented processes and quality requirements.
• Clear written and verbal communication skills and the ability to document technical work accurately.
• Ability to work effectively both independently and collaboratively in a cross-functional, in-person factory environment.
• Ability to prioritize multiple service activities while maintaining attention to detail, quality, and customer needs.
• Strong customer service orientation with the ability to listen actively, ask effective diagnostic questions, set clear expectations, and communicate technical information to customers with varying levels of technical expertise.
• Demonstrated professionalism, responsiveness, patience, and sound judgment when managing customer concerns, competing priorities, and time-sensitive service needs.
• Ability to build collaborative relationships with customers and internal teams while maintaining ownership of issues through communication, follow-up, escalation, and resolution.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Physics, Applied Science, or a related technical field.
• Experience servicing, building, testing, or supporting AFMs, scanning probe microscopes, optical systems, motion-control systems, vacuum systems, or other precision scientific instruments.
• Experience in a technical service, depot repair, manufacturing engineering, sustaining engineering, or field service environment.
• Familiarity with basic software, networking, or computer hardware troubleshooting used with laboratory instrumentation.
• Experience with ERP, CRM, service case management, or quality management systems.
• Experience working within ESD-controlled environments and formal quality systems.
• Customer-facing technical support or field service experience.
• Experience providing customer training, remote technical support, or communicating service recommendations and repair outcomes for complex scientific or analytical instrumentation.

Salary:

In accordance with California law, the expected annual salary for this full-time, benefited position is between $85,000 - $110,000. 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. Employees start with 4 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

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All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, colour, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, or disability.