Team Lead Qualification

You will take the lead in guiding the Assembly, Integration and Testing of our state-of-the-art Metrology machine.

Do you have a background in Electrical, Mechanical or Mechatronics and the drive to coordinate people and processes to perfection? Your expertise could be the key to elevating our qualification and testing to the next level.

Nearfield Instruments (NFI) is a fast-growing scale-up high‑tech company. We design, develop, integrate, market and service advanced metrology machines. Our machines enables our customers – the world’s leading chip makers – to increase the production yields, and thus, functionality of their microchips, which in turn leads to smaller, more powerful consumer electronics.

Founded in 2016, we bring together the most creative minds (approx. 380 employees) in science and technology and develop a one‑of‑a‑kind, revolutionary high throughput Scanning Probe Microscopy system.

As a key leader in our Qualification and Testing activities, you will guide a team of AIT, Test and Qualification engineers and technicians working on our state‑of‑the‑art semiconductor metrology systems in our ISO 5 cleanroom and laboratories. Your mission is to ensure that every integrated system meets the highest standards of performance, reliability and quality before reaching our customers.

Main responsibilities include:

• Build and lead a strong Qualification and Test team, ensuring a safe, structured and high‑performing cleanroom environment.
• Plan, oversee and execute qualification and testing activities to verify system functionality, performance, efficiency and reliability.
• Develop test strategies, oversee test execution, review and analyse results, and implement corrective or preventive actions when needed.
• Ensure the successful completion of the qualification phase (Stage
  5) and Factory Acceptance Test in line with customer specifications and expectations.
• Collaborate closely with cross‑functional teams such as design, development, supply chain and production to align on planning, technical integration and resource needs.
• Continuously evaluate and improve qualification and integration processes, tools and methodologies to enhance quality, cycle time and operational efficiency.
• Manage capacity and resource planning to align team assignments with the Master Production Plan and delivery timelines.
• Ensure full documentation and traceability of all qualification processes, results and deviations in accordance with industry and organizational standards.
• Identify potential technical and planning risks early and develop effective mitigation strategies.
• Contribute to system design reviews and development discussions to make sure qualification requirements are built in from the start.
• Oversee budgeting, cost estimation and resource allocation for qualification and FAT activities, ensuring optimal use of people and resources.

Startups can offer incredible opportunities for growth, impact and learning, but they also move fast and require adaptability. You thrive in such an environment, where processes evolve quickly, priorities shift and improvement never stops. You’re comfortable leading through change, solving complex problems and motivating your team to deliver excellence under pressure.

Furthermore, you recognize yourself in the following profile:

• Education in Mechanical, Electrical, Mechatronics, Applied Physics or a similar technical field.
• Around 10 years of experience in highly complex manufacturing environments, preferably in semiconductor equipment or a comparable industry.
• Proven experience leading technical teams, with a focus on qualification, integration and testing.
• Strong collaborator across functions such as planning, supply chain, design, development and production.
• Skilled in troubleshooting and solving quality, technical and planning challenges with a pragmatic and structured approach.
• Strong people manager who inspires a high‑performance culture, ensures safety and quality, and drives continuous improvement.
• Able to balance operational demands with long‑term strategic goals.
• Comfortable working on‑site in a cleanroom…