Careers
ABOUT US
Enhancing Performance, Productivity, and Profitability
Physical Electronics USA Inc. (PHI) is a subsidiary of ULVAC-PHI, the world's leading supplier of UHV surface analysis instrumentation. PHI’s innovative XPS, AES, and SIMS technologies provide our customers with unique tools to solve challenging materials problems and accelerate the development of new processes and products. As the only supplier that provides a full range of high-performance XPS, AES, and SIMS surface analysis instruments, PHI is in a unique position to provide complete surface analysis solutions to potential clients in a broad range of high technology fields including the following: nanotechnology, microelectronics, storage media, catalysis, bio-materials, pharmaceuticals, and basic materials such as metals, polymers, composites and coatings.
At PHI, our success is powered by people and technology. Employee appreciation and recognition, total employee wellness and shared celebration of company success are just a few of our top priorities. Employees enjoy paid holidays and vacation, as well as an unlimited PTO benefit to help balance work, life, and everything in between. Some of our most-loved benefits include department hosted lunches, employee-led wellness activities, on-site gym, employer contribution to H.S.A. and safe-harbor 401k contributions. Medical, dental and employer paid life insurance benefits are available. Student tuition reimbursement, ongoing education and training opportunities, and employer matched charitable contributions are also available to employees.
Physical Electronics USA is an Affirmative Action employer committed to providing equal employment opportunity to all applicants and employees according to all applicable equal opportunity and affirmative action laws, directives and regulations of federal, state and local governing bodies and agencies. In keeping with this commitment, Physical Electronics USA will recruit and hire the most qualified individuals without regard to race, color, creed, religion, sex, national origin, marital status, status with regard to public assistance, membership or activity in a local commission, disability, age, sexual orientation or status as a Vietnam era, special disabled, or or other covered veteran.
CURRENT OPENINGS (3)
Senior Electronics Engineer
PHI is seeking a senior level electronics design engineer who can be a part of a small design group (4-6 members) working on electronics for high tech analytical instrumentation, coordinate activities with PHI’s contract electronics manufacturing partners, and be a technology leader in the design of custom, mixed signal, control and data acquisition electronics. The role will include hands-on design and prototyping (procure, build, test) of new electronics, personnel mentorship, resource planning, and project management responsibilities. The electronics design group also partners with software and systems engineering in integration testing and provides consulting support to the system manufacturing and service organizations.
Essential Duties & Responsibilities
- Provide technical leadership to a small group of mixed signal electronic design engineers and technicians.
- Creating and manage strategic partnerships with contract electronics manufacturers.
- Translate system level requirements into unit level engineering specifications.
- Provide development cost and time estimates.
- Design, prototype (procure, build, test), document, and support mixed signal electronic controls.
- Provide project planning input and resource estimates; work with our parent company in Japan (Ulvac PHI) and the PHI R&D management team to create the annual electronics engineering plan.
- Maintain technical currency and ensure PHI’s state-of-the-art design capability through self-study, and continuing education (PHI is committed to providing learning opportunities to its engineers).
- Partner with other engineering groups in managing system level design, integration testing and documentation.
Critical Skills & Knowledge
- Mixed signal electronics design, test & integration
- Control and data acquisition/processing
- Low noise, medium-high speed analog circuits
- Medium voltage (200 v to 5 kV) analog circuits experience
- HV (20kV - 30kV) design experience preferred
- Knowledge of state-of-the-art PCB and chassis level electronics manufacturing technology and processes.
- Knowledge of best practice design for manufacturability
- Embedded control system design and test
- Effective design project leadership: estimating, planning, risk mitigation, execution management
- Competency in modern electronic design CAD tools: circuit layout, circuit simulation, firmware development, C-language
- Complex hardware/software system level design, test, and debug
- Experience with Firmware programming, Python, Raspberry Pi, preferred
Requirements
- Bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering; advanced degree preferred or equivalent relevant experience.
- More than 5 years of experience in design of chassis level, mixed signal control electronics for highly integrated hardware/software products; 10 years of experience preferred.
- Experience in the design of capital equipment for applications in scientific research or advanced manufacturing preferred.
- Occasional travel to business partner and customer locations, including internationally (<10 days/year).
Physical Electronics is an equal opportunity employer.
Please send your resume to Jennifer Fredrickson at jfredrickson@phi.com
Staff Scientist - Auger Electron Spectroscopy (AES)
PHI is looking for a Staff Scientist with experience in Auger Electron Spectroscopy (AES) to join our Analytical Laboratory team. In this role, the applied surface scientist will provide technical expertise to the company, performing instrument demonstrations, leading training sessions, developing marketing materials, testing current instrument software/hardware, providing feedback into next generation instrumentation, and delivering solutions to product challenges.
Essential Duties & Responsibilities
- Provides expertise in the operation and application of AES instrumentation.
- Ability to analyze and interpret AES results.
- Performs instrument demonstrations, including development of strategies.
- Creates demonstration reports to communicate results of analysis to the customer plus strengths of PHI instrumentation.
- Ensures instrumentation is operating to specifications for demonstrations.
- Provides on-site instrument training at customer sites, tailoring training materials.
- Develops marketing materials for AES product line.
- Supports interdepartmental activities, including assistance with preparation of sales tender documents, software testing, and corrective action initiatives.
- Participates in new product planning activities, providing both “voice” as an expert user in addition to being a representative of customer’s “voice”.
- Represents the company by attending and presenting at scientific conferences.
Qualifications
- PhD in Chemistry, Physics, or Materials Science.
- Experience with AES instrumentation and data interpretation.
- Additional experience with focused ion beams (FIB), energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS), backscatter electron spectroscopy (BSE), electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD), and/or X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) a plus.
Physical Electronics is an equal opportunity employer.
Please send your resume to Jennifer Fredrickson at jfredrickson@phi.com
Software Engineer
PHI is seeking a highly motivated Software Engineer to join our team in developing innovative software solutions for instrument control, data acquisition, and user interfaces used in PHI’s surface analysis products. You will work in a cross-functional team to design, implement, and maintain software that powers our instruments, contributing your expertise across the entire development process. This is an excellent opportunity to develop your skills and make a significant impact in a small company environment.
Essential Duties & Responsibilities
- Collaborate with team members to develop expertise in one or more areas of PHI’s software, including system and hardware control, multi-threading, finite state machines, data management, and user interfaces.
- Participate in all phases of software development, from initial design to implementation, testing, integration, and ongoing maintenance.
- Engage in architecture, design, and code reviews to ensure high-quality software.
- Maintain and enhance existing features while contributing innovative ideas for future developments.
- Work closely with lab scientists to translate scientific applications into instrument user stories and functional requirements.
- Partner with cross-functional engineering teams to define system-level specifications and conduct integration testing.
Required Skills and Knowledge
- Proficiency in at least one object-oriented programming language (e.g., C++, Object Pascal, Python).
- Solid understanding of computer science fundamentals such as object-oriented design and data structures.
- Strong analytical and problem-solving skills with attention to detail and commitment to delivering high-quality results.
- Excellent verbal and written communication skills, with the ability to work effectively in a collaborative, team-based environment.
- Willingness to work with international partners, including collaborating with PHI’s Japanese partner company.
Qualifications
- Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Computer Science, Engineering, or a related field.
- Minimum of 2 years of software development experience.
- Experience in working with capital equipment for scientific research or advanced manufacturing applications is preferred.
- Familiarity with databases and cloud computing is an advantage.
- Willingness to travel occasionally to partner and customer locations (including international travel, less than 10 days/year).
Physical Electronics is an equal opportunity employer.
Please send your resume to Jennifer Fredrickson at jfredrickson@phi.com