What are the responsibilities and job description for the Customer Support & Service Engineer - Nanoindentation position at X-Ray Technology?
Wiesbaden, DE Ulm, DE DE
Materials Analysis is an Oxford Instruments Business Unit that manages our Electron Microscopy and Mechanical Microscopy products, Atomic Force Microscopes, Raman Microscopes and Benchtop NMR Products. We are part of the wider Oxford Instruments Group that also includes Andor Technology, NanoScience, Plasma Technology and X-Ray Technology. With a sixty-year history, and fourteen Queen's Awards for Enterprise, our world-class products and technologies are helping our customers to address the greatest challenges of the 21st century
We are seeking a Field Service Engineer, to be based remotely in Germany with frequent travel (up to 60%). If you are passionate about supporting customers, working with cutting-edge scientific tools, and have hands on experience with Nanoindentation, read on...
The Field Service Engineer will provide technical (onsite and remote) support, installation, and training to customers across Europe, with occasional support in distributor regions (e.g., Southern Europe, Africa, Middle East, Turkey, and Israel). This role focuses on supporting various product lines as required by the business but with a specialism in Nanoindentation and Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM) instrumentation, ensuring customers are fully operational and satisfied with their systems The role requires excellent problem-solving skills, self-motivation, and strong technical expertise
The role of Service Engineer is varied, and typically involves the role holder to:
- Provide onsite and remote technical support for all I&A product lines as required by the business but with a specialism in Nanoindentation and AFM systems, ensuring customer satisfaction.
- Perform onsite installations, software setups, and user orientation training.
- Diagnose, troubleshoot, and resolve hardware, software, and application-related issues efficiently.
- Act as a trusted advisor to customers, helping them optimize system use and achieve their research or production goals.
- Conduct regular preventive maintenance visits to ensure instruments remain in optimal condition.
- Perform repairs onsite, providing clear communication with customers about root causes and solutions.
- Maintain accurate service records in the field service management system.
- Deliver comprehensive customer training, including calibration, operation, and advanced techniques.
- Assist customers in optimizing workflows and developing best practices for their specific applications.
- Liaise with internal teams (applications, R&D, product management, and sales) to ensure excellent customer outcomes and continuous product improvement.
- Feedback customer insights, product needs, and technical challenges to the Service Business Manager and Service Product Manager.
- Promote service products (e.g., support contracts, upgrades, accessories) and provide leads to the sales team.
- Support new product introductions by ensuring field readiness for installations and troubleshooting.
- Generate detailed site reports, installation records, and risk assessments as required.
- Submit timely updates on open issues and actively contribute to team knowledge-sharing activities
What we are looking for:
- A degree (BSc/MSc/PhD) in Physics, Materials Science, Engineering, Electronics, or a related discipline.
- Practical experience with Nanoindentation and/or AFM systems is essential
- Excellent customer service and interpersonal skills, with the ability to explain technical concepts clearly.
- Fluency in English (spoken and written); additional European languages (e.g., German, French, or Spanish) are advantageous.
- Willingness and flexibility to be able to travel to customers as required
Next steps:
If you'd like to learn more before applying, or have any questions please contact abby.gelder@oxinst.com. Applicants will be reviewed as quickly as possible, with successful applicants being invited to a Teams call to learn more about the role.
Equal opportunities and reasonable adjustments:
Oxford Instruments is an affirmative action and equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, colour, 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. Please get in touch if you require any reasonable adjustments within the interview process.