Metrology Application Engineer

VoltForce is partnering with an early-stage materials-inspection company to find a Metrology Applications Engineer. The client helps manufacturers improve micro- and nano-scale materials used in energy storage, semiconductors, aerospace, and power systems by providing real-time, non-destructive metrology solutions that reduce waste, enhance performance, and increase safety.

About the role

This position combines hands-on technical work in labs and at customer sites with direct engagement with customer engineering and operations teams. You will demonstrate and develop new capabilities for the company’s metrology platform, working closely with customers to deploy, test, and extract value from the technology.

Responsibilities

• Work directly with customers, prospects, and collaborators to understand metrology requirements, then scope, plan, and execute demonstration studies and proofs of concept.
• Design, run, and analyze experiments in the company’s labs and at customer facilities, including test planning, data collection, and interpretation of results.
• Present findings clearly to customer engineers, managers, and executives, and collaborate on next-step plans.
• Support installation, commissioning, and optimization of the company’s systems at customer sites, including basic troubleshooting and performance verification.
• Provide structured feedback from field deployments and customer interactions to the product and engineering teams to influence roadmap and usability improvements.
• Explore and identify new applications, performance capabilities, and product features to expand market opportunities.
• Contribute to the development and improvement of internal methodologies, calibration procedures, and best practices for metrology workflows.
• Create and maintain concise documentation (application notes, standard operating procedures, quick-start guides) for customers and internal teams.

Requirements

• B.S. or M.S. in materials science, chemical engineering, chemistry, physics, or a closely related technical discipline; or a Ph.D. in a relevant field.
• For B.S./M.S. candidates: 1 to 2 years of industry experience in manufacturing, metrology, materials characterization, and/or materials development (coatings or precursor materials experience is a plus).
• For Ph.D. candidates: research or industry experience directly related to materials characterization, materials fabrication or coating, or advanced manufacturing.
• Experience working with hardware and software in an industrial or manufacturing context (e.g., lab instrumentation, in-line sensors, analytics tools).
• Familiarity with data analysis, unsupervised/supervised ML, and statistical process concepts (e.g., SPC, Gauge R&R, basic modeling, trend analysis), and comfort using tools like JMP, Matlab, and/or Python.
• Strong interpersonal skills and confidence interacting face-to-face with customers in labs, on shop floors, and in conference rooms.
• Ability and willingness to travel (up to ~25%) for customer site work, installations, and conferences.
• Clear written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to explain technical concepts to mixed technical/non-technical audiences.
• Adaptability and enthusiasm for working in a multidisciplinary environment where priorities may shift based on customer needs.

Nice to Have

• Prior work or research experience in key industrial markets (batteries, aerospace, power generation, semiconductors, energy, electronics).
• Exposure to surface treatment or coating processes, high-temperature materials, or in situ/on-line metrology systems.
• Fluency in one or more stakeholder languages (e.g., Japanese, Mandarin Chinese, Korean, German, French).

Location: San Leandro, CA (on-site)
Job Type: Full-time