Senior Manufacturing 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: Senior Manufacturing Engineer

Reports to: Director of Operations

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 Senior Manufacturing Engineer to support the production of advanced Atomic Force Microscopes (AFM). This role is responsible for developing, optimizing, and sustaining manufacturing processes that ensure the highest levels of product quality, reliability, and operational efficiency.

The Senior Manufacturing Engineer will partner closely with Operations, Production, Supply Chain, Engineering, and Test/Quality teams to drive continuous improvement initiatives, support new product introductions, and enhance manufacturing performance. The ideal

candidate brings a passion for Lean manufacturing, problem-solving, and high-tech scientific instrumentation within a precision manufacturing environment.

Key Job Responsibilities Include, but are not limited to:

• Develop, implement, and maintain manufacturing processes, work instructions, standard operating procedures (SOPs), and process documentation.
• Analyze manufacturing workflows and identify opportunities to improve throughput, quality, yield, safety, and operational efficiency.
• Drive waste reduction efforts through value stream mapping, process optimization, and elimination of non-value-added activities.
• Design, develop, and justify manufacturing tooling, fixtures, assembly aids, and process enhancements.
• Support the introduction of new products into manufacturing, ensuring scalable and repeatable production processes.
• Collaborate with Engineering to improve product manufacturability, assembly efficiency, and quality performance.
• Lead and support corrective and preventive actions (CAPA) using methodologies such as 8D, DMAIC, PDCA, and failure analysis techniques.
• Support manufacturing validation activities, process qualification, and controlled engineering change implementation.
• Promote and maintain 5S standards and a culture of operational excellence throughout the manufacturing environment.
• Provide technical leadership and mentoring to manufacturing technicians and junior engineers.
• Ensure compliance with company quality standards and applicable regulatory requirements
• Other duties, as assigned.

Core Qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree in Manufacturing Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Industrial Engineering, or a related technical field.
• 5+ years of manufacturing engineering experience in a lean manufacturing environment.
• Strong knowledge of Lean tools, including value stream mapping, standard work and 5S.
• Experience in SolidWorks
• Experience supporting the production of complex electromechanical systems, scientific instruments or similar precision products.
• Proficiency with manufacturing documentation, process development, and technical instruction creation.
• Strong analytical skills with experience using manufacturing data to drive decision-making and process improvements.
• Excellent project management, communication, and cross-functional collaboration skills.
• Demonstrated ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced high-tech manufacturing environment.

Preferred:

• Experience with AFMs or other precision scientific instruments.
• Experience supporting New Product Introduction (NPI) and Design for Manufacturability (DFM) initiatives.
• Experience with ERP/MRP systems and manufacturing execution systems (MES).

Salary

In accordance with California law, the expected annual salary for this full-time, benefited position is between $115,000 - $135,000. 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 related to unsolicited CV’s.

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