Principal Applications Scientist - Mass Spectrometry

About the job: Principal Applications Scientist - Mass Spectrometry Job Title : Principal Applications Scientist - Mass Spectrometry

Location: Milpitas, California, USA Required Citizenship / Work Permit / Visa Status : US Citizen, Green Card holders

The Opportunity: The successful Principal Applications Scientist candidate will report to the Director of Applications and will work closely with other functions of the company, including business development, marketing, sale, and engineering. The Principal Applications Scientist is responsible for leading the development efforts of application-specific solutions around Aston; the company’s flagship product. He is expected to play a major role in leading technical engagements with customers in the area semiconductor manufacturing and its vertical applications, preparing and presenting customer-facing material, contributing to product roadmaps, and supporting new product definition and introduction.

Responsibilities: Develop intricate operational knowledge of MS products under development. Provide hands‑on experience with instrument configuration, calibration, validation, and performance testing. Develop new market‑driven applications in concert with potential customers. Support Aston evaluations at semiconductor OEMs and fabs. Provide on-site setup, debug, and performance analysis of Aston systems. Identify key application‑specific requirements early in the customer. Identify new application opportunities and write internal or customer-facing proposals. Deliver customer-facing presentations and conduct pre-sale product demonstrations. Develop and deliver HW/SW‑related operational training sessions to customers. Acquire and analyze samples from prospective customers and provide sample analysis data reports to actively close sales opportunities. Contribute to and support definitions of next generation product roadmaps. Contribute to product development efforts by breaking down system specifications into component performance requirements and participate in the development review process. Educational & Experience Required M.Sc. degree with 6+ years’ work experience or Ph.D. with 2+ yrs. work experience in Physics, Chemistry, Electrical Engineering, or a related field. 5+ years hands‑on experience with the development of mass‑spectrometry based solutions for novel applications. Experience with analytical instruments such as mass spectrometers, gas analyzers, or plasma diagnostics. Familiarity with semiconductor manufacturing processes (etch, CVD, ALD). Sound understanding of the new product introduction process, including the definition of new product requirements, prototypes evaluation, and ability to diagnose and debug systems level issues. Proven success in delivering customer‑facing presentations and conducting. Excellent written and verbal communications skills. Knowledge of control hardware e.g. PLC and software scripting using platforms e.g. Python and Lab‑view is desirable. Up to 30% domestic and international travel expectations. Soft Skills Self‑motivated and comfortable working in early‑stage or dynamic. Strong team‑building personality and collaborative mindset. Performance Metrics per Agreed Upon KPIs Excellence in managing customer relationships. Achieving high customer satisfaction. Achieving high rate of successful Aston evaluations. Potential path toward product management or field solutions leadership.