Technical Support Specialist (Hardware)

Would you like to be instrumental in enabling the next generation of semi-conductors? 

Are you a Technical Support Specialist (Hardware) who can support our technical group in supporting the global deployment, reliability, and performance of our systems? Our team provides technical expertise across system hardware, control systems, manufacturing development whist partnering with Applications, Customer Support, Engineering, and Manufacturing teams. 

Are you a highly collaborative engineer who enjoys solving complex technical problems, working across disciplines, and supporting high-performance semiconductor metrology systems in the field and in manufacturing? 

If this resonates, read on…. 

Reward and Benefits:  

• £55,000 to £62,000 (depending on experience)  

• 25 days annual leave, death in service and private health care benefits, personal pension contributions of 4% with salary sacrifice and a generous EMI Share scheme 

Based in Abingdon, Oxford, UK, we are a high calibre team of 100 plus people and we are growing fast. We are backed by global financial and industry investors including Applied Ventures, the strategic venture arm of the industry leading equipment company. 

About the role:  

A typical day for a Technical Support Specialist (Hardware) could look like this: 

 Hardware Technical Support & Escalation 

• Providing advanced troubleshooting support for complex hardware issues across installed Metron3D systems and manufacturing builds. 

• Acting as technical escalation point for Field Service and Applications teams. 

• Diagnosing issues across mechanical, optical, and electronic subsystems. 

• Supporting timely resolution of critical field issues. 

System‑Level Diagnostics 

• Investigating system‑level performance issues, including integration with OEM modules and custom components. 

• Working closely with the Technical Support Specialist (Control Systems) to diagnose issues across hardware and control systems. 

• Reproducing and analysing customer‑reported issues. 

Root Cause Analysis & Corrective Actions 

• Leading and contributing to structured root cause investigations for hardware‑related issues. 

• Partnering with engineering and manufacturing teams to identify and agree permanent corrective actions. 

• Supporting the implementation of design improvements, component updates, and process changes. 

Manufacturing & Build Support 

• Collaborating with Manufacturing Development Engineers to support system integration and build activities. 

• Assisting with troubleshooting hardware issues during system assembly and integration. 

• Providing technical input on manufacturability, subsystem robustness, and overall system stability. 

• Support new product introduction including testing, training and documentation. 

Field Issue Investigation 

• Analysing field data, logs, and system performance reports to uncover underlying hardware issues. 

• Supporting failure analysis of returned components or subsystems. 

Technical Knowledge Development 

• Developing and maintaining troubleshooting procedures, diagnostic workflows, and technical documentation. 

• Capturing lessons learned from field issues and sharing them. 

• Supporting Customer Support and Applications teams through training on hardware. 

Who we are looking for: 

To succeed as a Technical Support Specialist (Hardware), we do need you to have extensive experience of: 

• Precision electromechanical systems and opto-mechanical assemblies. 

• High-stability instrumentation requiring sub-micron precision. 

• Vibration isolation, nano-positioning stages, sensors and tight tolerance mechanical assemblies. 

• Diagnosing complex system issues across mechanical, electronic and optical subsystems. 

• Scientific instrumentation, photonics. 

• Analysing interactions between hardware, software and environmental factors. 

• Explaining complex challenges to key stakeholders. 

 Nice to have: 

• Familiarity with semiconductor equipment, wafer handling systems, EFEM modules, robotics, and automated semiconductor tool architectures. 

• Familiarity with metrology tools, nano-scale microscopy systems preferred. 

 Education / Qualifications:  

Either a Physics or Engineering degree or similar, or a clear equivalent path through relevant apprenticeship or a minimum of 5 years of accumulated experience.